For larger dancer types: some gear suggestions, and a few photos!

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Hello fatshonistas!

I admire so many of you, who are completely comfortable with your bodies and perfectly willing to take risks. I do pretty well when I'm pretty covered up, but there is an occasion coming up soon that will require me to be a little more exposed than I'm used to and I'm trying to figure out what to do about it.

I wouldn't mind being fat so much except that I have really awful skin. All of my rolls have stretch marks and my skin is all mottled with these shiny circular patches that I think are associated with the stretch marks, and I'm a little darker skinned, so they're pretty obvious. Plus I have KP on my face and arms and either KP or just straight up acne scarring all over my back.

Here's the thing: I take bellydance lessons and we are going to be doing a performance next month, so I'm trying to put a costume together. And I can't wear just a loose-fitting top or peasant blouse because we're going to be doing a candle dance, so everything I wear has to be close. While it seems like I might be able to buy some kind of body stocking to hide all the imperfections on my midriff, all the tops I can find that I really like leave my back exposed. I was thinking about getting a spray tan anyway since my farmer's tan is pretty severe, but that leads me into another situation where I'd have to be uncomfortably exposed!

So:

1.) Do you think a spray tan would be able to cover up my skin issues?

2.) Do any of you go to tanning salons regularly? How are you treated? I probably shouldn't be worried because there are a lot of fat ladies in my hometown, but I am anyway.

3.) I know there are at least one or two folks on here who mentioned that they bellydance. Know any sites that sell cholis or patters for cholis that are attractive but aren't open-backed or bell-sleeved?

Honestly, these body issues are bothering me so much I'm considering going to my instructor and asking her to just leave me out of it.