From Turban to Toe Ring [Spiral-bound]

Barry Brown (Author), Dawn Devine Brown (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 24, 2000

From Turban to Toe Ring is a guide for designing and making tribal-fusion belly dance wear. This style, which originated in the San Francisco dance community and has spread world-wide, is fast becoming one of the most popular costuming options. Tribal-fusion costuming is an assemblage of design elements pulled from many different tribal, rural, and nomadic peoples from North Africa, across the Near and Middle East, and as far away as India. Surface design techniques, articles of clothing, and jewelry components are fused together to create a look that blends all of these items into an exciting and uniquely individual image for each dancer.

This book will be an excellent reference source for the libraries of dancers, costume designers, historical re-enactors, and dancers who want a break from the high glitz and glamour of cabaret-style costuming.

From Turban to Toe Ring contains numerous hints, tips, and directions for making, designing, and assembling a tribal-fusion costume, including:

* A country-by-country breakdown of tribal jewelry styles from the Berber people of Morocco to the Ribari of India.

* Patternmaking directions for several different choli and salwar designs.

* Directions for traditional surface embellishments, including applique and shi-sha.

* Mehndi (or henna), from mixing the paste to creating your design.

* Adapting Indian textiles, such as the toran and chakla, for tribal-fusion dancewear.

* Extensive bibliography and guide to historical research of Middle Eastern costume.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dawn Devine Brown is an author, costume historian, and belly dancer living in California's Bay Area. She has been belly dancing for over fifteen years and has been designing costumes nearly all her life. She has degrees in both Art History and Costume Design. Dawn is also the author of the widely-acclaimed book about Middle East dance wear, Costuming from the Hip.

Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 102 pages
• Publisher: Ibexa Press (March 24, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967817013
• ISBN-13: 978-0967817019
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,263,410 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best I've read, August 6, 2001

By 

J. Osborne "bullajabbar" (uk) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: From Turban to Toe Ring (Spiral-bound)

This book has everything for the bellydancer who is in for the long haul. It includes patterns of all the basic "uniforms" and how to adorn it. This book will save you hundreds of dollars in costume costs and they are gaurenteed to fit because you sew it, and can with little experience. There is also a good section on make-up and Henna and a huge research section.

I was also excited to see the section on what certian symbols mean and the many drawings that show how many ways to wear one outfit.

This is a must have for any dancer.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars From Turban to Toe Ring, May 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: From Turban to Toe Ring (Spiral-bound)

I found this book very inspirational! Having recently begun taking Belly Dance lessons, I find myself becoming more and more fascinated with the different styles of costuming. The book has provided me with a great source of ideas, and I notice that I am constantly following the advice it gives; to stay on the look out for various random pieces of jewlery or textiles that could be incorported into a costume. A wonderful creative resource.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Second in the series, repeats the first., January 2, 2003

By 

Rina Larabie (BC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: From Turban to Toe Ring (Spiral-bound)

Enhanced version of the first book (Costuming from the Hip) and not as comprenhensive as the third (Bedlahs, Baubles and Beads) this book is a good beginner's guide to creating belly dance costumes. The information is well laid out and easy to follow with good illustrations where needed. A nice variety of illustration styles throughout helps inspire ideas and the extensive list of resources at the end is a terrific way to round out the book. A good volume for the novice costume maker.