Can we talk dresses?

[fatherdowling]

Ohhhh it looks beautiful! Lots of dimension to complement the lace! Love it!

 

[True Bliss]

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I also didn’t end up using them, but the Micheal’s Beadsland Austrian crystals are very nice, surprisingly. They’re the same cut as the Swarovski Sirius stones.

And did you all hear that we common folk are going to be able to buy Swarovski stones again? They've done away with the requirement of signing their Brand Control Agreement and their authorized distribution partners may once again sell the crystals to reseller, including bead stores and online retailers. Guess being so exclusive didn't pan out for them financially! I need to orders some replacement crystals for my smooth dress as I've not been able to match the color of the Swarovski stones on it with the Preciosa stones.

 

[Pryn]

Ohhhh it looks beautiful! Lots of dimension to complement the lace! Love it!

Agreed. It is lovely!

 

[Warren J. Dew]

And did you all hear that we common folk are going to be able to buy Swarovski stones again? They've done away with the requirement of signing their Brand Control Agreement and their authorized distribution partners may once again sell the crystals to reseller, including bead stores and online retailers. Guess being so exclusive didn't pan out for them financially! I need to orders some replacement crystals for my smooth dress as I've not been able to match the color of the Swarovski stones on it with the Preciosa stones.

Or they realized they’ll soon be facing competition from lab grown diamonds, and want to reestablish their reseller network before the tsunami hits.

 

[MaggiWrites]

Being in Canada, I only do standard dances. There was talk here about red dresses being the ones that stand out. This is a dress I borrowed for a recent competition for the standard Latin dances and I'm wavering about whether to buy it to keep. Is this red enough? And do I need to have that ruffled train shortened? I was already wearing heels higher than usual because I'm short but the train still touched the floor and I worried about catching a heel in it. The picture was taken by my teacher out in the lobby of the competition's hotel and he wanted a sideways shot to show off the back of the dress.

I look at the picture and all I can see is that bright red lipstick, a colour I NEVER wear in real life. Also I never plaster my hair smoothly like that. So all I see is this stranger wearing a dress I remember borrowing once.

 

[Warren J. Dew]

Being in Canada, I only do standard dances. There was talk here about red dresses being the ones that stand out. This is a dress I borrowed for a recent competition for the standard Latin dances and I'm wavering about whether to buy it to keep. Is this red enough? And do I need to have that ruffled train shortened? I was already wearing heels higher than usual because I'm short but the train still touched the floor and I worried about catching a heel in it. The picture was taken by my teacher out in the lobby of the competition's hotel and he wanted a sideways shot to show off the back of the dress.

I look at the picture and all I can see is that bright red lipstick, a colour I NEVER wear in real life. Also I never plaster my hair smoothly like that. So all I see is this stranger wearing a dress I remember borrowing once.

Outfit screams Argentine tango to me.

 

[True Bliss]

Gorgeous photo!

 

[MaggiWrites]

The photo was just a quick snapshot, but thanks to the beautiful lobby and its lighting it came out well. My teacher liked the picture so much he has it up on the wall of the studio.

 

[ProgressNotPerfection]

This is a dress I borrowed for a recent competition for the standard Latin dances and I'm wavering about whether to buy it to keep.

Omg you look GORGEOUS in that dress!!! Truly stunning!!! Whether to buy it would depend on the price, for me. It does seem very long for international Latin style. I agree with @Warren J. Dew that it has a very strong Argentine tango/flamenco vibe. But if the cost isn’t too much, I’d want to buy it anyway, even if I just wore it for showcases or in-studio events - simply because it fits so well & looks amazing.

My teacher liked the picture so much he has it up on the wall of the studio.

I’m not surprised! Great advertising for the studio. “Hey new potential students - you, too, can become this glamorous if you take lessons here!” I bet he’s very proud.

I’m not being hyperbolic here. That photo looks so good it could be a professional model doing a shoot for a ballroom ad. You have fantastic posture (and cheekbones!).

 

[bia]

Is this red enough? And do I need to have that ruffled train shortened? I was already wearing heels higher than usual because I'm short but the train still touched the floor and I worried about catching a heel in it.

I agree that the dress looks beautiful on you, and it's plenty noticeable, and even if the look doesn't feel like you, it could be a fun and impressive character to play once in a while. However, you shouldn't buy anything that you'll be worrying about the practicality of dancing in. If you're buying it to compete latin in, you should shorten it, but before you do, think about whether shortening it enough to avoid heel-catching worry will hurt the look. I'm having trouble coming up with an attractive alteration that would let it work worry-free for jive. If you can, go for it; it's gorgeous. But if not, and you don't want to buy it just for showcases in dances it works better for, I'd say unfortunately not.

 

[CA Dancer]

I am relatively new to Ballroom competitions. I will be doing my first PRO-AM American Rhythm comp later this year. Isn't the object of competitions supposed to be on the dancing and not the costume?
I am in the 55+ catagory and none of us who should be wearing what the pros wear. ( I understand the concept for the Pros) So why spend thousands? Can someone shed some light on this topic for me?

