I like searching for unusual tops and skirts at thrift shops or yard sales and combining them with my specifically purchased belly dance gear. Harem pants are easy to make, all straight seams! My current project is beading a hip belt. I tried attaching beads threaded on eye pins, but the eye pins can't be sewn on tight enough--they kept falling off. That meant taking the beaded pins all apart, but it taught me there aren't any shortcuts to making a durable belly dance item!