Sharene dresses - thoughts?

[daisies]

I did a search on here for opinions on Sharene dresses, and they certainly vary. But no one provided specifics on what was good or bad. Anyone here have stories to share? I am considering a Sharene dress (when it goes on sale), but I want to be armed with as much info as possible. My concerns are mostly about fit (especially skirt length) and workmanship. I wrote to them about skirt length and was told the skirts are longer than most other dressmakers offer (and that Sharene competed "well into her 30s" and understands adults' concerns about skirts), but in my search on here I found some people say they are too short!

What I really want to do is try one on at a local pro shop, but unfortunately the only rink that carries Sharene is more than an hour away, and they don't even have in stock what I think would be my size (adult M).

Thanks!

[pedonskates]

I have 2 Sharene dresses. I am an adult medium. I can bring them with me to LV if you want to try one or both. I am shorter than you are but wider, and I think the skirt length is fine.

[daisies]

Thank you so much! One question, though: Are they from the 2008-09 collection? The reason I ask is they told me the changed the sizing for the current collection. I have tried on dresses from previous years, but it was for naught because the sizing is now different. (In a way I'm glad, because neither a former small nor a former medium fit me properly, so I'm hoping the updated sizing works for me.)

If one of your dresses is from the current collection, I'd love to take you up on your try-on offer!

[pedonskates]

No. They are way older than that. Don't you love how companies keep switching sizes on us??? I think I bought one in 2001 and the other in 2004. Not so helpful for you.
Good to know about the switch though. I feel fairly safe buying dresses of a certain brand on line if I have one that fits.

[AxelBaby]

I've had two Sharene dresses. One from this past season, which I guess would be the 2008 collection and one from the previous year (2007).

The skirt length for me was fine on both. Not too short or long. Though the style I ordered in 2007 was a slightly longer length in general. This past year I went with something shorter on purpose.

In 2007 I ordered an XS Adult, and went to a small for the 2008 just because I wanted the extra torso length. I'm about 5'6" and thought that the skirts hit in just the right spot.

[Thin-Ice]

Are you planning to order a custom dress or a stock one? If you order a stock one, you might have to pay a bit more, but they can change the skirt and you can specify the length if that's your only concern. If it's a custom, then make sure you give them a definite length you want the skirt.

A teenager here had two Sharene dresses (one stock, one custom) and had the same concerns you do. She's about as slender as you are... and the company was more than happy to make the skirts exactly the length she wanted. But she thought there was too much fabric in the bodice and panty in the stock dress. She did like the fabric and design though.. so she had one custom made and after taking all her body measurements it turned out beautifully. She recently sold it at a skate/dress swap and has already said she's sorry she decided to get rid of it, since it was her favorite dress because it fit and moved so well.

But I agree, they are VERY expensive!

[hanca]

I really love Sharene's dresses how they look like on the picture. I ordered one and was really happy with it; it was my first ever dress and I did not know what to expect. Then ordered another one and did not like it too much. I think it may depend on what your expectations are. There was nothing really wrong with the second one, but is just seemed to me a bit overpriced and after I saw it I though "Is that it?". Nice one, but for the money...

Then again, my friend ordered one which I really liked and in her case I though it was worth the money. It probably depends on how well you choose the dress :)

[daisies]

Are you planning to order a custom dress or a stock one?
I was planning to order a stock dress from the "Couture Collection." But their sales guy said I could order something from the "Qwik Ship" dresses just to confirm which size I am and then return it for a full refund minus shipping charges. I will probably end up doing that if I can't find one locally!

[jazzpants]

My FS dress from last year's AN is a Sharene dress... Unfortunately, I didn't tell them to make it longer in the back and well, the skirt barely covered things needed to be legal for USFS competitions. Oops! :oops:

Case in point:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jazzpants/2448817027/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jazzpants/2449640174/

Other than that, I LOVE my Sharene dress!!! It's probably the best skating dress I've ever had. :bow:

[daisies]

My FS dress from last year's AN is a Sharene dress... Unfortunately, I didn't tell them to make it longer in the back and well, the skirt barely covered things needed to be legal for USFS competitions. Oops! :oops:

That looks really good on you! You think it's too short?

[Petlover]

I have one Sharene dress I bought on sale a few years ago, and I love it. I will say at the time I bought mine, they were known for being cut small. The quality, however, is excellent.

