Thread: Would you pay $100 for a custom coverup?

I am trying to convince one of my professional costumer friends to make coverups for the belly dance community. She made one for me that is reversible, and I loathe over it. I feel like a Greek goddess. She also has a hood version. I feel that there is a need in the community because most coverups I see are poorly made and overpriced.

My question to Bhuzzers are:
1. Would you pay $100 for a custom coverup?
2. What are you looking for in a coverup?

yes if it were "exactly" what I wanted and drop dead gorgous- my winter one I paid probably over 100 for ultimately- the fabric was 50-70 bucks and then I shipped a bunch of stuff to mom to make it for me- then she shipped it back- so between that and the pattern I ordered on line- it cost me a pretty penny.

Its heavy but lovely and just what you think of for a cover up- my newest one was only 35- fairly simple with delicate trim- its actually just a hooded abaya and I love it.

I think what I want in a cover up is something that I can wear out even if I am in costume or not- open front (hate pull overs) with buttons- or just enough fabric to wrap closed.

I also want luxerious fabrics- so it looks rich and elegant. hood is a huge perk. Long and flowy is my style- but it that is a style thing not a requirement.

I'd love to see pictures of the one she made you- reversable is a big perk too!

oh yeah- MACHINE WASHABLE!!! I hate dry cleaning stuff.

1. Yes, if it had great features and was well-made. I would actually pay more. The most recent cover-up I made had at least $40 worth of supplies in it, so if I added on the labor, it would for sure be $100.

2. I like when the open all the way in the front so you don't have to step into them or pull them overhead. I added pockets to my most recent one and LOVE them. I also lined mine with cotton which has been great for when I'm "glowing" after dancing a 20 minute set or those outdoors-in-the-summer gigs PLUS the cotton doesn't snag on costume embellishments. But I've been using brocade that snags for the out layer, so if you're using something else, the cotton may not be as necessary. A hood isn't that much of a draw for me because it doesn't get *that* cold here plus I wouldn't want it smooshing my hair. :)

Ditto on machine washable. I love that I can put mine in the washer (on gentle) and dryer.

Originally Posted by RaqOn

My question to Bhuzzers are:
1. Would you pay $100 for a custom coverup?
2. What are you looking for in a coverup?

I am covered :-) when it comes to cover-ups, but I have two that cost me about $100, and they are definitely worth it - if I had the need, I would not hesitate at all to pay that much for a really good piece. Mine are heavy, almost silk feeling Egyptian cotton with beautiful soutache embroidery, I added snaps to the front so that they are easy to close. I like that they are beautiful, luxurious and sufficiently large to be comfortable. I think they could easily serve as a fabulous coat when I go to the symphony :-) A feature that I miss are pockets.

I agree - opening up the front is definitely easier to manage.

That's about what I spent on my coverup, which is gorgeous, but is actually a bit too sheer and I wish I'd gotten one that was more opaque. I agree pockets, or at least one strategically hidden pocket, would come in handy. Wide sleeves or openings for arms so that it fits easily over costumes with big sleeves. Also, some kind of front closure that will keep it together but is easy to open quickly and doesn't snag on hair or costume. Mine has a hood with a tassel, really nicely made with beading on the inside so you can turn it up like a cuff and it's very pretty, but I find it cumbersome and don't ever put it up (unless I'm playing Star Wars with my son and pretending to be Obi Wan, but that's a whole other ball of wax) I don't do big wild hair that I need to keep hidden or anything, so maybe that's why but anyway I find it superfluous.

And... I don't want to be a nitpicker but I was a little confused by your use of the word "loathe." In English "loathe" means to really dislike something. Obviously by your context you didn't mean that, so I wondered if it was a language mix-up, and thought maybe you would want to know. My DH is Russian and sometimes uses words that mean something different from what he thought, and likes me to point it out for future reference :)

I think a lot of new or "casual" or "hobby" dancers underestimate the value of a good cover up.

That said, I also have to say, that I personally would not be likely to pay $100 for a cover-up. I love to sew and create, own two sewing machines, have entire closets stuffed with fabric, and love to repurpose stuff. For me a lot of the joy is in making my own.

