How Many Times?

[Dancebug]

How many times do you wear the same costume for competitions? Most of ads for used costumes say they were worn only few times--two or three times. Does this mean one gets a new costume after two or three competitions?

[DanceDivaM]

The most I ever wore a costume was a theater arts dress, which got worn five times in one year. For the larger comps that year when people had already seen it, I wore something else.

But yeah, my ballgowns and rhythm costumes only got worn a few times.

[robin]

Some couples are sponsored by dress-makers and thus get a lot of new costumes. They then get sold on "second hand" but it's still a significant profit for the dress-maker (or the couple, depending on their sponsorship arrangments).

I don't think anyone who buys their own dresses would get a new one every other comp!

[Katarzyna]

I love gowns, but never really thought I change them that frequently. I realized that I don't have a gown I wore more than 2 times (except for one Chris made)... :shock:

Changing that this weekend though, it will be my 3rd time wearting a gown... (but I already posted it for sale so probly it wont be worn more then 2 more times)....

[twnkltoz]

It depends for me...mostly whether I can afford another gown! When I'm not doing a lot of showcases and comps, I can't justify the expense of a new one so I just keep wearing the old one. I'd love to have a new one every other comp or so, so I learned how to sew my own! I'm making my current dress as a "modular" dress so I can interchange different pieces for a different look each time.

[pygmalion]

Wearing a gown that's already been seen is a problem, I take it?

[ratherbdancing]

I wear gowns quite a bit esp. if i really like it. I have been known for only wearing a dress once though. I will also almost never wear the same dress to the same competition.

[pygmalion]

I just asked because, in my non-dance life, I rarely wear a "used" outfit for a special occasion. But, in my non-dance life, I have NO outfits that cost as much as a decent competition gown. There's gotta be a balance here, somewhere, right? :?

[DanceDivaM]

Wearing a gown that's already been seen is a problem, I take it?

I wouldn't necessarily say that, but when you know you're going to be in front of the same judges over and over, I like to mix it up. Liked, I should have said. And I too didn't wear the same dresses year after year to the same comps, but with theater arts, I usually had a specific costume for each routine anyway.

It does make a difference that in your personal life, you don't drop $3,500 on an outfit for a special occasion. I'm all about going the used route; I fell in love with a former-Larinda dress several years ago. I ended up getting a different one because the designer cut me such an incredible deal but even so, you pay substantially less for a dress that a pro (or anyone) wore for maybe an hour, two or three times EVER. I've also had dresses made specifically for me and naturally now that I'm out of the dance biz, have had a really hard time selling them due to their size. Use a designer who will do trade-ins and don't give yourself a hard time about it. You'll look just as good but will save money in the long run.

[pygmalion]

Thanks for the input, DanceDivaM. Makes a lot of sense. 8)

[Chris Stratton]

To some extent, I have to class fancy costumes with fancy routines... they are so much fun, but unless you are really competing in the top divisions, all you really need is something that will let the judges see you as a dancer. Sure, if one can afford to have some fun, that's part of what makes dancing enjoyable. But afford is not measured so much in terms of "can find the money" as in terms of "can find the money and still have money to invest in sufficient lessons on core dance principles"

[Katarzyna]

But afford is not measured so much in terms of "can find the money" as in terms of "can find the money and still have money to invest in sufficient lessons on core dance principles"

I think once you can afford to find $3500 for a gown, you most likely can afford training as well :D

edit:

Afford training = skip lunches for couple months :? :?

[Chris Stratton]

And sleep on a park bench during comp trips...

In fairness though, the online costume trading across diverse geographic areas does seem to let the ladies change dresses often, without spending too much or very often having to dance against the costume's former owner.

