Belly Dance top

What do you wear for your bellydance classes? How to make a bellydance top by yourself at home and where to buy ready-made garments?

I've been bellydancing for over 3 years but for some reason never took bellydance clothes shopping seriously even though there is such a huge assortment at the Arab market only half an hour drive from me.

I guess it's about time to look into this issue closely.

Making a belly dance top by yourself

There are many creative ways to make a perfect belly dance top by yourself. Here is an idea I've been given lately.

Use your size ready-made bra, and densely sew beads, sequins and rhinestones onto the bra fabric. I guess this is the best way to get a great top that fits and supports your breasts, especially if they are large.

What to wear for a dancing class

For class, I used to wear one of my fitting t-shirts or vests tied or folded up and stuck under the bra wires. This way you can turn any of your tops into a crop top without cutting it.

Close fitting shirt

No matter which one of your shirts you decide to wear for dancing class, it has to be form fitting to let you and your instructor see what your body is doing.

Exposing the belly

Many of the beginners don't feel like showing their belly when they start dancing. It is a general feeling of confidence and has nothing to do with the size or a look. Don't worry, you can dance with your belly covered. The most important thing is to feel comfortable and to enjoy the dancing.

Comfort

The bra

During the class you have to focus on learning and dancing, not on pulling your bra back to it's place. Make sure that you are wearing a supportive bra with comfortable straps.

Layers

I also prefer wearing 2-3 layers especially in winter. It usually takes one dance to warm up and you start sweating, even if it is snowing outside. So I always have a sleeveless vest or crop top as the inner layer and a long sleeve shrug or a wrap top on it.

Buying a bellydance top

Those who don't live in Israel or any other oriental country that have Arab markets can purchase all they need for bellydancing on-line. Here are some nice examples I've found:

Tops for dancing classes

Classic bellydance tops

Belly Dance Bras with beads, lace, coins, rhinestones, fringe, sequins
Different styles Chiffon tops
Velvet Vest