[jazzpants]

That looks really good on you! You think it's too short?
Short enough that I could certainly feel a draft back there. :P :lol:

[hanca]

My FS dress from last year's AN is a Sharene dress... Unfortunately, I didn't tell them to make it longer in the back and well, the skirt barely covered things needed to be legal for USFS competitions. Oops! :oops:

Case in point:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jazzpants/2448817027/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jazzpants/2449640174/

Other than that, I LOVE my Sharene dress!!! It's probably the best skating dress I've ever had. :bow:


You have got the dress my friend ordered. The one I wrote that I think was worth every penny she paid for it. I love this dress!

[daisies]

This is the one I'm looking at:

http://www.shareneskatewear.com/shoppe/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=31

Anyone seen it in person and/or in action?

[Thin-Ice]

I haven't seen it in person.. but it's absolutely gorgeous in the photo and would be amazing on you if it's even close to the picture-quality!

[jazzpants]

This is the one I'm looking at:

http://www.shareneskatewear.com/shoppe/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=31

Anyone seen it in person and/or in action?
I have not... but for some reason when I went thru all the Sharene dresses yesterday afternoon, I kept going back to THIS dress!!! I had a hunch that you might have picked this one for some reason. Strange... 8O :lol:

I think you're gonna like this dress. Of course, you gotta go "Glitter Ho" enough for it, as I think the stones makes the dress "extra special." And you more than HAVE the skating skills where you can "work the bling!" ;) (I got 300 stones on my dress and that's "barely enough" in primary coach's eyes. :lol: )

[daisies]

I haven't seen it in person.. but it's absolutely gorgeous in the photo and would be amazing on you if it's even close to the picture-quality!
Thank you!

Of course, you gotta go "Glitter Ho" enough for it, as I think the stones makes the dress "extra special." And you more than HAVE the skating skills where you can "work the bling!" ;) (I got 300 stones on my dress and that's "barely enough" in primary coach's eyes. :lol: )
Oh honey, I am so going glitter ho! I would do the beading myself too ... I can do that for much less than they want to charge! (Doing my own beading also saves me money because the time I spend doing it keeps me out of the mall! hahaha :))

[doubletoe]

My FS dress from last year's AN is a Sharene dress... Unfortunately, I didn't tell them to make it longer in the back and well, the skirt barely covered things needed to be legal for USFS competitions. Oops! :oops:

Case in point:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jazzpants/2448817027/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jazzpants/2449640174/

Other than that, I LOVE my Sharene dress!!! It's probably the best skating dress I've ever had. :bow:

Not too short. It looks perfect on you.

[flo]

Beautiful dress. Can't wait to see it!

[Petlover]

Jazzpants, those are gorgeous pictures of you, IMO the dress looks fabulous on you!

[ibreakhearts66]

The dress you are looking at looks beautiful! Are you going to go with the colors in the picture?

And Jazzpants, I agree with everyone, that dress looks great on you, not too short!

I had an absolutely horrendous experience with Sharene, but the problem was more customer service than it was the dress.

That being said, all of the Sharene dresses I've seen have looked absolutely gorgeous. The skirts seem to be some of the most flattering of the off the shelf dress companies. Even though I'll most likely never buy from them again, I definitely still find myself looking at the dresses longingly.

Sharene is not for me, but they are beautiful dresses, and I think the dress you've picked out will look stunning on you.

[daisies]

The dress you are looking at looks beautiful! Are you going to go with the colors in the picture?

No, I am considering a different pair of colors. Not sure exactly yet!

[daisies]

I talked to the Sharene peeps today and found out that all the beading that goes down the front of the dress actually *comes with* the dress. I was under the impression that if I ordered it with no beading, there would really be no beading, but apparently those are sequins that are embroidered over the mesh on the front, and thus the material doesn't give as much as normal mesh would. Three words: GOOD TO KNOW! This completely changes my mind about that dress!

Which leads me to my next question: Thoughts on Del Arbour???

:)

[jazzpants]

I talked to the Sharene peeps today and found out that all the beading that goes down the front of the dress actually *comes with* the dress. I was under the impression that if I ordered it with no beading, there would really be no beading, but apparently those are sequins that are embroidered over the mesh on the front, and thus the material doesn't give as much as normal mesh would. Three words: GOOD TO KNOW! This completely changes my mind about that dress!OOOOOH!!! Definitely good to know. Yeah, those sequins aren't always what it seems too.

I don't know much about Del Arbour... but I would suggest if you want to go for the spray paint type of dress to go with the Watercolors... They make it out of standard leotards and you can customize the paint that you want. No beading too, so you have your own blank canvas... The only caveat is that it will take about a month to 6 weeks for the dress to show up. :(

[daisies]

The only caveat is that it will take about a month to 6 weeks for the dress to show up. :(
That's OK, the new dress isn't even for this year! I just like to do things ahead of time. WAY ahead of time. (I'm a Virgo, I'm organized ... what can I say?)

