maybe adding some ultra bling bling beaded fringe...something really shiny and pretty....

a cabaret dance friend of mine just did a show with simpel harem pants and a sash that was nothing but round gold flakes...and in the lights on the stage they shined soooo much.

or you can add coins to the edges around the slits in the harem pants

Ah yes you are right to worry --- velvet shows needle marks!

Ok, one option is to stitch a lovely scarf over the cups of a good, sturdy bra. Make sure the cups are completely hidden by the scarf and your choli, use safety pins to attach the cups to choli if you like. The unfinished back of the bra will be hidden. A rectangular coin hipscarf that matches or goes with your belt will look coordinated, but any pretty, brightly colored, sequin or sparkly or fringed scarf will work. Or use one that is identical to the one you wear on your hips, will make the pieces look like they belong together. Don't forget to decorate the back of your choli with *something*, even if it's just pinned on.

Another option is to go to the thrift store and find a wonderful sparkly shirt, maybe something out of glitterdot or similar. Hopefully one that fits or is slightly too big! Then, put your base bra on, put the top on, and move around. If necessary, open the underarm seams for more movement, or remove sleeves altogether. Turn the sleeves inside out, resew the seam, cut off the top evenly and hem it. Presto - gauntlets.
Shorten the top to just below the bust with 2 - 3 inch hem allowance and run elastic through the hem to keep the top under your bust. Better to cut tooo low and cut off more later than cut too short! Then, if you don't like the neckline, cut it lower or to shape, use the leftovers from shortening the top to make a facing. Look carefully, make sure your under bra doesn't show, the top doesn't ride up when you lift your arms, that sort of thing.

If you try for "Tribaret" then the bra will be just fine as long as you lighten up the rest of the outfit. Honestly, it's gorgeous. I wouldn't touch it.

If you want a more layered look you can use more then one scarf in different layers. ;)

*If* your choli has a full back ((it looked like it did))...here's a quickie bra cover

a. regular bra ((straps won't show under choli))
b. long, but not too wide, rectangular scarf or fabric - something to coordinate with your triangle hip shawl idea
c. center scarf / fabric at bra center - tie with ribbon / attach a fancy brooch - it will be gathered here
d. then on each side, bring the scarf / fabric to the underarm sides, covering the cups up to the straps - safety pins can be used to fasten the ends - the scarf / fabric will be gathered across the cups, but just neaten up the gathers
e. if using fabric, clip off the excess and you're done
f. if you're using a scarf, you might want to pin it all way round the back and let the ends hang from underneath the choli

You're right: it doesn't make sense to sacrifice your tribal bra. Make a new cabaret bra!

Hit your local thrift store or wal-mart for a cheap bra that fits you. Then either recover it in a shiny, colourful stretch fabric... or sew on strips of ribbon/beads. The upholstery section of the fabric store is a great place to look. I found some trim with attached tassels and wide (3") ribbon. They weren't particularly cheap (I think the tassels were about $10/yard), but using premade trims cut my sewing time down to about 4 hours (by hand).

I think it's mostly the colours that will make your costume more caberet... and the use of beads/sequins/shiny metal instead of antique metal kuchi.

And most of all: have fun! My latest project is ripping apart a cookpot cover and reworking it into a bra cover. :)

dahlal.com has some ideas about creating inexpensive costumes in their "dancer designs" section. You can also check out Ansuya's website for ideas. Her look combines tribal and cabaret influences.