Dance dresses as skating attire?

[Scarlett]

Has anyone either used or know people who use dance (ballet/jazz) dresses as skating dresses? The other thread had me looking at prices for testing dresses and I see online that you can get ballet dresses for a fraction of the cost (~$30). Is there a good reason why they cannot be used?

TIA

[phoenix]

I've used them a lot! I like them cause the skirts are a little longer.

[Skate@Delaware]

Oh, man! You found my secret! I have done this sooo many times in the past, mostly because of:
-i like to have a different look
-i like the convenience of not having to pull down the whole friggin dress to go to the bathroom.....
-dance dresses are cheaper; sometimes i can even find "normal" evening type dresses at a thrift shop for $5 each, they are already short, I just slit them up the side and I'm good to go!

I usually just put on a pair of coordinating bloomers underneath and I'm good to go! (I usually pick up cheerleading pants for $3 each when they are on sale or make my own for cheap.)

[emma]

All my skating dresses are really ballet attire. Go to dancediscount.com. They have lots of great leotards, wrap skirts, and dresses for a fraction of th cost. Also if you are long waisted they fit so much better than skating dresses which are never cut long enough in the waist for me.

[mikawendy]

Yup, I use dance dresses for skating dresses as well. I got the one shown in this photo (http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/prsm.dll?eventorder?photo=04ML008W0F0060&start=0&album=0&adjust=-1)
for $30 and then flo showed me how to paint it. Much better than spending upwards of $150. I'm eventually thinking of stoning it,too.

My favorite site is www.discountdance.com


They have a nice selection, have some figure skating items in their sale area, and their customer service is GREAT, which is why I usually don't shop through the other dance catalog/web sites that I used to use. (The prices were usually within $2-$3 of each other, and I was doing endless comparison shopping.)

[flo]

Mika's dress is beautiful, and it was her first time painting one! I recently bought a Mirella dance dress to paint. I'm glad I hadn't started it, as we needed white dresses to be in an on ice wedding ceremony at Mountain Cup.

[montanarose]

Great thread! There is an absolutely beautiful ice dancer who skates on my weekly lesson/contract ice and wears what I consider to be THE perfect skating dress/skirt (I'm not sure which it is) and of course I'm too shy to actually approach her -- goddess that she is :bow: -- and ask her about it. The skirt is a little longer than the normal skating skirt and verrrrrrry flow-y (is that a word? probably not, but I'm sure you know what I mean).

I've never seen anything like it on a skatewear website, so maybe what she's wearing is "dancewear."

I have not worn a skating dress/skirt for two or three years, ever since I gained about twenty-five unwanted pounds :frus: and I miss the comfort and freedom of a skirt. Maybe I should look into this whole dancewear thing, as it might be a little more forgiving than your typical micro-mini skating skirt. And maybe one of these days I'll work up the nerve to ask the ice dance goddess about her gear . . . in which case I promise to report back to y'all.


Ellen

[Scarlett]

You guys are great. I'm glad to know there is a cheaper route. With the dance dresses, are the bloomers attached or are they separate? With Skate@DE reply, I would have guessed unattached but in the pictures you can't tell. Also, what exactly is painting a dress? How do you go about it?

[phoenix]

Often there are bloomers attached, but not always.

[Skate@Delaware]

You might also want to keep an eye out at the really nice skirts that are out. I've been seeing some really nice flowy type skirts in different colors with the pointy type (handkerchief) hems, they are a bit longer than skating skirts, about knee length, but they would work if you want a dance-type skirt. Pair it with different tops, add bloomers and you have a very nice outfit!

One of the teens at my rink does that and she looks very nice, original and not like any of the other skaters! She also wears knee-high socks over her tights just to coordinate. Very unusual and interesting look. Throw on a sparkly scarf and you will look like no other skater!

[mikawendy]

One skater in my FS event at Halloween Classic also had an unusual outfit, very elegant. I think she was wearing a plain black dance dress with a jersey skirt, and on top she was wearing a dressy red and black camisole top that looked like a combo of brocade and velvet. The top almost looked like it could have been a piece of evening wear from a department store instead of a skating outfit. It was really pretty and was different and stood out.

[Mrs Redboots]

My newest dress is a cheap disco-dance dress that I bought in the local street market! And worn over a flesh-coloured leotard, it looks fantastic (at least, so people told me at the MC! Loves2skate even rechristened me "Mrs Sexyboots!"). Don't know if anybody has a photo of me in it?????

[Mrs Redboots]

I now have a photo of me in that cheap dress, and I agree - it does look nice. Don't you think?

http://mrs-redboots.sk8rland.com/pictures/Uspodium.jpg

[jazzpants]

STUNNING dress, Annabel! WOW!!! :D :P :bow:

[flo]

A friend of mine searched the cocktail dress sale racks for dance dresses, and they were also beautiful. I think with the dancers having to do so many different dances, they have to be quite creative, or spend $$.

[chantelly]

That a lovely dress! I'm just having one made for me at the moment as a present from my partner for passing my tests! Its black and orange! I just have to pretend its a bit cheaper than it realy is! 8O "its only a tenner dear!"