[coskater64]

Julie, if you go to my facebook page and look at the skating photos you will see a beautiful blue dance dress that is Del Arbour, they made it for me, a custom fit in 2 weeks. The dress and the sizeable amount of beading were actually very well priced considering the skirt is silk and there are easily 2k beads/crystals on the dress. It is also a perfect fit, I wear and 8-10 in Del Arbour. I also use US icewear, the green dress in the photos and almost all the other dresses.8O

[daisies]

Julie, if you go to my facebook page and look at the skating photos you will see a beautiful blue dance dress that is Del Arbour, they made it for me, a custom fit in 2 weeks. The dress and the sizeable amount of beading were actually very well priced considering the skirt is silk and there are easily 2k beads/crystals on the dress. It is also a perfect fit, I wear and 8-10 in Del Arbour. I also use US icewear, the green dress in the photos and almost all the other dresses.8O

Thank you! The Del Arbour dress is amazing. I, too, wear an 8-10 in Del Arbour; I was able to try one on the other day. What size are you in US Icewear? I've never tried their dresses, but I'm guessing I will be an adult medium.

[ibreakhearts66]

Thank you! The Del Arbour dress is amazing. I, too, wear an 8-10 in Del Arbour; I was able to try one on the other day. What size are you in US Icewear? I've never tried their dresses, but I'm guessing I will be an adult medium.

I have two US Icewear dresses, and I believe they actually cut the dresses to my measurements. I'm not certain, but I know she said she wanted my specific measurements before cutting the patterns for the dresses--and this was just for two of their 2007 collection practice dresses! I love love LOVE my US Icewear dresses. The dresses I received say Ladies Small, which also leads me to believe they were cut for me. My measurements are all size small except for the girth, which is actually Medium-Large, so I think if the dress were ACTUALLY a size small, based on the size chart, it would be too short in the torso.

[RachelSk8er]

Julie, if you go to my facebook page and look at the skating photos you will see a beautiful blue dance dress that is Del Arbour, they made it for me, a custom fit in 2 weeks. The dress and the sizeable amount of beading were actually very well priced considering the skirt is silk and there are easily 2k beads/crystals on the dress. It is also a perfect fit, I wear and 8-10 in Del Arbour. I also use US icewear, the green dress in the photos and almost all the other dresses.8O


Del also did my freestyle dress--for those of you who know me, it's my black velvet dress with the long sheer sleeves and a zillion red/clear/black crystals. They also did all the dresses for the last two synchro teams I skated for. For the most part, I've always been very pleased with them (they kind of goofed on our synchro dresses last year--which are gorgeous, but they didn't fit right and we sent them back to all be fixed). When I started freestyle last year, 3 weeks before ANs, I realized I didn't own a single dress with a skirt short enough for freestyle...I called them on a Monday and they had the dress made, shipped and delivered by Friday of that week (I stoned it myself). It was just one of their normal stock dresses, but they had to add 2" to the torso (which they do with all my dresses from them) and lengthen the skirt 2" because I hate skirts that are too short, so they couldn't just pull it out of their stock and ship it. The dresses are maybe a little pricey for some, but in my opinion, they hold up very well and are worth it. Actually my free dress was only $160 or $180 (before the $100+ of stones I added myself). Our synchro competition dresses (no stones) were usually in the $250-$275 range. If I change my free program next year, I'm def going back to them just because I know they will fit and hold up. I have two music ideas and two slightly altered versions of their stock dresses I would want (depending on which music I choose).

FreidaB (out of Boston) did another dress for me last year, it's a dance dress but I've been wearing it for interp (again, those of you who know me, it's the red halter, I always get tons of compliments on it). I was pleased with them. I tried a dress on at synchro nationals last year, loved the fit and style, but not the color. They made it for me in a different color, different skirt, but for some reason when the one they made me came it was WAY too big and where it didn't fit right, the whole dress had to be taken apart to fix it. Their customer service was really good, I took photos of myself in the dress so they could see what needed fixed, shipped it back to them, and they fixed and returned it in about a week. They're good with adults, last year at AN they had a lot of dresses in sizes many of us need with slightly longer skirts, they'll double-line nude material so normal bras can be worn and not show, etc. They also have a halter style that is not too low cut, which if you're busty and somewhat self-conscious about it in skating dresses like I am, it actually covers everything and is very comfortable. I think I paid $216 for it, no stones, and added about $80 worth of stones myself.