In Pro/Am, nearly everyone will be wearing what the pros wear, or as close of an approximation to that as they can manage. It is not a requirement, but it is the pro/am competition environment. For your first comp(s) I encourage you to find an affordable option while you learn if competition is something you want (and are financially able) to seriously pursue, and also while you learn what you really love in a dress for yourself. Renting gowns can be a good option that will cost you hundreds instead of thousands, for instance.

Part of the costuming is about the things others have posted about above. It's part of the art of the sport, it catches the judges eyes, it can make you feel confident and in a way can indirectly help you dance better.

To be a bit cynical, the other part of it is that ballroom isn't just an artistic pursuit, it's an industry. Those dance dress vendors are trying to make a living, and encouraging everyone to wear expensive costumes is a part of that. Same goes for hair, jewelry, makeup, lessons, and so on.

There's nothing wrong with these people making a living doing what they do to be part of the ballroom scene. But realize that you are the consumer, and you get to decide how to spend your dollars, even if "everyone" says you should do X, Y, and Z for $$$$$. If you have the budget to spend on all these things and are enjoying it, go for it! If your budget is smaller (and/or you're just starting out and you're not sure how much you want to spend just yet), you can find ways to enjoy dancing on a smaller budget, whether that's used dresses, rental dresses, doing your own makeup, competing less often, etc. Discussions here can give you some ideas on that.

I will say that for my first comp my coach (a respected big time judge) at the time said I could compete in a simple black practice dress with nice makeup, hair and jewelry and that would be fine. I took him at his word, did that, and I felt very conspicuously under-dressed on the comp floor. The only other people dressed like me were in the practice rooms, or in the audience. I don't know that it made a difference in my marks, I was a new dancer and probably got the placements I deserved - but it wasn't a good experience for a new competitor trying to fit in a little. Someone else with more confidence going in might have felt fine about it. But I wish I had rented a nice gown instead.

Being in Canada, I only do standard dances. There was talk here about red dresses being the ones that stand out. This is a dress I borrowed for a recent competition for the standard Latin dances and I'm wavering about whether to buy it to keep. Is this red enough? And do I need to have that ruffled train shortened? I was already wearing heels higher than usual because I'm short but the train still touched the floor and I worried about catching a heel in it. The picture was taken by my teacher out in the lobby of the competition's hotel and he wanted a sideways shot to show off the back of the dress.

I look at the picture and all I can see is that bright red lipstick, a colour I NEVER wear in real life. Also I never plaster my hair smoothly like that. So all I see is this stranger wearing a dress I remember borrowing once.

Well I think the lipstick should be a mainstay for you! It looks perfect. Your hairstyle is beautiful as well. As for the dress, I would like to see how you moved in it, but I would think about shortening it a lot for Latin dances. I could see you pulling up the train all the way to the bottom of the V on the back of the dress and shorten the rest of the skirt accordingly.

 

[MaggiWrites]

Outfit screams Argentine tango to me.

I was thinking tango and/or rumba, and a shorter dress for the faster dances like samba, etc. Can't afford a wardrobe of a different dress for each dance, alas. I have a pretty pale blue sparkly one for waltz and foxtrot, and was thinking of this one for the slower, dramatic dances. I wore it for Rumba at that competition and the ruffles swished quite effectively.

 

[MaggiWrites]

Well I think the lipstick should be a mainstay for you! It looks perfect. Your hairstyle is beautiful as well. As for the dress, I would like to see how you moved in it, but I would think about shortening it a lot for Latin dances. I could see you pulling up the train all the way to the bottom of the V on the back of the dress and shorten the rest of the skirt accordingly.

The red lipstick looked right for the occasion and the lighting, but with dark hair and eyes and very pale skin with no natural colour in my cheeks, in daylight, in everyday life, I look like a vampire .

 

[Warren J. Dew]

The red lipstick looked right for the occasion and the lighting, but with dark hair and eyes and very pale skin with no natural colour in my cheeks, in daylight, in everyday life, I look like a vampire .

So what’s bad about it?

 

[MaggiWrites]

Omg you look GORGEOUS in that dress!!! Truly stunning!!! Whether to buy it would depend on the price, for me. It does seem very long for international Latin style. I agree with @Warren J. Dew that it has a very strong Argentine tango/flamenco vibe. But if the cost isn’t too much, I’d want to buy it anyway, even if I just wore it for showcases or in-studio events - simply because it fits so well & looks amazing.


I’m not surprised! Great advertising for the studio. “Hey new potential students - you, too, can become this glamorous if you take lessons here!” I bet he’s very proud.

I’m not being hyperbolic here. That photo looks so good it could be a professional model doing a shoot for a ballroom ad. You have fantastic posture (and cheekbones!).

Blush. The bones (and the giraffe neck) are courtesy of the grandmother who bequeathed them to me. She was a model, but I got my height from the other grandmother. The posture is from a lifetime of ballet and figure skating, and having earned my way through university doing petite modelling for stores.

I think I'll buy it, since the friend I borrowed it from isn't asking much for it. It's not often shrimpettes find clothes that, after a bit of alteration, look glamorous. Many of the dresses I looked at were too busy and fussy. Even if they were in my size, I looked like a Munchkin. I liked the simplicity of this one.