Competition dresses - how much is OTT?

[SkatingOnClouds]

I am one of these who has to have a new dress for everything. Not that I've been in many comps, but I wouldn't dream of wearing the same dress twice, and I always make my daughter a new dress each comp too.

So here I go again, spending hours on Ebay researching fabrics, trims, beads & hotfix etc, gradually gathering all the necessities to make my new dress (I have to make, can't buy them in my size). I estimate each dress much cost around $300 AUD by the time I'm done - that's with me making it. And that's not counting all the stuff that doesn't get used because the concept changes 1/2 way through :roll:

Most of the skaters here (very small rink & small skating population) hire dresses from the association, many wouldn't own a dress. Our rink is tiny and there aren't that many skaters competing, especially at adult level. These competitions are usually quite small.

Am I going over the top? How much money & time do others put into their comp dresses? How much is Over The Top?

[tidesong]

I don't use much hotfix jewels on my skating dresses, I use the cheaper seqins and or beads that i sew on, so I think it only comes to material $50 cost price per dress for me. Time wise its insane... if I charged per hour to make my dress, all my dresses would be worth insane amount in pricing lol. I generally work on them for a good few months but only a few minutes most of the time, so its hard to tell. But each dress probably takes at least 100 hours or so...

Some of my habits
1) Usually new dress for a new program (conversely I have reused an old dress for new program once)
2) Keep same dress per season/program... so if I repeat my program I will repeat my dress
3) Take old dresses apart to "remake" them at a fraction of the price
4) Use some of the old ones as practise dress

What I plan to do in future:
1) Continue to "remake" old dresses
2) Reuse certain dresses that I feel are sewn to my satisfaction once in a while
3) Possibly sell them off second hand if I can bear to let them go one day.

[samba]

Hi Karen

We must be from the same egg, I just love dressing up, I never grew out of it and with skating you can wear dresses that you wouldnt normally be able to to wear.

My opinion is that life's to short to worry about what is over the top, when it comes to competition just go for whatever you want, the restrictions are not what they used to be and in my experience there seems to be very little that the judges will deduct points for although overdone makeup is one, they are far more interested in the skating, but if the dress makes you feel good the performance has to be influenced by it.

I too dont compete as much as most people on the forum 1-2 per year but when I do its a big event for me.

Best of Luck

[Sessy]

Well, my current competitional dress is this: http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/3442/a1su5.jpg
I made it out of a (new) skirt in size XXL which I got at a thrift shop.
Total cost: 5 euro. People at the club said it looked good :lol:
I couldn't have gotten the material that cheap even. And they had several of those skirts, I'm sorry I bought just one.
I've got material for another one like this from leftovers of sparkly material I got from a ballroom dress maker who had little bits over. It's too little to make a ballroom dress with, but enough for a skating dress if you combine it with black lycra!

Of course then I have this full closet of materials and decorations I picked up at thrift stores, marketplaces, sales etc, all of it new, usually tagged, but oftentimes from like the 80's or so, and when I wanna make a new dress I dive into the closet and try to make a suitable combination. Then cut the stuff up and make a dress of it.

I prefer to spend my money on lessons, ice-time, expensive boots I'm comfortable in... Are graf edmontons over-the-top for somebody doing singles? Many would say yes, but that's where my money's going, skates I am actually comfortable in. Same with you and your dresses, as long as you can afford it and enjoy it, go for it. I've seen such excessive dresses around the club from time to time!

[jenlyon60]

When I was ice dancing much more than I am today, I wore fancy competition dresses.... these were custom made (it's almost impossible for me to find a stock skating/dance dress that fits) and very bling-bling.

[Skate@Delaware]

I make my own, since its hard finding one that fits my torso (I've got more girth and don't want a dress riding up).

I normally don't want to spend more than $75 on a dress....however I made my artistic dress for this year and it has ROWS of 5" fringe....that stuff is not cheap! It cost about $100 to make and I did not bling it. That is still cheaper than buying one.

