From Turban to Toe Ring by Dawn Devine Brown, Barry Brown Our Price: $21.95 Availability: Usually ships within 24 hours. Spiral-bound - 102 pages (March 24, 2000) Order From Turban to Toe Ring Today!

Dawn Devine ~ Davina
Author • Costumer • Dancer • Historian

As an author, Dawn has published 9 titles about Middle Eastern belly dance costume design, history and construction. Her writing has been featured in numerous magazines from specialty belly dance publications like Habibi and Bellydancer to more mainstream magazines like Linux Journal, off-beat publications, newsletters, webzines, local newspapers and right here on Gilded Serpent.

Dawn Devine began studying costume design at Mesa College in San Diego, California and then opened her business, Devine's Designs Custom Clothing, specializing in Victorian reproductions, custom formal wear and bridal couture. She earned a BA in Visual Arts/Theatre from UCSD, marrying her twin loves of costume design and art history. She worked several season in the costume shop of the Tony award winning La Jolla Playhouse before heading to UC Davis where did her master’s works in the departments of Art History and Design. 

Davina currently owns and operates Ibexa Press, an independent publishing house that prints and distributes her 9 self-authored books including the best selling Costuming from the Hip and Embellished Bras. Her books are available on her website www.davina.us or www.ibexa.com, through Amazon.com and is carried by specialty dance vendors worldwide.  

Davina lives in San Jose, where she volunteers as Secretary of her local MECDA chapter and teaches dance and costume design at the Lunatic Fringe Boutique and Arts Studio in Sunnyvale. 

Favorite Mottos:
"There's more than ONE way to sew the RIGHT WAY!"
"Done is Good!"
"You CAN do IT!"

Davina's Articles on Gilded Serpent
11-16-07 Nonprofits for Middle Eastern Belly Dancers, Is a 501c3 Right for You? by Dawn Devine
By understanding the nature of non-profits, how they are organized and run, you can see their potential for developing successful arts organization, performance space, dance company or troupe.

6-2-07 By Dancers, For Dancers DVD reviewed by both Davina and Eleyda
As working professionals, these dancers present the style of performance you would see in an intimate restaurant or at a house party.

9-22-06 Kohl: Drawing the Line by Dawn Devine
Along with henna, kohl has been part of the beauty regimens of women since the dawn of history, and an unbroken line connects the eyes of today with those of the ancients.

3-9-03 On The Costumer’s Bookshelf, a series of book reviews by Dawn “Davina” Devine Brown
Beaded Embellishment Techniques & Designs for Embroidering on Cloth by Amy C. Clarke & Robin Atkins
Well-written directions for all of the most useful stitches for the application of beads are accompanied by clear illustrations. 

7-8-02 Rakkasah Trend Report 2002 by Dawn “Davina” Devine Brown
...the hottest and latest new styles from across the US, Turkey, Egypt and beyond

9-1-01 On The Costumer’s Bookshelf, by Dawn “Davina” Devine Brown
Indian Embroidery by Rosemary Crill, Davina's second in a series of book reviews. This book includes a chapter on textiles made specifically for export to Europe and other parts of the globe.

5-8-01 On the Costumer’s Bookshelf by Dawn 'Davina' Devine Brown,
The Splendor of Ethnic Jewelry. For the reader or researcher interested in ethnic jewelry, this sumptuous coffee table book is worth every penny of its rather steep price. This is the first in a regular series by Davina!