pre-competition disorder

Any of you ladies ever managed to go to a comp and only have 1 carry on and personal item? I am flying to a comp for the first time, and generally don't like checking in bags. By car, I usually have a ton of stuff.

I've one smooth dress and doing nightclub.
 
joy said:
Any of you ladies ever managed to go to a comp and only have 1 carry on and personal item? I am flying to a comp for the first time, and generally don't like checking in bags. By car, I usually have a ton of stuff.

I've one smooth dress and doing nightclub.
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I fly southwest, and i bring makeup, so i usually have a carry on, a checked bag, and a personal item.

but in my carry-on i always pack a dress and shoes just in case. (i always bring two dresses and two shoes JUST IN CASE). I bring one of everything that i can buy at the comp if the bacggage gets lost (fishnets, jewelry, snacks, hairspray, etc)

If you aren't bringing your own makeup and hair stuff, i would say you could do it if you get those vaccuum bags/packing squares to pack your stuff.
 
If I only do one program/style I guess I can get away with a carry-on + a personal item. If I only do standard, then it will be just a standard gown + shoes + a backup pair of shoes. The rest are not that important.

How many programs are you doing, joy? (I mostly do drive-distance comp too and I have got used to the luxury of putting everything in the car...)
 
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Hmm I didn’t think about backup shoes. Ugh.

Smooth, nightclub and a showcase. But the outfits for the later two are not that big.

It might be too tight.
 
joy said:
Any of you ladies ever managed to go to a comp and only have 1 carry on and personal item? I am flying to a comp for the first time, and generally don't like checking in bags. By car, I usually have a ton of stuff.

I've one smooth dress and doing nightclub.
Click to expand...
I'm not that talented, I always have at least one carry-on (containing anything absolutely essential that for the comp) and a checked bag. So I am of no help here.

One thought, if you do manage to get it all in a carry-on - make sure you weigh the carry-on once packed to make sure it complies with any weight limits the airline may have. Google is saying about 40-45 lbs, looks like Delta has no weight limit.
 
joy said:
Any of you ladies ever managed to go to a comp and only have 1 carry on and personal item? I am flying to a comp for the first time, and generally don't like checking in bags. By car, I usually have a ton of stuff.

I've one smooth dress and doing nightclub.
Click to expand...
As you know, my OWN experience is limited, but as a long-time researcher on DF, here's what I've learned:
  • anything that can go wrong, will.
  • this means you must assume your checked luggage will NOT arrive on time (or at all).
  • this means you must carry with you, on the plane, all absolutely essential items (smooth dress & shoes, nightclub dress & shoes, showcase costume, all comp jewelry, plus all the normal personal items like prescriptions or contact lenses or whatever).
  • basically, you ask yourself, "if my suitcase gets lost, what will I be missing that I cannot do without at this comp?" and whatever your answer is to that question is what needs to be packed in your carry-on.

If I ever end up flying somewhere to compete, I'm gonna follow that plan - but I will also check a bag that contains my backup dresses (rhythm & smooth), my backup shoes (rhythm & smooth), plus extra sets of everything...but nothing that is MANDATORY for me to compete will be in my checked suitcase. So my carry-on bag is gonna be pushing the limits of size and weight (and yes, I'll prob be using vacuum-type bags).

Three cheers for all comps that are within a 3-hour drive from home. (Or even 4 or 5 hours.)
 
joy said:
Any of you ladies ever managed to go to a comp and only have 1 carry on and personal item? I am flying to a comp for the first time, and generally don't like checking in bags. By car, I usually have a ton of stuff.

I've one smooth dress and doing nightclub.
Click to expand...
space bags are your friends. I have put standard gown, smooth gown, shoes, fishnets, and a steamer in a carry on bag.
 
I always carry one rhythm dress, one smooth dress, a pair of rhythm and smooth shoes, necessary jewelry, and a robe in my carry on when I fly to a comp. Add in a pair of pajamas and a toothbrush and toothpaste, and that will get you through if your luggage gets lost. I have my hair and makeup done professionally so I don't have to carry a lot of toiletries. It's definitely doable.
 
j_alexandra said:
space bags are your friends. I have put standard gown, smooth gown, shoes, fishnets, and a steamer in a carry on bag.
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Worship GIF
 
Haven’t decided if I’ll be competing next weekend yet. It’s a decently sized local competition, but I have some trepidation. I’m still a bit mentally punched from losing to that one person earlier this summer, and I’m assuming she’ll be competing against me as well.

don’t really want to go into the comp in poor form, looking exhausted. And I really don’t want to lose to her again :/ but at the same time, probably good to just get out there again.

and I’m all pudgy from vacation and three weeks of sitting on the couch, so I feel like a beached whale. Not even sure I can squeeze into one of my dresses :(

Decisions, decisions. Pro is at usdc with his other student (who is doing amazing, so happy for her) so I only had one lesson this week. I am wallowing a bit but I also am just not sure what I’m up for.

Edited because I repeated myself too much
 
scullystwin42 said:
Haven’t decided if I’ll be competing next weekend yet. It’s a decently sized local competition, but I have some trepidation.
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Seems to me it’s a win/win situation. If you do poorly, you have a legit excuse: you were still recovering, not up to your usual performance level, but hey - kudos to you for sticking your chin out/getting back on the horse/giving it the old college try (pick your cliché). And as you say, it’ll be good to get back out there.

And if you do well, you have serious bragging rights, because even though you were still recovering, and not up to your usual performance level, you still kicked butt! Major ego/confidence boost!

Other than the risk of busting a seam in one of your dresses - which is VERY UNLIKELY because they’re so stretchy, plus I suspect you’re being too hard on yourself wrt alleged pudge - I don’t see a downside.

Ooo! I just had a brilliant (?) idea: you could start a new trend by competing in a cosplay outfit…say, like…hypothetically…Bucky Barnes?
 
I think going before you feel decent (energy, etc) during a lesson will just make for a rough, unenjoyable competition. Unless, of course, you thrive on the additional challenge of trying to perform well when you don't feel well (some people do).

It's one thing to wake up feeling a bit sick on a comp day, and to go through with it. It's something else to be feeling cruddy the week before, not having had regular lessons for weeks, knowing you're likely to still feel cruddy on comp day, and going through with it.

Take care of yourself. Future comps will be there when you are feeling back to normal!
 
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