A good cover up should open all the way down the front, so there's never a need to pull it off over your head. It could be zippered or buttoned or frogged or velcro or snaps at the front, but it should have something more than just a belt to hold it closed. In fact, I prefer belt free cover ups, because belts can sneak away. A good cover up needs at least one good pocket that closes (with snaps or velcro) on the outside. Even better is two big pockets on the outside and a smaller pocket on the inside (that closes with snaps or velcro). Note that I said snaps plural as in at least two snaps, stuff can slip easily out around a single snap. I prefer velcro across the top of the whole pocket.

I would pay $100 if it was well-made, beautiful and what I needed. Opening all the way down the front is a MUST for me, I prefer a zipper closure, but snaps would also work for me, frogs are too delicate in my opinion and buttons can be time-consuming for putting the coverup on and taking off. Personally, I don't use or want a hood on my coverup. I do love the above suggestions for pockets!

Originally Posted by kiyaana

I like when the open all the way in the front so you don't have to step into them or pull them overhead. I added pockets to my most recent one and LOVE them. I also lined mine with cotton which has been great for when I'm "glowing" after dancing a 20 minute set or those outdoors-in-the-summer gigs PLUS the cotton doesn't snag on costume embellishments. But I've been using brocade that snags for the out layer, so if you're using something else, the cotton may not be as necessary. A hood isn't that much of a draw for me because it doesn't get *that* cold here plus I wouldn't want it smooshing my hair. :)

Ditto on machine washable. I love that I can put mine in the washer (on gentle) and dryer.

omg I would pay $100 if I could have a luxurious one that opened down the front, was lined in cotton, and had at least one pocket!!

No hood for me, that says 'cloak' and somehow seems more Wiccan than Middle-Eastern.. in spite of the Berbers. LOL

I probably wouldn't pay that much, but not necessarily because I think the price is unreasonable. For as much as I perform, what I can sew for myself is sufficient. If this is an unusual cloak (some elaborate confection I couldn't easily recreate), maybe $100 would be cheap, but I'm thinking more along the lines of why I don't make my own Khaleeji thobe here.

Price vs. usage is a big issue. For a lot of dancers (especially hobbyist students and lower-end pros), the cover up is an afterthought, and one that can be remedied with a veil wrap. It is nice to have a separate top layer--it's pretty, it keeps you warm as you're standing around in your costume, and the pockets are handy for storing your cymbals or your keys or the bracelet that just broke while you were backstage. However, if you're trying to stretch a modest budget or justify how much you're spending on a hobby to your husband, $100 is 60% of a Desert Swirl or an Icicles bedlah, or $5 toward shipping on a Lycra galabeya from the Bellydance Store, too. Which is the average student going to spend that $100 on? The garment you dance in, or the garment you hide the garment you dance in under when people aren't specifically watching you? An awful lot are going to spend the money on the costume and grab the veil out of the dance bag.

Where I think this has the best commercial potential is the level of working pros. Some of them won't be interested (either because they sew or because they travel to the ME and can buy something abroad), but in general, they do enough gigging to make the expense of a specialized cover up worth the money. I think there is also an unexploited market niche for something more substantial than just "pretty robes." If you take a lot of gigs where you have to arrive in costume, and you live in a cold climate, what are you supposed to do? It doesn't look very elegant to wear an indoor-weight cover up with a coat on top of it, and a lot of stores don't sell floor-length winter coats. I don't know how many dancers would actually be interested in an outdoor-weight cloak, but if you're going to aim high (because compared to a $40 veil, $100 is high), maybe it is worth looking at even higher priced specialty garments.

If it was high quality, custom length for shorties, durable and had pockets that zip then yes. Otherwise I'll stick with my $20 polyester bisht and hope nobody gets offended :p

I think Kiyaana coved my wish list: Snap front, pockets, and washable. I don't know if a front opening coverup would need walking slits, but I know my pullover caftan could use them: In any case, I'd like to be free to take large steps without being confined by the bottom of the garment. Custom length for a shorty would be a big plus as well. That being said, I still wouldn't likely pay $100 unless I got sucked in by the beauty of it :)

I bought a great beaded abay in Cairo. It's double gorgette and black. What I love about it is that it closes in front cross wise. Ties on the sides inside and out so I can adjust it for comfort. Personally I don't like making them. Kinda more trouble than they are worth for me. I think $100 is a great price.

