Thread: Kaftan versus veil? Cover up

I know that dancers should cover up their costumes while not performing. My first teacher suggested using a veil or sarong, wrapped around in one of various ways. Then I recently heard from another teacher that you should not use a veil as a cover up. I just wanted to get more opinions/advice on this topic.

I can understand the logic of using a kaftan instead of a veil. I mean, chances are your veils are important and lovely too, so you don't want them to get ruined or spilled-on, either. So you would probably only use a cheap veil. But then, I personally don't really like the look of kaftans...particularly the way they look on me. And wouldn't you ideally want a nice, good-quality, pretty kaftan, too? So then what makes the difference?

What do you all think?

I vote for the Kaftan cover-up for a couple reasons...

~ your veil is a part of your costume (even if it's not the one you're planning on performing with) and I think all costume bits should be preserved for the moment you step on-stage or into audience view.
~Kaftans look more professional than a veil wrapped over your costume.


Get yourself a pretty one that you'll want to wear - if it's the shapeless fit that is turning you off...look for one that's embellished and sparkly :-) We spend $100's on costumes, might as well throw some money at the before and after attire too;-)
..but that's just my 2cents.. Happy shopping!!

To me, veils as coverups are only for beginners who have not yet bought or made a proper coverup or for people who dance only once a year in a student recital and don't want to invest in a coverup. I think anyone who dances on a regular basis, particularly in public or in other studios' recitals or workshop shows, etc. needs a proper coverup.

The purpose of a coverup is threefold:

1. It protects your beautiful costume from mishaps.

2. It preserves the mystery of what you are wearing, and makes the moment you step out onto the stage special: an "ooh, aah" moment.

3. It allows you to watch other dancers' performances without distracting from their "ooh, aah" moment, which could be considered rude and attention-seeking.

IMO, a veil doesn't accomplish any of these tasks particularly well.

However, as I said above, for a beginning student or one who doesn't plan to dance regularly, other than the recital, a veil is better than no coverup at all.

Veils don't actually cover a whole lot, and caftans (or other) look more professional, covered, and prepared.

Some caftans are gorgeous. Just... yeah. All kinds. If you don't really like the boxy look, what about one of these African (a little lower on the continent ) styles (cheap!): Ashro

I've actually had people compliment me on my caftan (and it wasn't a really fancy/special one at the time, though it was authentic) as a 'beautiful dress' and be shocked that there was a costume yet to see!

Or check out the range of gorgeous abayas that are out there, like this or this

[There are lots of fashion blogs in English to help out, like Hijab Style -- she posts to notify you of online sales!]

Ditto to what others have said about caftans. One of my favorites right now is simply a length of hand dyed silk with a large neck hole with a modified V for the front, cut out of the center. It's lightweight, pretty, and goes on and off over my head easily because of the size of the neck hole. It was made by a dancer who also dyes silk. You could make your own pretty easily out of other fabrics, it could be very affordable. You just need to finish the raw edges of the fabric. Mine is long enough to reach just above my feet in front and back, and wide enough to cover my arms about to the elbow when it's on.

Agree with the other posters. I love the cover-ups made by Jewel of India. They snap or hook all the way down the front, and have pockets!!

Veils are NOT coverups, unless you forgot yours.

What everybody else said, but also:

As a maker of veils I am sad to see my veils get used as coverups by anyone but beginners. Veils are made to float and swoop, not be knotted lumpily over a costume, and they are meant to be part of a performance.

I did have a dancer say to me "But I love the veil I bought from you so much I want to wear it and show it off." It's hard for me to argue with that, but it still kind of hurts to see them be relegated to cover-up status. I guess I have sort of a leftover emotional tie to my work.

Ditto what everyone else has said. As in the regular theater, your costume should not EVER be seen by the public until and unless you are performing. The way we accomplish that is to wear the cover-up. It preserves the surprise and stage mystery, and prevents anyone from seeing you perform pedestrian activities in your costume to some degree when you're psychologically "backstage" or "offstage."

I actually prefer a shapeless (but nice looking) something over my costume because the more shapeless and "blah" (not sloppy) I look in the cover up, the more va-va-voom the impression when it comes off. I know of one very respected pro dancer who happened to find a rather attractive bathrobe and used it for years. It was a dark color and looked really plush, not like a bathrobe at all, but that was, in fact, what it was. So keep your eyes (and mind) open.

Originally Posted by bintbeled

Agree with the other posters. I love the cover-ups made by Jewel of India. They snap or hook all the way down the front, and have pockets!!

Veils are NOT coverups, unless you forgot yours.

Sorry to threadjack! However... bintbeled - do you have a website for Jewel of India? If I google it I just get a lot of restaurants listed (it's a popular name for Indian restaurants in my neck of the woods...) Much appreciated

/threadjack

I agree using a veil as a cover up should be a last resort.

A good cover up opens in the front and has at least one pocket. A great cover up has a zipper front and deep pockets that can be sealed closed (like with velcro).

Just adding my voice in agreement with the rest. A veil can cover up a costume in a pinch..I've done this in emergency situations, and I let beginners get by with it if they haven't done enough shows to make buying a caftan worthwhile.

Although suitable caftans can often be found for $10-20. I got my favorite one at a dollar general store, indigo batik with tiny shisha mirrors for $10!

Not sure how current this info is for Bipin -

Jewel of India
Name Jewel of India
Location Southeast-Port St. Lucie, FL
email indjewel@bellsouth.net
Web site Home
Phone 772-871-0389
Snailmail PO Box 16333, West Palm Beach, FL 33416

Also, you don't even need to know how to sew to make a caftan - just buy some fabric
DIY No-Sew Caftan Video @Craftzine.com blog

I just performed at an event this weekend with no backstage area, which can be a little tricky, and definitely calls for a cover up. I was the headliner and performed a 15 minute set at the end of the show, and my first song was a veil piece. I wraped my veil around me over my costume and then wore my cover up on top while watching the other dancers perform.

