resale ballroom gowns for tall women

[elisedance]

I see and meet a lot of tall women in ballroom comp and yet I hardly ever see the appropirate dresses for sale. everything is for up to 5'7" and sizes up to 6 (I am 5'10 1/2 and size ~13 - which, although you might not realize it, is reasonably slim for the height). Am I missing something where to look? Or is it that gowns for tall women can always be cut down to a shorter size, removing them from the market?

[Katarzyna]

one of my gowns was easily up to 5'10 but it got sold fast..
dont have one at the moment but if you keep in touch with me, I do come across those

[elisedance]

Do drop me a line if anything comes up - I'm particularly interested in a multitone in blue (but will look at anything except black/red, my current gown.

thanks Kat...

[Katarzyna]

Will keeps my eyes open... will pm you the one that woudl have fit you that I sold

[amiko]

Elise,

Thank you for bringing the topic up. I am 5'9" and have an incredible time finding gowns as well. I think lots of them get shortened...bummer!! :|

We should form our own tall woman band wagon and buy/sell dresses amongst each other!! I know a few pro/amateur standard dancers that are pretty tall (but less than a handful). :rolleyes:

i.e. Marie Burson prollly 5'10", Susie Hardt 5'10", Kat Rogalsky 5'11", and I know some of the American Smooth girls are usually taller than the standard girls in general, but I don't know their names. :|

There's not that many more 5'9"s either, I know 2 people other than myself. :( Maybe there are more in Europe or east coast or some of the BYU kids.

[Katarzyna]

Elise,

Thank you for bringing the topic up. I am 5'9" and have an incredible time finding gowns as well. I think lots of them get shortened...bummer!!

We should form our own tall woman band wagon and buy/sell dresses amongst each other!! I know a few in the area that I bump into at comps such as:

Amy Ko (myself, Los Angeles, CA) 5'9"
Borbala Bunnett (Orange County CA) 5'9"
Kat Rogalsky 5'11" (Santa Barbara, CA)
Gergana Slavova 5'9" (pro from AZ)
Abby Pollock 5'9"
Marie Burson 5'10" (Sacramento pro)
Shelly Duval 5'9"

Wheew, did I miss a few more ladies who are over 5'9"? If we bring in 5'7"s we get alot more!! :o
Karolina Holody is 5'9''

[amiko]

Dang Kat, you're good!!

[reb]

Amiko,

Your estimate is over a couple inches too high for one whom I know among those you comment on in post #6 above . . .

Although, she is quite tall in my eyes . . .:D

[elisedance]

an unmeasureable stature I would guess, eh reb? :)

I'm about to give up on looking for used dresses - will build from scratch. However, that may liberate one tall black/red dress.... :)

[Katarzyna]

Dang Kat, you're good!!
:)

[Ithink]

I am 5'8" and have two dresses for sale currently:)

[etp777]

I wonder who that might be, reb? :) Though yeah, estimate does seem a bit high to me. Don't know any of the rest, personally.

[amiko]

Yes, Kat, Abby, Gergana's height I'm pretty sure about. The others I am pretty much estimating at it.

Maybe the one Reb's talking about was in heels when I stood next to her at USA Dance SW Regionals, although I'm shocked at how she made it through the long day in them!! :confused:

And yes, with a long graceful neck and body stretch...I'm fooled!!

[Kaydoodie]

Hi, everyone!
I'm 5'11", and am about to embark on my own search for a standard gown. Include me in this "tall women band wagon", will ya please?

[MissBallroomBear]

Hey hey hey and welcome Kaydoodie!

[elisedance]

Hi, everyone!
I'm 5'11", and am about to embark on my own search for a standard gown. Include me in this "tall women band wagon", will ya please?

hi there KDD! We need to form the tall-women-league-for-don't-clip-your-gown-brigade! I think the only way we are going to see dresses for tall women is if they are recognized to have more value. I think that might happen - once the sellers realize they can get more for a tall gown to a tall woman than if sold to a shorter one that intends to clip it.

One scenario for clipping dresses is as follows. Many high level competitors are also slimmer than their peers at the same height. Tall women (probably?) have a larger frame than shorter ones on average and, hence a gown from a tall woman competitor will tend to fit a less proportionately shorter woman. Thus, I suspect top gowns are sought after for the hobbyist dancer in the pro-am market.

Does that make sense?

[Kaydoodie]

Tall women (probably?) have a larger frame than shorter ones on average and, hence a gown from a tall woman competitor will tend to fit a less proportionately shorter woman. Thus, I suspect top gowns are sought after for the hobbyist dancer in the pro-am market.

Does that make sense?

Yes, Elise, I DEFINITELY have a larger frame! And yes, I have been looking at custom made dresses, on the interet, and at comps. I sew, but not well enough to make a dress, so I guess I'm committed to emptying out my savings account! :(

[elisedance]

Hi Kaydoodle - welcome to DF!!

I've commissioned the new dress - hopefully it will be ready for the Crystal Leaf in Toronto (April 18th-20th) for its maiden voyage. Do you have a seamstress locally that can make you a gown? I lifted a lot of pictures off teh web - but she ended up designing it from scratch anyway. Since the first dress worked out so well I'm giving her quite a bit of latitude - so crossing fingers...

