Harem Costumes for Women
As soon as you hear the phrase, harem costumes for women, the images that come to mind are Princess Jasmine from
Aladdin corsets UK, Jeannie from
I Dream of Jeannie, and an exotic belly dancer. In their billowing pants in beautiful, pastel hues, accessorized with jewelry to die for, these women are epitomes of femininity. A harem traditionally refers to the sanctuary where women reside. Entry to a harem was forbidden for men. Over time, the term took on a more lewd meaning and would refer to the group of wives or concubines of high ranking officials. Though the concept was frowned upon by Puritans, the clothes worn by the women in these harems caught the eye of the Western countries in the early 20th century. Harem costumes, especially harem pants, became a popular clothing item for women who lived a bohemian lifestyle.
Harem costumes for women are today very popular for parties. These
costumes are very similar to the costumes worn by belly dancers and gypsy women. The look is more or less the same except for a difference in the footwear worn and the colors chosen for the costumes.
Arabian Harem Costumes for Women
There are some features that are synonymous with harem costumes. These include the harem pants, the heavily embellished brassiere or bustier top, sheer veils, scarfs
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jewelry. The pants are generally made of a sheer material and the bustier top is heavily embroidered or embellished. It may also be covered by a sheer cloth. Accessories include bangles, earrings, bracelets, anklets
bra sets, etc.
Harem pants, traditionally a
belly dance costume is loose fitting in order to allow the dancer easy movement. Also since a lot of fabric is used to make the garment, it falls smoothly when gathered at the ankle. Harem pants worn as a part of harem costumes for women can be either worn as it is
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Most belly dancers tend to wear bustier tops that are heavily embellished with sequins and gemstones of colors that contrast with the color of the bustier. If you are looking out for harem costumes for women, you could also opt for a wrap top that ties at the center of the midriff. These belly dancing tops are easily available at any costume store. You could also take a sheer piece of cloth in a similar color and wear it as a veil covering the face showing off only the eyes. If you do so, do highlight your eyes with proper makeup. Opt to wear a lot of kohl and eyeliner. Also wear long, dangling earrings, an anklet with gold overtones, bracelets, and bangles. Wear knit shoes that have a rounded point to complete your look.
Making Harem Costumes for Women
While harem costumes for women can be easily rented, you could also opt to make one at home. If you do decide to do so, then your most important assignment would be to make the harem pants. In order to do so, you first need to decide on a bikini top that you can modify to create your harem costume top. This is because you will need to choose the fabric for the harem pants depending on the color of the bustier. Once you have decided on the bikini top, embellish it as you deem fit. Next select the fabric for the harem pants. Choose from
fabrics like chiffon, Georgette, etc. You will also need to buy a pair of pants in the same color, in a size that is two sizes too large for you. These pants should be made of a lightweight fabric. Now follow the steps given below to make the harem pants.
First wear the pants that you have bought. Now tuck at the waist so that the pants fit you properly and gather the pants at the ankle and sew it.
Now measure your waist depending on how high or low you want to wear your harem pants.
Next measure the length from the waistline till the floor. This will be the length for the fabric. Also take measurements for the thigh and hip.
According to the measurements that you have, make the harem costume pattern on paper adding 6 - 12 inches for billowing pants. To the pattern, add 2 inches to the measurement of the ankle and one and a half inches to the hip measurement.
Now carefully, cut the fabric according to the measurements that you have. Sew the fabric on to the pants that you have bought and modified. If you want to ensure that the harem pants fit perfectly, use an elastic fastener at the waist.
This is how easy it is to make harem pants which are an integral part of harem costumes for women. You can cut out a piece of the fabric that you have used for the pants to make a veil. Now just accessorize properly and you are set to attend the
belly dancing session or harem costume party that you have been waiting for.
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