Dressmaking: how to make sleeves you can dance in
I've been lucky to have access to a specialist flamenco dressmaker for most of my flamenco outfits - but once or twice, I've had to resort to an ordinary dressmaker, with mixed results. 
Don't get me wrong, a good bridal dressmaker will know exactly how to go about making you a beautiful flamenco dress, given a few photos and the right material - but there's one place where she's almost guaranteed to get it wrong.
The sleeves.
When you're dancing, you have to move your arms through a far wider range than you do in everyday life. Both times I've had dresses made by non-specialists, I've been unable to get my arms above my head!
The easy solution is to choose a sleeveless design, of course. Or choose a cape or puff style instead of the tight elbow length version.
You'll also reduce the problem by using a stretch fabric - if not for the whole dress, at least for the sleeves (for instance, you could have lace sleeves in the same color, made of stretch lace).
If you're determined to have tight sleeves in the same fabric as the dress, you'll need to allow more ease in the armpit area. If you have an existing dress that's too tight, you can achieve this by adding a diamond-shaped gusset.
Dressmaking: how to choose fabric for a flamenco dress
Flamenco skirts and dresses require a lot of material - allow 2 metres (2.5 yards) for a simple skirt and 3 or 4 metres for a dress. That much fabric is heavy! Bear that in mind when buying fabric to make a flamenco dress, and look for materials that are on the lighter side.
Don't go too far, though - very light material won't move well (or will fly up too easily!), unless you add a lot of ruffles to add weight at the hem. It may also be see-through - and voila, you have to add a lining, which adds to the weight, so you're back where you started.
Many professionally-made dresses have a cotton lining, for strength and sweat absorption - but make your own decision as to whether you need one. Modern polyester fabrics hold their shape much better and don't really need a lining to support them, especially if you reinforce your seams.
As for sweat absorption - if you wear a separate cotton-lycra cami under your dress, it will absorb sweat just as well, and is easier to wash - and you don't have to worry about it shrinking out of synch with the dress. If the dress has sleeves, you can also sew sweat guards under the arms.
Bargain Flamenco Dresses
As we all know, flamenco dresses are horribly expensive. Of course, we offer some good value flamenco dresses here on Dress for Flamenco, but what if you don't like buying online?
One option is to go to Spain. I know that sounds like an expensive solution, but what a marvellous excuse to take a flamenco holiday! If you book yourself into a course at one of the flamenco schools, you can kill two birds with one stone, so you can still say you saved money 
Schedule your visit to just after the Feria de Abril in Sevilla, and you'll find some bargains in the flamenco stores in Andalusia. Flamenco dancers follow fashion as much as the rest of us, and the stores sell off this season's styles at a discount. Back home in your own country, no one will know you're wearing last year's style, and you'll have an authentic flamenco dress at a fraction of the price.
Incidentally, if you decide to go to Seville for the Feria and stay for the sales, make sure you have accommodation before you go. During the Feria, hotels book out far in advance (and are very expensive).
Photo by Robven
Tips for Buying Your First Flamenco Costume
When you first start getting confident in flamenco, you want to dress the part. It's tempting to rush out and buy yourself a beautiful flamenco dress, to make yourself look like a real flamenca.
Wait! Take a deep breath and let's be realistic here. It's likely to be a few years before you're good enough to dance solo. In the meantime, if you get a chance to perform, it will be in a group. Your teacher will want the group to look like a troupe, which means all of you must be wearing similar costumes.
If she's sympathetic to the financial circumstances of dance students, she'll try to use outfits that students already have - but it's very difficult to make a coherent group out of a bunch of dancers who've all bought dresses separately.
Flamenco dresses come in many different colors and patterns, with sleeves vary from extremely frilly, to tight, to none. The skirts of a flamenco dress may have several frills and multiple petticoats, or be tight and sleek around the hips with no frills at all. The chances of your dress matching what others have chosen is pretty slim.
That's why a flamenco shawl (worn as a top) and skirt combo is the best bet for your first costume: no matter where you buy your shawl and skirt, or what colour you choose, the style is similar enough that it will fit it with everyone else's shawl and skirt.
Look at this photo of a flamenco performance at the Feria in Seville, and notice the dancer on the left is wearing a purple leotard as a top, with a matching skirt. She looks just as good as her partner who's wearing a dress.
The benefit of using separates is the same as in real life - you can mix and match to suit your needs. You can also wear the skirt or leotard separately in class, and use the shawl as your working shawl. If you buy a multi-colored shawl, you can even buy two or three skirts which pick up the colors from the shawl - and probably still have spent less money than if you'd bought a dress!
In any case, your first step should be to ask other students how costumes are arranged for your school performances. At some schools, the teacher will insist that every troupe member wears exactly the same costume (and probably makes them pay to have it made). If that's the case, you may as well be patient - no matter how beautiful a flamenco outfit you buy, you're not going to get a chance to wear it on stage until you're a solo artist.
*
Photo by A. www.viajar24h.com
Flamenco Dress Styles – Sevillanas
When we think of a flamenco dancer, we think of her wearing something very colourful, very spotty and very frilly. This little cutie is wearing a perfect example - unfortunately, she hasn't quite got the steps yet...
In fact, this style of dress is rarely worn by flamenco dancers these days. You'll still see it in tourist venues and at the annual Feria in Seville, where it's traditional.
If you're in Seville and tempted to buy one, make sure you buy a dress for dancing and not just a Feria (or vestida de gitana) dress. Feria dresses are tight way down past the knees with just a few frills at the bottom, and there's not enough freedom of movement to dance properly.
Photo by qgil on Flickr
A dress designed for professional dancers may look very similar, but it will only be tight to about mid-thigh. You'll also see full-skirted styles.
You can see some examples in this video:
Flamenco Shawl Top (Traditional)
The traditional way to create a top from a flamenco shawl is to wrap the main part of the shawl around the front of your body and then create shoulder straps with the ends.
Note - it can be quite difficult to wrap the shawl around you by yourself. It's well worth having someone to help you, at least until you get the hang of it.
You will need at least 4 safety pins.
- Fold the shawl into a triangle. Take hold of one end with each hand, with the folded edge along the top and the two fringed sides hanging down.
- Place the folded edge of the shawl across your bust and adjust it so the point hangs straight down in the centre.
- Pin the shawl to your bra or top where it meets the shoulder straps. Don't worry about concealing the pins or making it neat - this is just to keep the shawl centred temporarily, while you do the rest.
- Take the two ends behind your back and cross them over (swap hands).
- This is where you need flexible arms, or a friend to help - bring one end up over each shoulder.
- Pull each end down to meet the folded edge of the shawl and pin together
- You should now have a shawl which looks as though it has shoulder straps from the front, and is crossed over at the back, as in the picture below.
Hints:
* Always pin roughly at first so you can get your hands free. You can then take your time to adjust the shawl perfectly and get the safety pins out of sight.
* The shawl will stay in place more securely if you pin it to your bra or top as well as to itself.
* If you have a smaller shawl (or are well-endowed) you may find the ends won't reach far enough to pin to the folded edge. If you only use your shawl as a costume, you can sew a piece of matching ribbon to each end to bridge the gap. Or wear a matching sleeved top underneath and pin the ends to the top.
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