Shira

Bellydance Plus! Photo Gallery

Shira

Like many women, my weight has fluctuated over the years. I've been known to gain weight during times that are particularly stressful for me, then shed those extra pounds once I managed to get the stress under control. I keep them off until my life becomes stressful again. It's not yoyo dieting - once I've lost weight, I can keep it off for several years by simply making healthy food choices and ensuring I get sufficient exercise. But when stress rises, it takes my weight up with it. The photos on this page show some of my favorite costumes for when I'm on the larger side of my weight cycle.

Midnight Blue Dress by Hanan

Every time I wear this dress, people are fascinated by it, particularly by the large cutout over one hip.

I bought this dress from Hanan at the end of the 2006 Ahlan wa Sahlan festival. It was the final day of the event, and many of the vendors including Hanan had marked down their unsold merchandise to clearance-level prices.

I feel this dress is flattering on me partly because the primary bare skin it exposes lies on my upper chest and back, an area where I remain reasonably slim. This skin draws attention to itself and away from my problem spots. The cutouts on the legs are large enough to draw attention to themselves, but the black sheer inserts help prevent them from becoming overpowering. The mild flare at the hem provides balance for my hip size.

This photo was taken by Kaylyn Hoskins.Click on it to see this costume in more detail.

Another attractive aspect of this dress that I feel makes it flatter my figure is that the cut of the neckline emphasizes my cleavage.

Every time I wear this dress, it transforms me into someone else. It adds sway to my walk and sassiness to my mood.

Click on the photo to the right to see more detail.

This photo and the ones below were taken by Lina Jang.

Shira Wearing Midnight Blue Dress by Hanan

Black Dress by Hanan

One of my favorite designers in Egypt is Hanan Mahmoud. I've purchased several beautiful dresses from her over the years.

This was the first costume that I purchased from Hanan. She was vending at Raqia Hassan's international Egyptian dance event known as Ahlan wa Sahlan.

At the time I purchased this costume, chiffon skirts and long beaded fringe were out of fashion in Egypt. Designers were opting to keep fringe effects simple, and use lycra as their fabric.

The evening gown style of dance costume arose in Egypt in the 1990's and has survived into the millennium. The costume in this photo pairs a decorated dance bra with a full-length dress.

Click on the photos to the right and below to see this costume in more detail. All four of the photos showing this costume were taken by Andre Elbing during my performance at the Ahlan wa Sahlan festival in Egypt in 2006.

There are several reasons why I think this costume is flattering to my figure:

The biggest factor is the asynchronous design. I like how the neckline dips down to expose the bra underneath on one side while the other side is finished with a chiffon sleeve, and I like having a slit on one side of the skirt but not the other.
I'm quite tall, and one of my best features is my long legs, so the slit in the skirt calls attention to that asset while still having a chiffon drape to soften the effect of the bare skin.
Bare skin calls attention to itself. I'm slim on the upper body, so the exposure of bare skin across my shoulders and upper back creates an illusion of slimmer shape as a whole.

Burgundy & Rose Dress by Hanan

After purchasing the above two costumes in 2006, I knew I wanted to look for more costumes by Hanan the next time I retunred to Egypt. My opportunity came in 2008. She had only one dress in stock that I wanted, but offered to custom-make one for me.

Hanan had other dresses in this style on display. After sizing up my figure, she pointed to one like this in another color and pronounced that of her current styles, this one was the best for me.

I pointed to the fabric of a different burgundy costume she had displayed to choose the primary fabric for the dress, and to the rose-colored chiffon yet another costume had to indicate the accent color I wanted.

She used a tape measure to determine dress length, hip size, and waist size. However, for the bust line, she cupped one hand around each breast!

Click on the photos to the right and below to see the costume in more detail.

All four of these photos were taken by Kaylyn Hoskins.

I find this dress flattering partly because the colors are perfect with my skin color, hair color, and eyes. Beyond that, the diagonal line created by the chiffon drape creates a slimming effect. I like the way the slit in the skirt calls attention to my long legs. The bare skin on the chest, left arm, and upper back draw the eye upward, which is beneficial for my figure.

Red Dress by Mahmoud Abdel-Ghaffar

Mahmoud Abdel-Ghaffar runs a 4-story shop named al-Wikala in Cairo's Khan al-Khalili shopping district. I was lucky to find this red dress there in 2004 for the exciting price of $150.

I like the colored mesh effect high on the neck and across the midriff. I feel that the color is more flattering than a beige would be, and the fact that it contrasts with my skin color means that my abdominal work is more visible. The shape of the dress creates a vertical line that emphasizes my height and calls attention away from my problem areas.

Click on the photo to the right and the one below to see this costume in more detail.

This photo and the one above were taken by Dr. William M. Smith.

White & Turquoise Tissue Lamé Costume

In this photo from approximately 1998, I'm wearing a gold & white bra/belt set, a black power net midriff cover, and a turquoise tissue lamé skirt. A glittery darker blue accent skirt and matching sleeves complete the ensemble. I made the sleeves and both skirts myself. Click here for instructions on how to make both skirts. The sleeves are made exactly the same way the accent skirt is made, except smaller.

The black power net body stocking de-emphasizes the abdominal area, while the bare skin on the upper chest and back draws the eye upward to it.

Click on the photo to see the costume in more detail.

Photo was taken by Jeff Halpin.