I say if it helps you psychologically and you can afford it-go for it! But if you are doing it in an attempt to impress the judges, you are wasting your time. They would rather see clean footwork than 5,000 stones on a dress.

[skaternum]

Well, since you asked ... yes, a new dress for every competition is over the top. Pretty excessive. Every skater I've ever known has had one dress per program. If you compete the program 4 times, you wear the dress 4 times. Give yourself a break. It's a skating competition, not a fashion show.

[Skittl1321]

Well, since you asked ... yes, a new dress for every competition is over the top. Pretty excessive. Every skater I've ever known has had one dress per program. If you compete the program 4 times, you wear the dress 4 times. Give yourself a break. It's a skating competition, not a fashion show.

I have to say I agree- a dress for each competition is over the top. Even the elites use their dresses for the entire season.

Do you compete the same program each time? If you use a different program each time- then I would say it's not too ridiculous to have a new dress each competition. And if you have the money, well it's yours to spend, regardless of what we think (though you did ask- I personally would probably want to spend it on more lessons.)

How old is your daughter? You might not want her to get in the habit of expecting a dress each competition if she's young- as she gets older the skating bills will add up a lot quicker and that habit might have to break.

[deannathegeek]

I love getting new skating dresses and find I spend a lot of time I should be working staring at dresses on sites like icewear.com. If you feel like you absolutely need a new skating outfit, I have found a cheaper alternative. I get dance dresses from dancewearsolutions.com (http://www.dancewearsolutions.com). The costumes are gorgeous and much cheaper than skating dresses. The only drawbacks are the material (can be too thin at times) and the styles (not your usual skatewear). It's definitely worth looking into-I've gotten several dresses from this site for competitions.

[Skate@Delaware]

Some of the girls at my rink (and us big girls too) borrow from each other. It's a cheap way to get a new look!!!

Another way to get a new or almost-new dress (if you must have one) is eBay. You can get a plain one and bling the heck out of it for a fraction of the cost of a fancy new one.

[ice_godess]

A new expensive dress for every competition is WAY over the top......Growing skaters often need new dresses because they have outgrown them.. However, since the dress is an integral part of the planning for your freeskate or freedance program - why would you want to change it every time? Sort of a waste of time and money. Wouldn't you be better off making yourself and your daughter new practice dresses that will get some use. Or better yet - why not offer your services to other skaters and then you can get that creative bug out of your system while making a little money....
I have a dress that cost $350 when I was 8 - a lot of money - but it fit the program music, and I wore that thing for at least 20 competitions and tests and never got tired of it. Now my dresses cost $800-$1,000 and believe me - I don't change them every competition. With a short and long program that gets to be expensive, so I keep the programs for at least two years. The result is that after a few years I have a few dresses to choose from for exhibitions etc. but always wear the same dress for competitions as it was specfically made for the music.

BTW - I remember hearing stories about competitions where the bling outshone the abilities of the skaters and members of the judging panel would get punchy after a judging a number of flights of skaters wearing more feathers and sequins than talent - so unless your skating abilities are up to the bling of the outfit - better to tone it down. How many skaters have we seen totally decked out in the latest sparkle looking like Olympic medallists - only to get on the ice and not be able to skate at all?

[Skittl1321]

A new expensive dress for every competition is WAY over the top......Growing skaters often need new dresses because they have outgrown them.. However, since the dress is an integral part of the planning for your freeskate or freedance program - why would you want to change it every time? Sort of a waste of time and money. Wouldn't you be better off making yourself and your daughter new practice dresses that will get some use. Or better yet - why not offer your services to other skaters and then you can get that creative bug out of your system while making a little money....
I have a dress that cost $350 when I was 8 - a lot of money - but it fit the program music, and I wore that thing for at least 20 competitions and tests and never got tired of it. Now my dresses cost $800-$1,000 and believe me - I don't change them every competition. With a short and long program that gets to be expensive, so I keep the programs for at least two years. The result is that after a few years I have a few dresses to choose from for exhibitions etc. but always wear the same dress for competitions as it was specfically made for the music.

