Green green green green.
It’s time once again for Anatomy of a Costume! If you’re new to my blog, this is a series where I discuss the inspiration, planning, and sometimes actual creation of a costume for a specific dance performance. It’s also my chance to give a shout-out to the artists who make the pieces that I didn’t make myself (which this time around is everything).
I put this costume together at pretty much the last minute. The inspiration was simple: I wanted something that would look nice with my fan veils, look great against the pink backdrop that LVBDI always uses for the community stage, and that didn’t need any repairs or modifications. Oh yes, and it had to fit into a rolling carry-on along with 3 days worth of workshops clothes and party clothes.
Somehow this resulted in me wearing nothing but recycled saris! I took the beautiful bra and belt that I wore for Tribal Fest and pairing them with my Madelene skirt. I was worried that the belt and skirt would either clash or blend too much into each other, but the row of buttons along the bottom of the belt serves as a good break between the two greens and it actually resulted in a very harmonious deep emerald green and gold costume. The deep greens really set off my complexion and hair, while also standing out beautifully against the pink backdrop.
Accessories are simple: the same two necklaces I wore for TF, a tiny rhinestone memory wire bracelet, a bead and rhinestone headband, and a bindi that happens to be made out of scraps from my costume, plus two little eye accent bindis.
Not seen but still important: the Madelene skirt has a high slit in the front. I usually wear it over pantaloons or a 25 yard skirt, but I wanted to show my legs this time, so I purchased a pair of dance shorts to wear under it. That way I could spin as much as I want, without worrying that the combination of slit skirt and raised stage would let the audience see more than I wanted to show. The skirt flares out beautifully when I spin, which made it a great choice for this fan veil performance.
Vendors!
Bra and belt: Medina Maitreya Designs
Skirt: The Verdant Muse
Necklace: Furious Fancies
Pendant: Owlkeyme
Bindi: Hi-Beam Bindis
Eye Accents: Kuhl Jewels
Fan Veils: Silkdancer