Making dresses out of real dresses

[Icefrog]

I've read on here and on the other places on the internet about people taking homecoming type dresses (they usually are knee lengh or just above or below) and making them into free style or dance dresses. I've recently taken up ice dance and I'm 8O at the prices of them. How could I make an old homecoming dress into a ice dance dress? or even a buy some clearence ones for new freestyle dresses? I'm always up for a craft project and some new dresses;)

[Skittl1321]

If you are a fairly low level ice dancer, just buy an off the rack dress of the appropriate length and make sure to wear bloomers under it. There isn't much you will do that will cause it to lift up.

If you are a higher level (or freestyle), you need to figure out a way to tack the dress down, so that it won't come up on twizzles, spins, and jumps. I've seen some people do this by using snaps to bloomers, and others actually sewing bloomers in.

I have seen a freestyle skater use a regular dress WITHOUT bloomers, and while you couldn't see anything it was a bit 8O8O anytime she spun and you just saw plain tights.

[vesperholly]

I bought both my competitive dance dresses from ekclothing.com. I got a leotard (less than $10) to wear under them, but you could even wear spanx.

[Clarice]

I've made freestyle dresses for my daughter out of sale prom dresses. I build leotards under them and attach the dress to them, usually along the waist or under-the-bust seam. If the skirt is too narrow when I cut it off, I use the extra material to insert gussets.

[Icefrog]

Thanks! I am working on my axel in fresstyle and my preliminary dances in dance. I'm thinking about getting a leotard in a color that is the same or will match, cutting off the top and some how attaching it to the dress. I have one dress made of mesh and it would make a really cool freestyle dress cut down, and a black one that would be great for dance. I'm gonna hit up Macy's next fall after homecoming and see what I can find! Thanks I love dresses!

[Sessy]

I've read on here and on the other places on the internet about people taking homecoming type dresses (they usually are knee lengh or just above or below) and making them into free style or dance dresses. I've recently taken up ice dance and I'm 8O at the prices of them. How could I make an old homecoming dress into a ice dance dress? or even a buy some clearence ones for new freestyle dresses? I'm always up for a craft project and some new dresses;)


Just go out to any store that sells swimming wear and undies and stuff and buy undies/hotpants (just not the bikini type with the strings at the hips) in a matching color with the dress, wear them over your dress. Bonus points for the undies/hotpants being high-waisted, but as long as it's not a low-waist or an empire waist dress, it won't crawl up high enough to be an issue. Obviously, it's easier to match colors for white and black.

[sexyskates]

Make sure that these dresses stretch. Especially for freestyle, your need alot of room for movement around the arms or they will rip off! Sleeveless styles may work better, but it's much more comfortable with stretch.

[Sessy]

Thanks! I am working on my axel in fresstyle and my preliminary dances in dance. I'm thinking about getting a leotard in a color that is the same or will match, cutting off the top and some how attaching it to the dress. I have one dress made of mesh and it would make a really cool freestyle dress cut down, and a black one that would be great for dance. I'm gonna hit up Macy's next fall after homecoming and see what I can find! Thanks I love dresses!

If you want to do this, basically you cut at the waist, then do this:
http://yfrog.com/cbinsertingpantiesg

[sk8tmum]

yes, dresses can be expensive. You say that you're always good for a craft project: how are your sewing skills? Rather than pay for a leotard and all that, if you can sew, you can make your own for a reasonable price, and it will be an actual skating dress. There are some very nice patterns available.

Or, another sort-of-inexpensive option, you can buy a basic dress and fancy it up; some very basic dresses can be fairly inexpensive.

I was just adding up, you see, the cost of the homecoming dress + the chopped off leotard + the time+ the thread, findings, etc, and wondering if you'd be better off to go another route.

You can also, sometimes, haunt the dance stores for their end of year clearance: we were able to take a "dance" not "ice dance" dress and turn it into an ice dance dress just by renaming it (panties, everything were already there).

[Sessy]

yes, dresses can be expensive. You say that you're always good for a craft project: how are your sewing skills? Rather than pay for a leotard and all that, if you can sew, you can make your own for a reasonable price, and it will be an actual skating dress. There are some very nice patterns available.

Or, another sort-of-inexpensive option, you can buy a basic dress and fancy it up; some very basic dresses can be fairly inexpensive.

I was just adding up, you see, the cost of the homecoming dress + the chopped off leotard + the time+ the thread, findings, etc, and wondering if you'd be better off to go another route.

