Interest Survey

[IceDreams]

Hello all,

I am new to this forum. This is my first post in fact! I am hoping to gather some results of an informal interest survey. I have been creating custom competition and practice wear for the skaters in my area for many years now. I have also sold my merchandise nationwide via the internet on a limited basis. I have thought about developing a website to display my costumes with information regarding how to purchase custom dresses. I am curious what the current level of need is for a service like this. If you are a skater, or a parent of a skater, please take a moment to answer a few questions.

1. What is the age/level of you or your skater?
2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season?
3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from?
4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress?
5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business?

Thank you all for your time. Your input is invaluable to me.

Regards,

IceDreams

[LilSk8er24]

1. What is the age/level of you or your skater? *Intermediate (Senior Bronze/Junior Silver)
2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season? *4 to 5*
3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from? *A store near my house called Dance X-Press, Figure 8 Boutique in downtown Ottawa, from my mother's friend who makes them, online, from older friends who have dresses that fit me, etc*
4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress? *If they're made by my mom's friend, they're usually 60-80 dollars, If they're store brought, then around 80-100 dollars*
5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business? *sure, my parents are always interested*

[Jess-ka]

1. What is the age/level of you or your skater?Bronze level dancer(getting ready to test my intermediate freedance and moves in the feild)
2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season?uhm like 2
3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from? a skating shop or a magazine
4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress? idk, my mom usually just takes the money out of my account
5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business?i have and i'll do it again.

[mousey]

1. What is the age/level of you or your skater?*on average, sr bronze*
2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season?*1-2*
3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from?*they're all custom made*
4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress?*between 100-125 CAD*
5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business?*probably not. i like to see an actual person*

just a question, where are you from??

[luna_skater]

1. What is the age/level of you or your skater?
Junior silver dance, Adult synchro
2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season?
Just one, our competition dress for synchro. I have been surfing the net looking for a dress I would like to use for dance tests, other than the one I have now -- plain black sleeveless bodysuit with a wrap dance skirt.
3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from?
From whoever makes our synchro dresses. I know our practice dresses are from Jerry's.
4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress?
Around $200, I believe. They are custom made every year.
5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business?
Yes.

[FSWer]

HEY IceDreams!!!!! Just wanted to welcome you aboard our happy family. I also want to congratulate you on your gift of making skatingwear. I sure hope you become seccessfull. Also please feel free to write me anytime. Maybe we can chit-chat sometime.

[Jade]

1. What is the age/level of you or your skater?(12/Intermidiate star)
2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season?(about 4)
3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from?(A proper skating store)
4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress?(Anywhere from $15-$150)
5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business?(Ummm probably not...i dont trust these internet companies...)

[SDFanatic]

1. What is the age/level of you or your skater?
34/Adult Pre-Bronze.

2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season?
2-5, depends on what I find and stikes my fancy.

3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from?
Local seamstress has made or altered some of my outfits, some things I've bought on-line, mostly custom made as I have a long girth so off the rack does not fit properly.

4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress?
I really haven't done competitions yet, and I can't wear one in one yet either, but some fancy ones I have range from $50-$100.

5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business?
Yes I have, they must have a good policy about alterations however as sometimes it can take more then one time to get a proper fit.

Steven

[TreSk8sAZ]

1. What is the age/level of you or your skater?
Preliminary fs/bronze dances
2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season?
1-3
3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from?Wendesign dresses... they are in Canada and custom make the dresses or GK Elite
4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress?
$80-130 USD
5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business?
Yes

[manleywoman]

1. What is the age/level of you or your skater?
32 / Novice Freestyle

2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season?
Only 2 dresses typically: after Adult Nationals I treat myself to a new practice dress as a reward for the hard work, and some years I get a new custom dress for competition. I wish I had the $$$ to get more practice dresses, but alas I don't!

3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from?
Some years from Del Arbor, since they have a big booth at Adult Nationals and their dresses fit me well, but they are expensive. Some years GK or Capezio by mail order, but they don't always fit me as consistantly as Del Arbor. I always try to buy dresses on sale!

4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress?
The most I've spent is $300US, though I've managed to keep most custom dresses around $225 to $250US. I expect to spend at least $150US.

5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business?
Yes, but only if you had a really good measurement system for us to follow (ie: on how you would want us to measure ourselves) and as stated earlier, you would HAVE to have a good alteration policy and let us return dresses as need be for addidtional alterations

[singerskates]

Originally posted by IceDreams
Hello all,

I am new to this forum. This is my first post in fact! I am hoping to gather some results of an informal interest survey. I have been creating custom competition and practice wear for the skaters in my area for many years now. I have also sold my merchandise nationwide via the internet on a limited basis. I have thought about developing a website to display my costumes with information regarding how to purchase custom dresses. I am curious what the current level of need is for a service like this. If you are a skater, or a parent of a skater, please take a moment to answer a few questions.

1. What is the age/level of you or your skater?
2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season?
3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from?
4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress?
5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business?

Thank you all for your time. Your input is invaluable to me.

Regards,

IceDreams

1. What is the age/level of you or your skater?
41 Adult Preprelim until I test this fall then Adult Prelim FS and Bronze Interpretive Ladies
2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season?
I have not purchase skating dresses yet. I've bought skirts and wore shirts with them to make my own outfit creations for competition. In practice I wear skating pants and a T-shirt.
3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from?
Designs By Marilyn is the only place in Windsor to have adult sizes until this year.
4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress? Haven't yet. See answer #2
5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business? Depends on Price for Canadians and if you could make theme outfits for interpretive FS programs.