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

I probably wouldn't pay that much, but not necessarily because I think the price is unreasonable. For as much as I perform, what I can sew for myself is sufficient. If this is an unusual cloak (some elaborate confection I couldn't easily recreate), maybe $100 would be cheap, but I'm thinking more along the lines of why I don't make my own Khaleeji thobe here.

Price vs. usage is a big issue. For a lot of dancers (especially hobbyist students and lower-end pros), the cover up is an afterthought, and one that can be remedied with a veil wrap. It is nice to have a separate top layer--it's pretty, it keeps you warm as you're standing around in your costume, and the pockets are handy for storing your cymbals or your keys or the bracelet that just broke while you were backstage. However, if you're trying to stretch a modest budget or justify how much you're spending on a hobby to your husband, $100 is 60% of a Desert Swirl or an Icicles bedlah, or $5 toward shipping on a Lycra galabeya from the Bellydance Store, too. Which is the average student going to spend that $100 on? The garment you dance in, or the garment you hide the garment you dance in under when people aren't specifically watching you? An awful lot are going to spend the money on the costume and grab the veil out of the dance bag.

Where I think this has the best commercial potential is the level of working pros. Some of them won't be interested (either because they sew or because they travel to the ME and can buy something abroad), but in general, they do enough gigging to make the expense of a specialized cover up worth the money. I think there is also an unexploited market niche for something more substantial than just "pretty robes." If you take a lot of gigs where you have to arrive in costume, and you live in a cold climate, what are you supposed to do? It doesn't look very elegant to wear an indoor-weight cover up with a coat on top of it, and a lot of stores don't sell floor-length winter coats. I don't know how many dancers would actually be interested in an outdoor-weight cloak, but if you're going to aim high (because compared to a $40 veil, $100 is high), maybe it is worth looking at even higher priced specialty garments.

I am definitely interested in a winter-weight dance coverup/coat... lots of embroidery, lined, and warm. I'm not gigging or teaching right now, but out here there's a lot of arrive in costume sort of things... even just events and haflas where you need to arrive in costume, but still be belly dancer/exotic looking AND warm. Lightweight coverups are so easy to make on my own that I probably wouldn't pay $100 for an indoor coverup (though I might fawn over it for a long time if I liked the fabric/colors/embellishments). I also definitely vote for pockets. I prefer snaps or velcro to a zipper. I hate zippers, and they look kinda weird on kaftans I think.

Winter temps here can drop below 0 F. Lake Effect can drop feet of snow overnight, and winter winds can be terribly bitter. A cover up suitable for deep winter would have to be wind and water resistant in addition to quite warm.

But a cool weather cape, perhaps out of wool, might be nice in spring and fall. I have a cool weather cape that's made of heavy cotton and lined with velvet. It's snuggly warm and I sometimes wear it over lighter weight cover ups.

I wouldn't bother with a hood on an indoor or lightweight cover up. But a cover up designed for cool weather and outdoor use would benefit from a deep hood to protect from light rain and drizzle.

For a while, I was toying with the idea of making a cloak out of a couple of velour blankets. That wouldn't be blizzard-proof, but it should be warmer than just using panne velvet or something.

I would. I'd want snaps, pockets, a hood, and long enough to cover my skirt. I have a nice lightweight one but it still shows off quite a bit of my costume and doesn't have pockets.

Me!
And I also would vote for snaps (no velcro as it might make snags into the chiffon of my costumes), pockets, a hood and a length to the floor to hide my costumes completely. I wouldn't mind a zipper if it is not too obviously to be seen. Oh - and I also would love to have long sleeves to cover my arms (and gauntlets...).
If they are well made, of a high quality material and have some oriental embroidery (at least a little bit), I would be very happy. Then, I would also think about having a cuddly cosy winter version and one that is light and airy for summer.

Love, Sahira.

PS: I would loooooove to see a picture of the one you are talking about!