I've made a few dresses for trainings and whatnot, sewing being a hobby and they were all for under 20 euro, since you only need a little over a yard of lycra and a little rubber band... If you don't count the pattern. But if you get a sensible quicksew or jalie pattern you can re-use it over and over and over again, even if you grow (there's like 20 different sizes on each sheet, just draw the pattern over and don't cut it). I can definitely attest to it being easy, just make sure to follow the directions on the pattern exactly (in terms of material and such too)

[Icefrog]

I'm dying to make a skating dress, but I don't know how to sew besides a button, snap, or a simple running stitch with a needle and thread. I already have the dresses. One is mesh, the other chiffon, empire waste, tank top dresses. It was just a thought because they kind of *look* like ice dance dresses. My sister has found clearence ones for like $10 after dances and its even cheaper if I use a Macy's charge. I was just going to look for the cheapest one I could find. And my favorite practice dress is a "skirted leotard" from danskin that cost like $25.

[kayskate]

Back in the day before spandex, skaters wore knit dresses w separate panties. Cheerleaders still wear the same, to my knowledge. Another cheap option is clearance swim dresses. I have actually sewn a swim dress and wore it for skating.

Here's some cheap cheerleader bloomers and hotpants:
http://www.cheerleading.com/45-Body_Basics_Accessories.html

For those who sew, check out kwik sew patterns. They have a web site.
http://www.kwiksew.com/

Kay

[flo]

I bought a couple beautiful velvet dresses at Good Will. There's lots of give and will be dressed up with stones.

[Skate@Delaware]

I have done both things, bought stretch velvet dresses, hacked them up and re-made them into skating dresses and also bought existing dresses & fixed them up into skating dresses.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4647766&l=e7327ad20a&id=702251064

(sorry, can't seem to get the image to post)

I bought this dress for $10 on clearance at The Deb, then added stones, a cheer panty for $7 and fixed the straps (they were halter, tie-behind the neck but they broke) to criss-cross on the back. It's great on the ice!

If I'm looking for a stretchy velvet dress to hack apart, I look for something with a great color and lots of yardage (usually plus-size). I make sure I have enough to the bodice, skirt and panty. Wash & dry, cut apart the seams and play around with the pieces, keeping in mind to lay them out in the same direction because of the nap. I do the same with slinky but that seems to be harder to find anymore (maybe cause it wears forever?)

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4647766&l=e7327ad20a&id=702251064

[RachelSk8er]

One of my dance dresses is a cocktail dress, it's a mesh material over a stretchy something or other (a lycra blend) so not a whole lot different than most skating dresses. I just wear it for compulsory dances and I put a bathing suit bottom in a matching color underneath, no issues. I probably wouldn't wear it for interp or anything else, but if I did, I'd look into fastening it down a little better.

I personally would not wear a modified non-skating dress for freestyle because I'm very particular about the way my dresses fit, especially if I'm going to be spinning/jumping in them (no one needs to see me put the "adult" in adult skating by a wardrobe malfunction). But I've seen others do it.

[Clarice]

One of my dance dresses is a cocktail dress, it's a mesh material over a stretchy something or other (a lycra blend) so not a whole lot different than most skating dresses. I just wear it for compulsory dances and I put a bathing suit bottom in a matching color underneath, no issues. I probably wouldn't wear it for interp or anything else, but if I did, I'd look into fastening it down a little better.

I personally would not wear a modified non-skating dress for freestyle because I'm very particular about the way my dresses fit, especially if I'm going to be spinning/jumping in them (no one needs to see me put the "adult" in adult skating by a wardrobe malfunction). But I've seen others do it.

That's why I pretty much always put a full leotard under them for my daughter. If the dress has a strappy top, I do the bottom part of the leotard to match the dress and the top part in nude mesh. Then we can tack the dress exactly where we want it to stay. I do admit, I think it's easier to build a skating dress from scratch, but if the regular dress is cheap enough on sale I can get some pretty cool fabrics, embellishments, or bodice styling more cheaply than I could make it. I'm looking into going this route for ice dance dresses for myself, and will likely just use dance trunks underneath.

[CanadianAdult]

I sew dresses as a business what I have been successful with is sewing combination liners just like Clarice said. It's basically a liner all nude and mesh and sometimes built in bra liner, so the top is really customized to the skater, and the bottom part of the liner is black, to mimic the panties. The girl wears this, pops the dress on top and off they go. The majority of ice dance dresses seem to have black in them so it matches. There's some trade secrets that I'm not sharing about melding different dresses to the liner but one combo liner and a shopping trip to H&M and they're set. The liner costs more than the H&M dress but they only ever need one liner.