[Chris Stratton]

I sew, but not well enough to make a dress

Start with practice wear and work up from there - or see Laura's online project.
I personally believe in the more experimental / iterative approach that depends on having time and a source of cheap fabric (that's tailsuit #5 in the picture); but if you are careful and have a proven pattern going straight for the end result with nice fabric is an option too.

[Kaydoodie]

Yep...Practice wear! That sounds the the right way to start! Thanks!

And, thanks to all who have welcomed me to DF......I think I'm gonna like it here!

[FLABALLROOMGIRL]

I'm alittle over 5'10 and i've had a hard time too. When i got into ballroom i was told being tall was great but i notice that most are 5'7 and below. I was shocked when i met the cast of Dancing with the Stars, they came to my chest or below:) I want a beautiful Rumba dress, but i have a feeling the bodysuit won't be long enough for me since i have a long torso.

[Katarzyna]

I just wanted to share that i have couple new dresses from Olga Tsikalyuk and they will fit tall ladies easily, some will be quite comfy for 5'9 maybe even more and some will fit up to size 10. She asked me to help her sell them before seh moved from NY.. so I have a total 5 now but will have 2 more I believe from her

[Standarddancer]

kat, do you have olga's dresses' photos? well you know my dresses preference...email me if you believe anything might work for me, thanks...

[Katarzyna]

sure will do

[Standarddancer]

Probably my Chrisanne Purple ones will fit some tall girls since it's on the long side of me. I'm 5'7 1/2" almost 5'8". I feel in tango when I have to lower I sometimes step on the dress. It's beautiful dress though, don't want to shorten.

http://public.fotki.com/dancegirl/dresses-for-sale/beautiful-purple-ch/

[Katarzyna]

oh and golden dress abby just wore, it will fit 5'8''[ -5'10 easily and up to size 10 easily, very stretcy

[Standarddancer]

so kat, that gold dress is for rent for tall girls now? I thought you gonna to wear yourself and in that case, requires shorten, since Abby says it's bit long for her and she sometimes steps on it.

[Katarzyna]

might eventuallly shorten it. we will see.. so far very few comps planned.. so not sure when I would wear it.. so if tall girls are interested out there they can rent it

[rbdance]

Hi Ladies,

I'm tall too - 5'11" before my shoes. I dance American Smooth and a bit of rhythm, but might have to switch to standard to find an Amateur partner. Thank goodness my coach/Pro-Am teacher is 6'5"!

I have had luck with some of the ebay stores that will custom make your dress for the same price or just slightly more. Sometimes Rainbow Shiu via ebay also has gowns at killer prices that work well for even my height.

Please keep me looped in to this thread and we can help each other out!

Cheers!

[Katarzyna]

I have some new additions for tall ladies.. 3 gowns from Franciska Jordanova.. all will be under 1500.. prices on my site.. here are some photos.. in older albums you will also see ones from Olga Tsikaliuk also tall pro lady.
http://images38.fotki.com/v1281/photos/5/55537/6604427/3_16041_2424_12914_07123225-vi.jpg
http://images41.fotki.com/v1264/photos/5/55537/6604436/IMG_2136g-vi.jpghttp://images39.fotki.com/v1291/photos/5/55537/6604436/15__5475_41570_0805303697a-vi.jpg
http://images36.fotki.com/v1296/photos/5/55537/6604452/5_16041_4842_34448_0801231208c-vi.jpg

[hereKittyKitty]

That white dress is AMAZING. Better for a girl with dark hair but when I looked at the picture I thought Wow!

[Katarzyna]

White was so amasing that had 3 inquiries in 4 hours... and its sold to Japan.. super fast

[Katarzyna]

yellow is my favourite but was told it will be too long on me :(

[njdancegirl]

yellow is my favourite but was told it will be too long on me :(

Yellow was my fave too...but if too long on you, definitely longer on me.

[Katarzyna]

Saw franciska dance in it in Phylly last year.. its was stunning and the stonign on it was amsasing, but she is almost 5'8''

[skwiggy]

The yellow is stunning. And I don't even like yellow. :)

[Katarzyna]

And the photos don't even show how sparkly and decorated it is

[danceronice]

I'm planning to sell my old dress and I'm seeing a couple here where, if I get what I want for the old one, I just might be very interested. Are you going to be at Ohio this year?

Also, when you give US sizes on a dress, is there any way of giving measurements? I have clothes that are labeled six and clothes that are labeled ten and they both fit, so I have no idea what number size I am!

[Katarzyna]

BTW...GOlden gown I mentioned here earlier sold already..

Danceronice, who are you addressing your post to? I will be at Ohio but no idea if you were talking to me or other 5 ladies contributing here :)

[danceronice]

Sorry, Kat, was speaking to you! I was actually looking through the link in your signature--I'll PM with questions tonight when I get home from work!

[Katarzyna]

ok :)

[Standarddancer]

I think red quite cool

[Katarzyna]

its quite nice indeed but it needs stones replaced... thats why the price is low...
yellow is my favourite :)

[danceronice]

Yellow always stands out so well, too-wish I could wear it, but it tends to look wrong with my skin tone.

[Katarzyna]

this one is long thought of all of them its the longest... love yellow color.. will wear yellow for Ohio :)

[gracie]

Ladies, what measurement from shoulder to hem do you need at your height? Many of the adds just say good for such and such height but no actual measurement. Most of my gowns are 55 - 56 inches shoulder to hem.