[Katarzyna]

And sleep on a park bench during comp trips...
:lol: :lol:

[Laura]

I try to wear a gown four times before I sell it, but the truth is I get bored easily and often sell it after wearing it three times. I make my own dresses so my costs are miniscule compared to paying for a new OR used dress from one of the top designers. By doing it myself I can have between 7 and 11 dresses for the cost of one of the top designer dress, so why not :-)

By the way, Jen, you should see what I did to that black smooth gown...I lengthened it by adding black satin at the bottom, stoned it with 30 gross of cobalt stones, made a stoned lace hair piece, necklace, and bracelets, and added a cobalt blue silk float. Too bad for me you're making your own now, 'cause you know I'd love to pass it on.... :-)

[twnkltoz]

I try to wear a gown four times before I sell it, but the truth is I get bored easily and often sell it after wearing it three times. I make my own dresses so my costs are miniscule compared to paying for a new OR used dress from one of the top designers. By doing it myself I can have between 7 and 11 dresses for the cost of one of the top designer dress, so why not :-)

By the way, Jen, you should see what I did to that black smooth gown...I lengthened it by adding black satin at the bottom, stoned it with 30 gross of cobalt stones, made a stoned lace hair piece, necklace, and bracelets, and added a cobalt blue silk float. Too bad for me you're making your own now, 'cause you know I'd love to pass it on.... :-)

*drool* You're a cruel, cruel woman. I'd probably talk myself into taking it off your hands, but my husband's already looking for a bridge to live under because I've decided to get a horse!!

[Dancebug]

So it sounds to me that some of you keep buying and selling used costumes for change. I often see a dress worn by several different dancers, especially because of omnipresent internet, and sometimes I can tell the history of the dress ownerships. Is it non-issue for you? (Sometimes it could be copy cat dresses. I don’t understand that, though.)

[Laura]

Heh, one of my favorite things to do at dance competitions is to point to a dress on the floor and recite its "lineage" to the person I'm watching with. It doesn't bother me, since I'm an "initiator" of dresses, rather than a recipient. :) Also, seeing a dress "make the rounds" isn't much of a big deal, so long as each new wearer actually looks great in the dress and didn't just buy it because it used to belong to someone "famous."

[Chris Stratton]

Heh, one of my favorite things to do at dance competitions is to point to a dress on the floor and recite its "lineage" to the person I'm watching with.

and then you remember that they can't really be washed...

I got it from Agnes
She bought it from Kim
We all agree it must have been
Louise who gave it to Kim

Gillian got it from Daphne
She got it from Joan
Who picked it up in County Cork
all covered with emerald stones

Pierre gave it to Shiela
Who must have brought it there
He wore it for Francois and Jacques
Aha, lucky Pierre!

Maxine got it from Edith
Who gets one ev'ry spring
She got it from her Daddy
Who just gives her ev'rything

She then gave it to Danielle
Whose spanielle thought it chow
"Leon" even had it
And we're still wondering how

But I got it from Agnes
Or maybe it was Sue
Or Millie or Billie or Gillie or Willie
It doesn't matter who

It might have been at Blackpool
or in Ohio, or Timbuktu
And if you will be my friend, then I might ...
(Mind you, I said "might" ...)
Sell it to you!

(with appologies to Tom Lehrer)

[Purr]

By the way, Jen, you should see what I did to that black smooth gown...I lengthened it by adding black satin at the bottom, stoned it with 30 gross of cobalt stones, made a stoned lace hair piece, necklace, and bracelets, and added a cobalt blue silk float. Too bad for me you're making your own now, 'cause you know I'd love to pass it on.... :-)

Hey, would the dress fit me? :D

[twnkltoz]

That's funny, Chris.

[Laura]

Hey, would the dress fit me? :D

Probably not. There's a 20-pound difference between the blue dress you got and that black dress. But if you suddenly find yourself pregnant or otherwise enlarged let me know!

[twnkltoz]

Hey, is "that blue dress" my blue dress? :D

[Purr]

Hey, is "that blue dress" my blue dress? :D

It's a cobalt blue smooth dress, with gloves. There's a multi-colored stoned ribbon pattern throughout the dress.