What level are you skating at? (Obviously it's a higher level, since you have a short and a long, but just wondering- since my goodness thats a pricey dress!)

[ice_godess]

Doesn't take much to get a dress that price any more, especially with lots of bling :o Anyone skating above the Juvenile level has a short and long dress - and if you do pairs or dance - add another couple of dresses as well!!

I ordered a dress from Carrie Jones - and it was $300 with just a bit of bling - and that was for a practice dress for Sectionals. I was at the Cranberry Open and a vendor there was selling unblinged dresses for $500!!! and they were going like hotcakes. Check out the Tania Bass website - there is a fabulous tango dress (which one of my friends is trying to duplicate) for over $2,000..........and her dresses come in children's sizes!!!

[Mrs Redboots]

I was amused, watching the European championships the other week, to notice that the women in the Ladies' Short Programme who hadn't much hope of qualifying for the Free tended to wear off-the-peg generic "skating dresses" such as many of us adults would wear; the ones who had more hope of a good finish had obviously spent a lot of money on their outfits!

I am getting a new outfit for our free dance; it is a Queen medley, and Husband already has a Queen T-shirt that he wore for his programme last year, which was to Bohemian Rhapsody. So I have bought a matching T-shirt, only girl-cut (and luckily it's not too short, I suddenly panicked), and am having a new black skirt made, the same cut as my practice-skirt but nicer material and a proper fastening, not ribbons. I may or may not stone it - probably not, as stoning makes me cross & sweaty! Either way, it will flatter my figure!

[Skittl1321]

Check out the Tania Bass website - there is a fabulous tango dress (which one of my friends is trying to duplicate) for over $2,000..........and her dresses come in children's sizes!!!

That is a really nice tango dress. She has another dress listed for $2,500. I can't imagine paying that for an off the rack dress- what must her customs dresses cost!

[Virtualsk8r]

The more elite level the skater - the more the custom made outfits have to cost, even for the men. Johnny Weir's outfit probably cost someone about $3,000. I believe that the Vera Wang dress that Nancy Kerrigan wore at the Olympics was in the $3,000 range.

But then - put the cost of the dress in perspective. With choreography costs in the $1,000-$5,000 range (or more) depending upon who you use - on top of 3-6 hours of ice a day with at least an hour of lessons, the dress becomes reasonable!

Canada's Mira Leung wore the worst off-the-clearance rack dresses for the longest time, and finally started wearing something decent last season.

There is something to be said about looking the part - as long as you can deliver. I know that ice dancers frequently sell or borrow dresses because they need so many and they are as expensive as ballroom gowns at times.

[Skittl1321]

$3,000 for an elite level custom dress seems "reasonable". But who pays $2,500 for an off the rack skating dress? Or maybe Tania Bass would only sell one of them?

[deannathegeek]

Here's the dress I just got for my Artistic program for ISI Adult Nationals-I'll be skating to Love and Affection by Nelson. I got the burgandy dress. I'm a little thick in the middle for my height, so in an Adult Medium the dress fits fine, but comes down past my knees :D :frus:

http://www.dancewearsolutions.com/images/products/D2676_3.jpg

[samba]

I was amused, watching the European championships the other week, to notice that the women in the Ladies' Short Programme who hadn't much hope of qualifying for the Free tended to wear off-the-peg generic "skating dresses" such as many of us adults would wear; the ones who had more hope of a good finish had obviously spent a lot of money on their outfits!

I spotted that too, good old Jerry's

I am getting a new outfit for our free dance; it is a Queen medley, and Husband already has a Queen T-shirt that he wore for his programme last year, which was to Bohemian Rhapsody. So I have bought a matching T-shirt, only girl-cut (and luckily it's not too short, I suddenly panicked), and am having a new black skirt made, the same cut as my practice-skirt but nicer material and a proper fastening, not ribbons. I may or may not stone it - probably not, as stoning makes me cross & sweaty! Either way, it will flatter my figure!

