Buying and maintaining your bellydancing hip scarf. : eBay Guides

There's many things to consider when deciding to purchase a coin hip scarf. Scarves come in all shapes and sizes and are made from many different types of material!!!

First of all, if you're buying your scarf on eBay, read the descriptions of the item carefully. If it looks cheap in the picture, believe me, it will look just as cheap when you see it for real!! There are some great items out there for you...just be careful. Auctions that start with an extremely low price are usually ok and from sellers who bring these things from overseas in huge lots...(and they usually sell these items on-line, through other sites, where the prices are much higher for the same items.) Conversly, just because there is a high starting price doesn't mean you're getting quality either. So read the descriptions carefully!!

The most important thing is the size!!When purchasing a rectangle scarf make sure the scarf is wide enough to cover your butt!! Some are very narrow and end up looking more like a belt than a scarf. Some are generous in length, but if you are very petite and your hips are narrow, the decorated part of the scarf will eventually be torn from the tying and retying!!!  If you are buying on eBay make sure the listing gives you the measurement of the garment!!!  9" wide is generally too small to cover most of us...better to get 12-14" wide or larger. And of course the more amply endowed of us in the hip area require at least 60" in length to tie properly!! 

Second is the material. There are lots of hip scarves out there that are soooo sheer and are without adequate adornment and end up looking cheap (which they usually are). A good quality chiffon, velvet or other material with adequate strength will stand up to many wearings and is worth the extra money. The material has to put up with a lot of wear and tear due to the movement of the coins and beads, which, in some cases are not sewn on properly!!!   When it comes to coins and beads, and you are able to look at your item before purchasing, make sure there are no broken threads or missings coins...if its already missing things before you've worn it, it will not stand up to use!!

Once you get your hip scarf there are things you can do to help keep it in great shape!!

 To keep coins and beads from dropping off when you shimmy (which they will do eventually if you wear your scarf a lot) get some fray check at your local fabric store and dab a little on each end of each drop. This will help keep things together for you. Fabric glue also works well. If you're in a bind clear nail polish will do the trick...but don't use this on the whole scarf.  When things DO drop off gather them up and keep them...you can either sew them back onto the scarf yourself or save them for another bellydancing project. Most bellydancers have buckets of loose coins and beads that they have gathered!! When sewing your beads or coins back on, use a beading thread which is much stronger than regular sewing thread.

To help prevent wear and tear on the tying ends of the scarf you can sew some belting material around the top edge of your scarf on the wrong side and place fasteners on the belting material. Make sure the fasteners are strong...you can get them at the local fabric store.  This will keep your scarf on nice and snug without having to tie the ends super tight which pulls on the material and sometimes the decoration, often resulting in lost coin and beads, and sometimes tearing the material

Don't store your scarf in a plastic bag. Fold it loosely and keep it where the air can get at it. If the material permits (ie chiffon, georgette etc.) you can hand wash your scarf with some gentle detergent, roll it in a towel to soak up the extra moisture, then lay flat to dry.

Hope these little hints help you!!!