How to use skirt tucking to get a variety of looks from just one skirt! A full step by step guide to our most popular looks! Each tuck starts with securely tying the drawstring waistband to allow for a snug fit to keep the tucked fabric from slipping out. 

The following examples work well with our most of our full bodied and extra fluffy long skirts!

 

The HitchHiker

So called because it appears you are hiking your skirt up to thumb a ride.

Reach straight down the sides of your legs and grab the skirt between 12-24" from the bottom.

Tuck the skirt into the waistband above the hip on both the right and left sides.

These side tucks can be narrow to give a simple ruffle along the side or tuck the skirt wider to show more of the leg.

HitchHiker Skirt Tucking Tips:

~Securely tie the drawstring of the skirt to a snug fit.

~This easy tuck looks great layered with other long skirts or pantaloons/salawar pants.. or try wearing this tuck style under a panel skirt so that just the ruffle peeks out from the sides.

~You can vary the look of this tuck by changing how long of a section you tuck above each hip.

The Double Cross

Not nearly as mean as it sounds, the double cross is one of our fundamental and most often used skirt tucks.

How to tuck your belly dance skirt into the Double Cross Wrap Tuck from Tribe Nawaar, step 1
Grab your skirt about 1/2 way down the length of the skirt along the sides.

Wrap the right side around the front and tuck it in at the left hip.

Wrap the left side around the back and tuck it in at the right hip.

This tuck creates ruffles at the hip that accent shimmies and other hip movements.

Double Cross Skirt Tucking Tips:

~Securely tie the drawstring of the skirt to a snug fit.

~Don’t grab too large of a handful of fabric when setting up for your tuck. This can cause large uneven gaps at the bottom hem once you are finished.

~As you wrap the fabric across the low of the belly and the small of the back, pull snugly and flatten as you go. You will want the wrap to just cover the waistband.

~For fuller hips: instead of grabbing the fabric right below the sides of the hips when you start, grab a section closer to the back left hip for the back wrap and grab a section closer to the front right hip for the front wrap. This will help the ruffles of the skirt tuck to be placed more closely over the hip.

The Tutu

Tribe Nawaar's Wind Up Dolls performance 2014

This was a skirt tuck we came up with specifically for our 'Wind Up Dolls' performance back in 2014. 3 of our dancers were to be wind up ballerina dolls (luckily we had 3 dancers with a formal ballet background so it was fun to see the fusion of our belly dance style with their ballet influence).

We experimented with various costumes then figured out with a specific tuck we could make any of our full bodied skirts look like amazing tutus!

How to tuck your belly dance skirt into a ballet tutu skirt from Tribe Nawaar, step 1
Grab the skirt at the sides. For this example we grabbed the skirt about 1/2 way down.

How to tuck your belly dance skirt into a ballet tutu skirt from Tribe Nawaar, step 2
Tuck the skirt in to the waistband at both sides.

How to tuck your belly dance skirt into a ballet tutu skirt from Tribe Nawaar, step 3
Grab the skirt at the center point of the front and back and tuck them in.

How to tuck your belly dance skirt into a ballet tutu skirt from Tribe Nawaar, step 5
Grab the skirt diagonally (front right & back left) and tuck into the waistband. Repeat: front left & back right sections.

How to tuck your belly dance skirt into a ballet tutu skirt from Tribe Nawaar, front view
Front view of the Tutu Skirt Tuck.

How to tuck your belly dance skirt into a ballet tutu skirt from Tribe Nawaar, back view
Front view of the Tutu Skirt Tuck.

Tutu Skirt Tucking Tips:

~Securely tie the drawstring of the skirt to a snug fit.

~If you grab the skirt higher up/closer to the waistband for each tuck you will get a 3/4 tea-length look. If you grab the skirt at a lower point you will get a shorter, fluffier tutu look.

~Go bold and use 2 skirt with this tuck for the most amazing tutu ever!

The Mullet

This fun and flirty tuck looks great worn alone or over pants or other skirts.

Reach straight down the front of your legs and grab the skirt between 12-18" from the bottom, lift it up and pull it flat across the front waistband. Work your hands horizontally until you have enough fabric to reach around to the center of your back.

Take the sections you are holding in each hand and tuck it around to the back center.

Front view of the Mullet Tuck.

Mullet Skirt Tucking Tips:

~Securely tie the drawstring of the skirt to a snug fit.

~Because the our Dip Dyed Skirts have richly colored contrasting bands, they are a perfect candidate for showing off this tucked skirt look.

~This skirt tuck can be accentuated by long socks and boots, as well, or try it wearing 2 skirts with only the top one tucked.

The Bustle

Reminiscent of traditional soft bustles from the 1870s.

Grab the skirt about half way down its length, at the middle point between the front and sides of the leg. This point may vary a little depending on your figure.

Wrap the right side around the back and tuck it in at the mid back.

Wrap the left side around the back and tuck it in at the mid back.

Side view of the Bustle Tuck.

Bustle Skirt Tucking Tips:

~After you have securely tied the drawstring, twist the skirt so that the drawstring portion of the waistband at the back. This will be hidden by the tuck and keeps the front neat looking.

~For fuller hips: instead of grabbing the fabric right below the sides of the hips when you start, grab a section closer to the back of each hip. This will help keep the skirt from riding up in the front.

~To get the most fluffy looking bustle, make 2 small additional tucks as follow: At both the back left and right tucks, grab the fabric at the very top edge of your tuck about half way between the tuck and the fabric edge. Open up the fabric and shake it out a little bit, then tuck those pieces in just outside of the original large mid back tucks. It was this tuck that inspired our Hip Lock -lead steal move.

The Moulin

Similar attitude as a Cancan Skirt, this tuck conjures up images of the Chahuteuses (the unruly girls) dancers from the Moulin Rouge in Paris, circa1890s.

Grab the skirt about 3/4 down the front of your leg.

Tuck these bits in at the front waistband, above the center of your leg.

View from the side.

Moulin Skirt Tucking Tips:

~Securely tie the drawstring of the skirt to a snug fit.

~The tuck can be adjusted to reveal as much, or as little of the legs, by simply changing how far down you grab the skirt for the tuck.

~To open up the reveal on the legs horizontally (recommended on the top skirt if you are using 2 skirts), you may want to add 2 additional tucks as follow: Grab the fabric at about the front middle thigh. Tuck it in at any point between the outside of your original tuck and the middle sides of the hip.

Skirt Tucking: How to tuck your belly dance skirt to get a variety of looks from just one skirt!

We get lots of feedback on how dancers have really loved creating the different looks with these tucks. The high quality and extra fluffy nature of our 25 yard skirts will give you the best results. I hope you find the guides above useful! and enjoy these fun new ways to wear your skirts!

~Jennifer

Text & images © Tribe Nawaar, Content written by Jennifer Secrist Goran of Tribe Nawaar. If found elsewhere, either in pieces or in entirety, it has been stolen from our site.