Awh come on Boots you have to put some sparkle on it, after all there was nothing under-stated about Freddie Mercury!!!

Perhaps some glitter glue if you dont like stoning, but be sure it's suitable for fabric, but the general idea is great, and maybe a little glitter cream on your arms.

[SkatingOnClouds]

I have to say I agree- a dress for each competition is over the top. Even the elites use their dresses for the entire season.

Do you compete the same program each time? If you use a different program each time- then I would say it's not too ridiculous to have a new dress each competition.

Our programs are usually one-off events. We don't have a competition season here, we are an island state, with one small rink. There is a Technical Competition mid-year (May, this year) and an Artistic Comp later in the year. That's 2 comps a year, and two programs of differing styles & music. If I were competing interstate I would take the same program and dress to that. But yeah, they are special events for us.

As I said though, I can't buy dresses my size, except for Rivers Edge, and I don't like their skirt styles (I always think if it doesn't look good on the person they chose to model it, then it isn't going to look any better on me). I don't find things that fit on Ebay, and there's no-one I can swap with here. Making my own is the only way I'm gonna get a dress.

[tidesong]

Well if its a different program then its pretty normal to have a new dress. Also as long as you have no problems affording it and you like it, then why not?

[Raye]

I am getting a new outfit for our free dance; it is a Queen medley, and Husband already has a Queen T-shirt that he wore for his programme last year, which was to Bohemian Rhapsody. So I have bought a matching T-shirt, only girl-cut (and luckily it's not too short, I suddenly panicked), and am having a new black skirt made, the same cut as my practice-skirt but nicer material and a proper fastening, not ribbons. I may or may not stone it - probably not, as stoning makes me cross & sweaty! Either way, it will flatter my figure!


Can't wait to see it! I have two new programs (interpretive and freeskate) that I will be debuting at this year's Mountain Cup - and, of course, I am making two new dresses to go with them. I bought myself a bejeweller and am looking forward to stoning the death out of both of them....:halo:

A different dress for every program is not over the top, but - fashion diva that I am notwithstanding - I do wear my competition dresses more than once.

[looplover]

I've been getting away with the same dress for a year because I moved to another state, lol :lol:

I figure I can get one competition out of it here and then I really do need to retire it and get a new one.

[Mrs Redboots]

Perhaps some glitter glue if you dont like stoning, but be sure it's suitable for fabric, but the general idea is great, and maybe a little glitter cream on your arms.

To say nothing of glitter on the Husband's bald patch..... which he hates, but sometimes has to put up with!


Can't wait to see it! I have two new programs (interpretive and freeskate) that I will be debuting at this year's Mountain Cup - and, of course, I am making two new dresses to go with them. I bought myself a bejeweller and am looking forward to stoning the death out of both of them....:halo: Oh, I am glad you're coming again!

A different dress for every program is not over the top, but - fashion diva that I am notwithstanding - I do wear my competition dresses more than once.
The thing about dance, of course, is that you need different types of dresses. I own a few generic "dance frocks" which get worn when all else fails, but I also own a dress that is only ever worn for tangos and one that's only worn for waltzes (and the occasional Blues).

[coskater64]

I used to compete a lot and am hoping to again, I will admit, I have a lot of dresses. However, I tend to have the one dress for my free skate, one for the artistic each season, I also need dresses to test in and for practice. Because I do solo dance I currently have a lot of dance dresses, you need a tango-ish dress and a waltzy dress, etc and so on.

I have bought some of the Tania Bass dress that are semi custom and let me tell you, they are worth it, the craftsmanship on the dresses is incredible, plus the look like they would last years. I also use US icewear which makes some of the most comfortable dresses around and sets the skirt at the top of the hip bone not the waist. This makes my legs look shorter and my torso longer. Its not a normal problems but we all suffer from different issues.

Anyway, I would stick to one dress per season for your free skate unless mid season you decide the dress is either uncomfortable or bad luck, then get a new one if needed.

:D

[samba]

To say nothing of glitter on the Husband's bald patch..... which he hates, but sometimes has to put up with!