When it was about to be my turn to dance I descretely took off the cover up it off in a darker corner. It's important not to go all Superman in front of people. ;-) And then I danced with the veil wraped around me, eventually spinning out of it for a climactic moment in the song. This was done (I hope) tastefully with the focus being on the movement of the veil, and not in a strip tease kind of way where the focus would be on becoming less covered.

Veil draping is a great way to add mystery and suspense to your performance, but it definitely is a part of your costume and not a substitute for a real cover up, in my opinion. It's better than nothing, but cover ups can be inexpensive, and they're worth the investment.

Originally Posted by shushanna

Veil draping is a great way to add mystery and suspense to your performance, but it definitely is a part of your costume and not a substitute for a real cover up, in my opinion. It's better than nothing, but cover ups can be inexpensive, and they're worth the investment.

Very well said.

The only thing I have to contribute is coverups come in so many different styles I'm sure you can find something you like or can have one made (or make yourself).

Wow! I'm glad I read this thread. I've always just used a veil and I perform pretty regularly. BUT I have been wanting a cover up and I'm very petite and a lot of the caftans are just too big. This weekend, a friend had on a velvet burnout opera jacket for a coverup and I loved it. I'm obsessed now and am just trying to decide on whether to go w/basic goes-with-everything black or yummy turquoise... votes?
What I like about the opera jacket is that its very elegant and soft, slightly sheer but opaque enough to hide your costume. This is the source I found, but if someone knows another source..
SILK VELVET ROSE HAND PAINT ART BEADED KIMONO ROBE DUSTER OPERA COAT CHOCOLATE items in Mclady Collection store on eBay!

Great helpful info here! I often buy mine on ebay! I usually look up "galabeya". But other options could be "SCA coat", "kameez", "Jilbab","thobe", "Kimono", "silk robe" (I've seen some beautiful ones used as coverups)... there is no need to limit yourself to just a "kaftan" when there are so many lovely ways to cover up.

I sure am glad I asked! Seems like quite the consensus here. Right now I don't perform that often (you might say I'm an advanced beginner, so just student recitals/haflas), but it definitely looks like something I want to invest in. I am now on the quest for a pretty one that doesn't drown me with it's long boxiness...I have the petite problem too. Thank you everybody for the suggestions and links, there are some really nice ones!

I have made them from this pattern, and they are fitted and lovely! If you find a sari to use, you can have them very decorated too!

Folkwear Pattern #108

I have a couple of veils that are not used in performances at all that I do use as cover-ups. With money and closet space at a premium, I will stick with these. I don't think my audience is going to care one way or the other, and they're the only ones I care to impress.

I'm petite too. I made a coverup from a pattern Nazirah wrote up for the SCA. It's lovely. I used an inexpensive cotton so its lightweight, it buttons down the front, and I did french -seams so there isn't anything for my costume beading to snag on. Easy on, easy off, easy to pack, and I really don't want to mess up my veils!

Thank you Rya Amal!

If anyone is interested, the pattern she mentioned is located here:

Hurayrah's Passibly Period Caftan

It was mean for historic recreation, but this same pattern is still used in some areas modernly for garments. Created with a loose fit, it does make a very good cover-up.

There are occasions where I don't mind the veil wrap as a cover up. It wouldn't offend me to see an AmCab dancer who isn't doing veil wrapped in a veil, or one who was doing single veil "double bagged," since there's some amount of historical authenticity to that approach; however, I wouldn't think this would work for an Egyptian dancer (who can't use the retro AmCab veil excuse), or a dancer going to/from a paid gig (as opposed to someone killing time at a hafla). Beginners are obviously held to a lower standard in terms of costuming expectations than more seasoned performers.

If you want to make a cover up, don't forget to check the commercial pattern companies' books when the fabric stores have their pattern sales. There are often cloak or choir robe patterns in the costume section and loungewear patterns in the sleepwear section that can be adapted as cover ups by choosing different fabrics and trims. You probably want to stay away from anything that looks like it should be rendered in flannel or terrycloth, though.

Originally Posted by NazirahDances

Thank you Rya Amal!

If anyone is interested, the pattern she mentioned is located here:

Hurayrah's Passibly Period Caftan

It was mean for historic recreation, but this same pattern is still used in some areas modernly for garments. Created with a loose fit, it does make a very good cover-up.

"DO NOT CUT OUT THE NECK OF THE COAT YET - DON'T TOUCH IT"

Thanks for my laugh of the day!! Great instructions!

Originally Posted by tigerb

"DO NOT CUT OUT THE NECK OF THE COAT YET - DON'T TOUCH IT"

Thanks for my laugh of the day!! Great instructions!

LOL, oh yeah, I forgot to add that these were first made for people in my SCA household and they always seem to have issues with the necks doing weird things. That warning was to prevent weird neck wumplies.

Unfortunately, even with the warning I still get calls and txts asking what went wrong! ;-)

That's a great tutorial, Nazirah! Thanks!

I made a coverup using Folkwear 108 also. I am not a particularly talented seamstress, but it was super easy! I made it out of cotton gauze so it is nice and breezey if I'm outside in the heat or don't have a chance to change after a sweaty performance.

If you are short, consider getting an Indian Kameez instead of a galabaya. Even on me, at 5'6", many come below my knees, so on someone shorter they should do the job. Also, they come in a plethora of colours, fabrics and embellishments.

{{{HUGS}}}