[twnkltoz]

Ok, I think that's the other blue dress. Phew! ;)

[Laura]

Purr's is royal blue giltter slinky with a "confetti ribbon" pattern of stones on it (later copied in a Chrisanne dress :) ). Jen's (then Elizabeth's, and probably passed on again by now) was electric blue velvet with black glitter slinky godets.

Purr, if you get a picture you like of you dancing in the blue dress, please send it to me! Ditto for Elizabeth (or whoever has it now). And Jen, I think I accidentally deleted the pictures you sent me in the red dress, so if you get any more please pass them on.

Here's the black dress...it's not actually for sale right now though, this is just show-n-tell. You might recall me posting a picture last summer of me dancing in a very plain black smooth dress. Well look what I've done to it:

http://www.dancesportimage.com/lfdir/galleries/design/display/black_cobalt_front.jpg

So, to tie this back to the conversation...if you update or renew your dress, you can wear it more times ;)

[twnkltoz]

OMG, I love it!!! I want it. I can't buy it! GAAAAHHHH!!!!

The pics of the red dress were too gross to post on the net, Laura. I'm wearing it tomorrow, so I'll try to get some more!

[pygmalion]

Update as in change stoning?

[Laura]

Add stones, add sleeves, remove sleeves, change the hemline, add an underskirt, remove an underskirt, add a float, change a float, remove a float, make gloves, make gauntlets, add drapey bits, add mesh to bare areas, make cut outs...there's lots of things that can be done.

[twnkltoz]

I changed the sleeves on my purple dress...the organza bells looked too stupid. I put on long sleeves, and it looks much better now. I'm considering taking out the organza godets and replacing them with some crepe or something. For the blue one I'm making, I'm making it totally modular...the underdress will all be separate pieces (the bodice and two separate skirts). Of course, I haven't quite worked out all the engineering, so for tomorrow's showcase it will all be held in place by basting and safety pins! I want to be able to put together a lot of different looks with a minimum of effort!

[Laura]

This sounds exciting, I'm looking forward to seeing the finished pieces. I'm about to make a new dress, I need something I can wear for a syllabus competition in January.

[Warren J. Dew]

How many times do you wear the same costume for competitions? Most of ads for used costumes say they were worn only few times--two or three times. Does this mean one gets a new costume after two or three competitions?

Gosh, I've been wearing the same costume for more than a decade now ... probably 50 or 100 times! How can one afford a new tailsuit after only two or three competitions?

[bjp22tango]

Gosh, I've been wearing the same costume for more than a decade now ... probably 50 or 100 times! How can one afford a new tailsuit after only two or three competitions?

:doh: :eyebrow:

Maybe this is payback for the leaders having the hardest dance job-they don't have to continually update their competition wardrobe, as long as they stay the same size 8)

[pygmalion]

Styles change for the guys, too, don't they? Just much more slowly? :?

[sunderi]

Let's see . . . I currently have 5 dresses. If I had to guess, I'd say I've worn them this many times:
blue & white smooth dress: 10 times
turquoise smooth dress: 8 times
red rhythm dress: 10 times (bought used)
orange rhythm dress: 9 times
black rhythm dress: 5 times

I guess I wear my stuff a lot. :) I really like to wear a different dress during each day/section of a comp, and in order to do that, I have to own 5-6 dresses at a time. Do those who buy/sell dresses frequently do that, too? I guess I'm wondering how many dresses we each have at any given time.

When I start competing with students, I plan to have a few dresses that I always wear with them, but I anticipate that I will rotate my competition dresses a lot more frequently.

[Chris Stratton]

Styles change for the guys, too, don't they? Just much more slowly? :?

Yes, I think black with white accesories came in fairly recently, around 1828.

But if the Ladies desire to claim black for their own, it may be time for Gentleman to bring all those vibrant colors back out of the depths of their closets.

[pygmalion]

Yes, I think black with white accesories came in fairly recently, around 1828.


:lol: :lol: :lol:

I meant cut, not color. :lol:

[Another Elizabeth]

Laura, I don't have a picture of the blue dress. I am still wearing it, though, since I'm having difficulty shedding the baby weight. :(