Ha, he would look like an angel (well almost) tell him not to worry, my DH has a bald patch also, in fact when I loose him in the supermarket I just look for a familiar bald patch as they are all slightly different.

The thing about dance, of course, is that you need different types of dresses. I own a few generic "dance frocks" which get worn when all else fails, but I also own a dress that is only ever worn for tangos and one that's only worn for waltzes (and the occasional Blues).

And very lovely they are too.

[Rusty Blades]

.... I just love dressing up, I never grew out of it and with skating you can wear dresses that you wouldnt normally be able to to wear.

OH YEA! Could never afford such luxuries as a kid and probably would have been to self-conscious to be too dressed up but boy did that change in my "old age"! 8O I consider competition to be a performance and I wouldn't dream of skating a new program in a dress that has been seen before.

I know I am extravagant but Nationals is the high point of the year for me and each year has been a new program (or, for this year, TWO new programs). I have my dresses (or costumes) custom made specifically to suit each program and try to keep them (and the program) under wraps until Nationals. After that, the program and the dress will likely show up at local competitions.

One day, when I have a closet full of beautiful skating costumes I may consider reusing a dress. In the mean time, I am enjoying debuting a new creation each time, and no, I am NOT considering a Peacock costume! 8O LOL!

[littlekateskate]

Yes i think its over the top :(

Most skaters do only one dress per season. And one dress per routine/season. Sometimes that routine lasts longer than one season. And on top of that I have had beautiful custom made dresses for my dd and they havent been over 75.00 And they are covered in sparkles. I would research ebay a little more. You can find such great deals and then possibly even buy something and then use a premade dress and alter it a bit or spice it up to have its own unique flare.

[doubletoe]

Well, since you asked ... yes, a new dress for every competition is over the top. Pretty excessive. Every skater I've ever known has had one dress per program. If you compete the program 4 times, you wear the dress 4 times.

That is the general consensus (and I make sure I keep each program for two years and skate 5 competitions a year just to amortize the exhorbitant cost of the dress). However, you are the only one who knows your budget, so if you can afford it and if the dressmaking part is as fun as the skating, then why the heck not?

On the other hand, if you love making dresses but can't really afford it, have you considered making dresses for other skaters instead, for money? :)

[jazzpants]

I had my Yanni dress for over FOUR years. Then again, I haven't skated that program a lot (like once a year!!!) not to mention that there was a 2-3 year period I didn't compete at all and by the time I got back into competing with the Yanni program again that primary coach had to change the ENTIRE choreography to fit "my newly acquired power and flow." :P

The only reason I changed my FS program was b/c my Yanni program was on cassette and USFSA said that from 2007 on, Sectionals and Nationals will only accept CD's. (Talk about ancient, huh?) I still don't think I've competed enough of my Yanni program to offset the cost of the dress!!! :twisted: :P :lol:

[miraclegro]

Well, i'm the cheapskate in the group, using LOTS of creativity...

But, this was my year to splurge; i ordered one Cinderella type dress for "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" - i just did it on a whim, hoping it wasn't too corny, and got HUGE compliments! Yeah!

And i wanted a deep red dress, and first, bought the fabric, and then had someone make it. It probably cost upward of $200, but i figured after 10 years of skating, it was my treat.

I am always looking for unique ideas, from the internet to the thrift store... i recently picked up a great seafoamy green evening gown covered with sequins (it really is fabric that looks like sequins). It is a halter top and i'm going to get it cut off short and maybe do a fun Artistic one to it "These Boots are Made for Walkin'" -perhaps....

I get my inspiration from dresses, music, thrift store.....
And i never get bored! That way most of my money goes for skating, which is expensive enough. I grew up with very little, and so i guess for me, i want my money to go to my skates (too expensive already!) and lessons!

[Kristin]

I am one of these who has to have a new dress for everything. Not that I've been in many comps, but I wouldn't dream of wearing the same dress twice, and I always make my daughter a new dress each comp too.

Am I going over the top? How much money & time do others put into their comp dresses? How much is Over The Top?