[skaternum]

1. 39. Adult Silver freeskating (singles) and Adult Pairs.
2. I usually buy 1 or 2 competition dresses and 1 or 2 practice dresses.
3. For practice dresses, I usually buy them off the web or at a dancewear/skatewear store in Atlanta when I go down for Peach Classic. For competition dresses, I usually buy a dress and take it to a designer, who alters it and beads it as necessary.
4. $200 US
5. Only for a practice dress. I'm too hard to fit, and most people don't know how to sew for adult skaters. I wouldn't risk spending that much for something where I can't get fitted by a good seamstress.

[Sk8Bunny]

1. Pre-juvenile freeskate level

2. 4 or 5 practice dresses per year, about 2 competition dresses per year. usually i have my main competition dress, sometimes 2, and then a back up dress that is also used for testing, and spins and compulosry events at competitions.

3. I like g-k elite and capezio and del arbor dresses, usually i get them at pro-shops or when at a competition at those booths people set up.

4. for competition dresses, after all the jeweling and everything(my mom and i do it ourselves to save money), it is about 100 to 150 per dress. for practice dresses, if on sale like 35 dollars, if not, then up to 70 dollars a dress.

5. yeah, i would buy online, if the brand/company had a good reputation. like capezio, sharene, etc.

[AshBugg44]

1. What is the age/level of you or your skater? 17, pre-pre
2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season? I have no idea
3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from? Differs.
4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress? Mt last was about $150
5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business? Yes I would if I knew someone else had purchased from them and they were reputable.

[Canskater]

1. What is the age/level of you or your skater?
-- 43 -- junior bronze

2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season?
-- I've only ever purchased three.

3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from?
-- I purchased two practice dresses from a dancewear shop near my rink, and a competition dress at ..... believe it or not ..... from Value Village for $6.00 (and it is quite nice)

4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress?
-- undecided since I currently do not compete. However, I do sew and have seen a number of interesting looking dresses on the net, two of which I am in the process of "emulating".

5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business?
-- probably not. As I sew, I very much like to see and feel the fabric up close and personal. No photo or verbal description quite does it for me. Also, because I am tall, I would not be confident of the fit.

-- sheilagh

[jazzpants]

1. What is the age/level of you or your skater?
35 (36 in a few days...*groan* I'll be in Group II soon too...) :cry: I'm in Pre-Bronze...long overdue to become a Bronze lady too... :cry:

2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season?
I wear jazz pants typically. :P I wear skating dresses only for competition or tests. I count in my closet about 4-5 dresses in my four years skating. (One of them I'm having it stoned and maybe selling it.)

3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from?
Various sources. One was from EBay, one was custom, one was from Six-O, two were from a dancewear shop. (I wish to buy from a thrift store for $6 like Canskater did...)

4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress?
One was custom with stones and stuff (about $225 US), the other is about $120. (Six-O dress, plus stones. I'm stoning it myself.)

5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business?
If it suits my style and doesn't cost a fortune, why not?

[IceDreams]

Thank you to everyone who has kindly taken the time to answer my survey. It has given me a lot of insight.

And thank you also to FSWer for the nice welcome. I skate competitively, teach, and of course I catch it on television every chance I get. I love anything and everything about skating and I hope to be posting here often.

For those of you who have not replied to my survey yet, please feel free to do so. I appreciate everyone's eagerness to assist me. I get the impression that there are some great people on these boards!

Thanks again,

IceDreams

[dorvalskater1]

1. What is the age/level of you or your skater?
28 years old. Jr Br Freestyle, Jr Silver Dances, Level 5 skills: passed
Working on double toe (woohoo finally got one again...) and double salchow.

2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season?
3-4

3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from?
internet second hand or skating boutique

4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress?
100-120$ Canadian

5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business?
Yes, see above...

[love2sk8]

[B]1. What is the age/level of you or your skater?
Junior Competitive
2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season?
Around 3-4
3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from?
Skating stores, my dress maker
4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress?
around $300-400 Can (for each short and long) practice dresses are around 100-125.
5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business?
probably not

[Mrs Redboots]

Originally posted by IceDreams
1. What is the age/level of you or your skater?Age Group III; (equivalent) pre-Bronze dance.
2. On average, how many skating dresses do you purchase each season?Probably 1, or not even that.
3. Where do you usually purchase your competition and practice apparel from?Friends who make.
4. How much do you typically spend on a competition dress?Depends. Last one was given to me, and I just had to pay for alterations.
5. Would you purchase attire from an internet-based custom dress business?It would depend on which country it was based - please don't forget that the Internet is world-wide. If you could ship all over the world without charging the eyes out of your head to do so, then I might be interested. On the other hand, you can't try things on, and sending them back is awkward.....

[Aussie Willy]

IceDreams - can you please PM me or email me on kwillyau@ozemail.com.au. There is a coach at our rink who is selling skating stuff (including dresses and skating gear) at our rink in Melbourne, Australia and might be interested - she is always looking for new stuff. I can pass your details onto her if you are interested.

Regards

Kim