Thread: Characteristics of the Ultimate Coverup?

I'm thinking about making some coverups out of my hand-dyed silk yardage. What are the criteria of your Ultimate Coverup wishes?

--Opens all the way down, like a robe?
--Wraps across you... or do you prefer a zipper? Snaps? Buttons? Closures in many places or a few?
--Big kimono-style sleeves that any sleeve can go under? Or a butterfly sleeve? Or...?
--Belt? No belt? Are they annoying?
--Very light weight so as to be cool? Or not so much, totally opaque?

What do you typically pay for a coverup? Seems like a lot of gallibeyas go in the $50 - $80 range.

Thanks!

I like ones that open in the front via snaps or buttons. Zippers get stuck and destroy delicate skirts if you're not careful. I really dislike having to pull a cover-up over my head, especially after spending a lot of time on makeup and hair.
Never thought too much about sleeves. Any draped sleeves I have just get tucked in the arm-hole.

no belt

I like kind of sturdy coverups to keep food/whatever stains/water from reaching my costume underneath. Light weight fabric doesn't matter for temperature control because I'll be hot after I perform no matter what.

For both of mine, I paid about $40, but had to cut them down the front and sew on snaps because they were the pull-over type

Big sleeves so that anything can be under there.
Zip or snap up the front so easy on, easy off.
Pockets! I would love to be able to keep my zills or tipping money in there for when I am watching the other dancers.
I like lightweight but not see through. I have one made of Sari material that works great.
I have no idea on price cause the only one I own I made. I guess that 40-60 wouldn't be bad depeding on what it is made of of course. You do still have to make a profit!

Zipper or real easy closure (one frog clasp or something).

Sleeves. Not just a hole in the fabric (I have a beautiful cape coverup that I can't wear because the slits for the arms don't allow me to do anything useful, like drive or carry my crap). I like kimono sleeves.

Something washable, and yes a little stain repellent would be nice too.

Solid color or pattern.

I don't really care for a belt, but i was wishing for one on Sunday when I was in my coverup and there was open dancing...

Originally Posted by Linnyg

Big sleeves so that anything can be under there.
Zip or snap up the front so easy on, easy off.
Pockets! I would love to be able to keep my zills or tipping money in there for when I am watching the other dancers.
I like lightweight but not see through. I have one made of Sari material that works great.
I have no idea on price cause the only one I own I made. I guess that 40-60 wouldn't be bad depeding on what it is made of of course. You do still have to make a profit!

POCKETS! Why didn't I think of that instantly!

Here's another question... would a crinkled fabric be useful? So that the coverup did not show wrinkles and could be rolled up in a bag?

I definitely prefer something opaque so I really feel covered. Sleeves large enough to fit anything through. A slightly A-line cut would be ideal--if I'm wearing a skirt with lots of yardage, I don't want it all bunching up at the bottom, and while I want everything to be roomy I don't want to have to wear a circus tent on top to accommodate my skirt. Machine washable is a huge plus. I personally don't like crinkle fabric, but that's just a personal preference.

I think there's definitely a lack of good cover-ups out there, so please let us know what you come up with! :)

My favorite coverup is a very lightweight brocade, tiny snaps down the front which opens completely. It has wide sleeves which are split from the elbow to the wrist, and large side-seam pockets. It is a nice full A-line with knee-high slits in the side seams. It goes all the way to the floor, which on my Amazon frame is nearly miraculous. I paid $100 for it, and feel it was a great deal.

A friend of mine made me a gorgeous cover-up. It is a cloak complete with hood. Open down the front with two button-type closures at the neck. There are two slits where your arms can come through and you can easily keep the cloak closed that way. It also has a pocket where the arm slits are. It is made from a type of material that I can just roll in a ball and it never wrinkles!

i love my coverup. it opens in the front but only with 3 snaps at the top, and then it falls open. there's another big piece of fabric inside that's sewn on the right shoulder and there's snap to attach the left side to the left shoulder, so nothing is showing. so when i wear it first i close the inner fabric and then the outside. easy. i hope you understand what i try to describe. it's better i think than the one that you have to put snaps or button all the way from top to bottom.

Originally Posted by tigerb

I'm thinking about making some coverups out of my hand-dyed silk yardage. What are the criteria of your Ultimate Coverup wishes?

--Opens all the way down, like a robe?
--Wraps across you... or do you prefer a zipper? Snaps? Buttons? Closures in many places or a few?
--Big kimono-style sleeves that any sleeve can go under? Or a butterfly sleeve? Or...?
--Belt? No belt? Are they annoying?
--Very light weight so as to be cool? Or not so much, totally opaque?

What do you typically pay for a coverup? Seems like a lot of gallibeyas go in the $50 - $80 range.

Thanks!

For me:

1. Big enough to cover costumes with full skirts and sleeves
2. Snaps or buttons that go all the way down
3. Side slits to knees to make walking easy
4. Wide sleeves
5. No fussy embroidery or hanging threads on the inside where it can snag your costume
6. Totally opaque, can be light or heavy depending on whether I plan to use indoors/outdoors in summer/winter
7. No belt - They just annoy me and make me feel like it looks like a bathrobe
8. Pretty fabric that doesn't require frequent ironing
9. Pockets - I love a coverup with a pocket where I can put business cards, zills, etc.
10. Length - I am 6' tall....it has to go to the floor :)
11. Price - I am happy to pay up to $75-$100 for the perfect cover up

I would prefer material that is more substantial than silk, although pretty floaty fabrics look lovely I would worry about them snagging on the rhinestones or beads on costumes and getting ruined, veils are bad enough!
I would also like pockets, preferably big and deep ones (maybe a snap closure on them too?) and for it to be wider or have slits at the bottom so skirts don't bunch up around the ankles, I'm also a big bird, so floor length on a 6 footer is what I look for too!

My ideal coverup would be opaque, caftan-like, with a full zipper down the front. No belt (that makes it look like a bathrobe!)

I dislike lots of fussy closures, but also dislike having just a few closures -- or a single one -- that leave lots of gaps.

My very very favorite coverup (except that it has no zipper) is a cotton indigo batik with little shisha mirrors on it. It's not hot, it doesn't stick to me when I'm sweaty, it's caftan shaped so I can pull my arms into it like a turtle and take off an uncomfortable bra on my way home from a show (at red lights or in the parking lot, I promise).

Amen to Mahsati's Description
I also like frog closures.

Originally Posted by mahsati

For me:

1. Big enough to cover costumes with full skirts and sleeves
2. Snaps or buttons that go all the way down
3. Side slits to knees to make walking easy
4. Wide sleeves
5. No fussy embroidery or hanging threads on the inside where it can snag your costume
6. Totally opaque, can be light or heavy depending on whether I plan to use indoors/outdoors in summer/winter
7. No belt - They just annoy me and make me feel like it looks like a bathrobe
8. Pretty fabric that doesn't require frequent ironing
9. Pockets - I love a coverup with a pocket where I can put business cards, zills, etc.
10. Length - I am 6' tall....it has to go to the floor :)
11. Price - I am happy to pay up to $75-$100 for the perfect cover up

Marvellous timing - I just bought a fabric for my future cover-up. I agree with many of the suggestions (and loved the idea of a pocket - didn't really think of it before). But what I wanted to add is that I am thinking of having the lower part of the coat done in panels which are a bit open from the bottom. So however full my skirt is, the coat will nicely fall on it but won't bundle it up around my legs.