Hey, if you have the money, go for it. I know some moms who buy several new custom made dresses for their kids per year to the tune of $500-$600 each, and then sell them on ebay once the season is done. And keep in mind that these kids are all pre-juv & lower in skating level (!).

One thing I find is that the dress doesn't have to be "new" every year (or every competition) in order to pack a "WOW" factor. Example: I got a plain off-the-rack GK Elite dress last year for $70 and added 750 swarovski crystals to it last season. I got so many compliments on it (from judges, other coaches, other skaters, parents) that I am happy to wear it again for the 2nd season this year. My coach even picked my new music around this dress because she wants me to continue wearing it! So even though people have seen it before, they still tell me "that dress is perfect for you!"

I skate at a rink with many Ice dancing National Champs, and even THEY don't change their outfits for every competition. Why should we be expected to? Once a year is enough. :)

[CanAmSk8ter]

I skate at a rink with many Ice dancing National Champs, and even THEY don't change their outfits for every competition. Why should we be expected to? Once a year is enough. :)

Well, the dancers definitely don't- between FD, OD, and 2-4 CDs, they can need as many as six costumes some years! Maybe the Viennese Waltz dress would get worn again the next year for the Golden Waltz or something, but I trained with several national-level junior and senior dance teams and they rarely wore the same dress more than one year. The guys did sometime reuse outfits with minor changes.

I comepted in solo dance and I usually got one or two new dresses in the summer, made by Mom, for Lake Placid, depending on how many dances I was doing and what I already had dresses for. I had- still do actually- a Tango dress that I loved and always got compliments on, and I think I wore it for the Paso a couple of times too. I had a Blues dress that I loved and wore several times. I like my Kilian dress enough that I wore it for waltzes a couple of times- I actually only competed the Kilian once.

When I was doing freestyle, though, I got a new program in the spring, the dress was made when school got out, and that was usually my program and dress until the next spring. If I tested in the winter, my coach would recut the music to the right length and I'd test in the same dress, and in the spring we'd pick and cut new music.

[LW*]

I think the two main questions you need to ask yourself are can you afford to spend so much time and money on dresses, and do you enjoy designing/picking out material/making the dresses? If the answer to both is yes, then I don't see the problem. Totally unnecessary as far as skating needs go, but if making skating dresses is something you enjoy, no reason not to do that as a hobby too and make the most of competitions as an opportunity to wear your creations! Sure, you don't need a new/fancy dress for each competition, but equally most of us don't really need to skate in the first place 8O, it's just something we enjoy doing and decide that the enjoyment we get out of it is worth the cost and time. I suspect the total ice/coaching fees and blade/skate costs over a year make the amount you spend on dresses look quite small by comparison!

[slusher]

I sew and sew for others so this isn't a fair answer to the question, but I make new dresses for myself all the time. I prefer plain sort of costumes however, I use expensive fabrics and they run about $200 -$350 for materials. (lots of powernet :P ) I'm big, so need more than a teeny metre of fabric.

I do re-use things. Lately I've been wearing an old dance dress that I recut, the top was very bling-y and I altered the skirt to be freeskate length. There's about $150 worth of gems around the neckline alone.

I'd sell my own things, but since they'd end up on people I'd skate against, and that would be weird, I don't recycle.

[SkatingOnClouds]

[QUOTE=doubletoe;356806]On the other hand, if you love making dresses but can't really afford it, have you considered making dresses for other skaters instead, for money? :)[/QUOTE

Hm, :oops: well I have been thinking that my estimate of $300 per dress is probably over the top. When I really think about it, it is probably more like $150. usually costs about $80 -$100 in fabric and the rest is on the trimmings, tights, hair stuff, make up etc that finish off the look

I do enjoy the whole process of the dress concept coming together, researching and finding bits & pieces that are just right. And I enjoy making the dresses.

No, I can't afford such luxuries, but then I can't really afford to skate, let alone the new Jackson Proflex skates I have ordered. 8O I do make greeting cards which I sell on Ebay to raise money for the fabrics and stuff for my dresses though.

I am glad to know there are some others out there who consider their dress an important part of the whole performance.

[BuggieMom]

I am glad to know there are some others out there who consider their dress an important part of the whole performance.
Since I make dresses, I believe it is *all* about the dress!:lol: Heh heh!

Really, it is important as long as it enhances, and does not detract from the skater herself. By itself, in the eyes of a judge, the dress shouldn't be important at all. But if a dress is appropriate and subtly adds to the feeling of the performance, that is it's importance to the skater. When my dd puts on her FS dress, which was made specifically for this piece of music, she "puts on" her program in her mind. There is a feeling that dress helps her convey, it is specific to that dress. Another dress might not do it for her. I believe this feeling helps her skate her program the way is is meant to be skated. Her dress is indeed a part of the performance in that respect.

I have watched girls and wondered how their mom and/or coach ever got the idea that *that* dress fit *that* music. They just didn't mesh, and in my mind, detracted from the performance. I watched some of the video from Junior Worlds, and there was one girl in a HORRID bright eyesore that kept me looking at what she was wearing instead of what she was doing. I just didn't fit. That dress was NOT adding to her performance, at least in my mind.

I wouldn't change my dd's FS dress for every competition, because as I said, it was made for that piece of music, and another wouldn't do it for her...but, I have made her new "all purpose" dresses to wear for other events such as compulsories, spins, interpretive, whatever. Not a new one for every competition, but maybe every other! :D But I have scads of fabric laying around, and it usually doesn't cost a bunch. Last new one I made for her cost almost nothing because I already had the stuff left over from other dresses. I do it because I can, I love to, and she loves a new dress.

[samba]

One day, when I have a closet full of beautiful skating costumes I may consider reusing a dress. In the mean time, I am enjoying debuting a new creation each time, and no, I am NOT considering a Peacock costume! 8O LOL!
Well I guess on a female it wouldnt look so bad, but yes it was a little OTT but very funny.

[sk8tmum]

Our coach would have me hung, drawn and quartered if ... the dress is visualized by the coach (style, colour, etc); drawn by the dressmaker and then approved; fabric samples sent, reviewed and approved; dress made; approved, or, if not, reapproved; stoned and finished (by me !) and approved or redone based on coach approving or not approving; then, it's used in the program. For coach read choreographer and coach (not always the same person for my kids). I wouldn't WANT to do this over and over - !

then again, said coaches and choreographer are self-admitted control freaks; we're fine with it because, like said before, there are some really strange costuming effects out there ... and they do detract from the final product.

[skaternum]

I think the two main questions you need to ask yourself are can you afford to spend so much time and money on dresses, and do you enjoy designing/picking out material/making the dresses? If the answer to both is yes, then I don't see the problem.I think there's another question you need to ask yourself: Do you want people (skaters, parents, coaches) talking about you and your kid and how full of yourselves you are to wear a new dress for every competition? Because, trust me, they will talk once they start to notice. As long as you're okay with that, fine. But you're definitely opening yourself up to that sort of thing.

[skaternum]

I am glad to know there are some others out there who consider their dress an important part of the whole performance.Whoa, there. I believe very strongly that the dress is an important part of the whole performance. That doesn't mean you need a new dress for every performance. The "performance" isn't changing. I.e., the program and music isn't changing. Your costume doesnt' need to change to be an important part of the whole performance.

Most performers and entertainers have costumes matched to the performance. A dancer doesnt' have a new tutu every time she does The Dying Swan. They don't have different costumes for every performance of a play or a musical. The reason is because a meaningful, appropriate costume is selected in each case. Same with skating.

If you just want to make all these dresses that you can't afford, go for it. But it's really more about what you want, not making something that is important for the performance.

[Skittl1321]

I think there's another question you need to ask yourself: Do you want people (skaters, parents, coaches) talking about you and your kid and how full of yourselves you are to wear a new dress for every competition? Because, trust me, they will talk once they start to notice. As long as you're okay with that, fine. But you're definitely opening yourself up to that sort of thing.

Wow- your rink environment must be SO different from mine.

I can't imagine anyone gossiping that a child/parent is "full of themselves" just because they changed dresses.

[Mrs Redboots]

Our coach would have me hung, drawn and quartered if ... the dress is visualized by the coach (style, colour, etc); drawn by the dressmaker and then approved; fabric samples sent, reviewed and approved; dress made; approved, or, if not, reapproved; stoned and finished (by me !) and approved or redone based on coach approving or not approving; then, it's used in the program. For coach read choreographer and coach (not always the same person for my kids). I wouldn't WANT to do this over and over - ! Goodness, it's nothing to do with my coach! He's not even there when I compete. The only time he ever saw the outfits we wore for one of our free dances was when we tested it! I do normally have a dress rehearsal for a new dress, or for an artistic outfit, but even then I am the one who decides what I wear, it's not his business.

One thing that does happen a lot at our rink is that one skater, whose mother has bought or made her a lot of dresses in her time, is very generous about lending them for tests and competitions; if you say to someone waiting to test, "Oh, you look lovely in that dress!" the reply is very often, "Thank you; it's one of E's!"

[sk8tmum]

Wow- your rink environment must be SO different from mine.

I can't imagine anyone gossiping that a child/parent is "full of themselves" just because they changed dresses.

Happens at mine lots :roll: but, then again, as discussed in another thread - some clubs/rinks have more politics than others, and, sure, I've heard the catty comments many times about expensive dresses, skates, coaching, etc ... it's life. And ... from skaters and parents, both. Even (overheard) by coaches who make snarky comments on the same thing. T'would be nice to be at a rink where such things DON'T happen, however, I haven't found any yet ... and I avoid dressing rooms and grandstands at competitions if I don't have my iPod in my ears to block out the unpleasant/jealous/resentful comments.

BTW: My DD's dresses often also have a second life; she lends them out to other skater's who don't have a generous budget but do love to skate.

[LW*]

Whoa, there. I believe very strongly that the dress is an important part of the whole performance. That doesn't mean you need a new dress for every performance. The "performance" isn't changing. I.e., the program and music isn't changing.

I was under the impression that in this case they were...
Our programs are usually one-off events. We don't have a competition season here, we are an island state, with one small rink. There is a Technical Competition mid-year (May, this year) and an Artistic Comp later in the year. That's 2 comps a year, and two programs of differing styles & music. If I were competing interstate I would take the same program and dress to that. But yeah, they are special events for us.

[BatikatII]

I guess I'm a bit of a cheapskate in that my poor son went to National championsips in a pair of secondhand trousers that cost me £3! :lol:

He loved them though - so much that I tried to get a dressmaker to replicate them but the result was hopeless so he went back to the old pair.

For daughter I made the dress she wore to the championships but it was a shiny metallic patetrned lycra so no bling on top and therefore quite inexpensive.

The first really bling ful dress I made last year for my free dance with a starry theme. One of the skate mothers is a dress maker and she had a new type of metallic transfer fabric so I got to try it out for her on a basic dress I made myself out of wetlook lycra. Once the big stars were on, I added a 'galaxy' of stones of different sizes - the first time I'd ever gone in for bling for myself. I loved the result so am desperately trying to think of new music with a starry theme so I can wear it again.

I've worn the same dress for more than one competition and more than one programme as it seems such a waste otherwise unless you are going to sell them on afterwards and I like to keep mine.

Just realised my next test is likely to be Canasta Tango variation and the Tango dress I have is I feel, a bit OTT for a test so may try and make a simple test dress for that.

I have made several outfits for artistic competitions and pantos that dont get worn so often (though panto is at least 7 performances) and sometimes you can reuse bits for other comps. Best buy in this respect ever, was a furry hat that did duty as an Elvis wig, a cat's head, a rocker in Grease and finally with the addition of some wadding horns as The Beast from Beauty and the Beast. The hat cost me 99p! ($2?)