I have this beautiful leotard in black and thought I'd turn to the talented forumites on how to turn it into a skating dress. I am primarily a freeskater, but could have dance length for MITF tests, etc. I'm a competent sewer. I was thinking of attaching a tulle skirt and stoning the edges of it, or altenatively going all out and stoning the bodice with crystals, and covering a skirt with black feathers for a "Swan Lake" theme!
http://www.dancedirect.com/uk/Products/Ballet/P440/dancewear-ballet-black-leotard-plume-p440/
Ideas most welcome & thank you in advance!
PS: I think this in blue is also stunning! http://www.dancedirect.com/uk/Products/Ballet/P510/plume-leotard-p510/
Have you considered buying black dance skirts in various lengths and shapes so you can change it up whenever the mood suits you? Such as:
Asymmetric long/dance: http://www.discountdance.com/dancewear/style_S34.html?pid=8497&Shop=Style&SID=331056431
Tiered: http://www.dancewearsolutions.com/dancewear/skirts/S2892.aspx
Asymmetric short: http://www.dancewearsolutions.com/dancewear/skirts/S3687.aspx
Handkerchief: http://www.dancewearsolutions.com/dancewear/skirts/S2839.aspx
Quote from: spiralina on April 15, 2012, 04:20:32 PM
I have this beautiful leotard in black and thought I'd turn to the talented forumites on how to turn it into a skating dress. I am primarily a freeskater, but could have dance length for MITF tests, etc. I'm a competent sewer. I was thinking of attaching a tulle skirt and stoning the edges of it, or altenatively going all out and stoning the bodice with crystals, and covering a skirt with black feathers for a "Swan Lake" theme!
http://www.dancedirect.com/uk/Products/Ballet/P440/dancewear-ballet-black-leotard-plume-p440/
Ideas most welcome & thank you in advance!
I would probably use a chiffon for the skirt instead of a tulle. Chiffon flows better. :) BUT it also depends on the look you are after. You could also look for a stretch lace that matches the lace on the bodice. That could turn into a very pretty moves dress! I like the idea of just adding a wrap skirt too. I would think a wrap skirt would be easy enough to make.
As for adding a skirt to your leotard, I think you could do it. I'm just not sure how! Do you have a skating dress pattern? If so, maybe pull the bodice piece out and use a fabric pencil to mark where the skirt hits? I would then cut along that line and add the skirt like I would if I were sewing a skating dress. It likely won't be exact since I cut my patterns on a fold so it would be 1/2 of a bodice, but I think it could work. Just a thought.
PS: I think this in blue is also stunning! http://www.dancedirect.com/uk/Products/Ballet/P510/plume-leotard-p510/
It would lend itself nicely to Spanish music or if you went with black as a more formal freeskate.
http://www.myskatingmall.com/user_images/4931241.jpg
Personally I'd use a lycra that was the same as the bodice if making a black skirt.
The only difference I've seen with a skating dress and a leo is leo's are seldom fully lined and skating dresses tend to have that full lining.
Tulle is quite stiff - most skating skirts are made out of a material that will flutter and/or float more than tulle, and I love that look.
I love slcbelle's suggestions of getting different (separate) skirts so that you can get more than one look out of your leotard.
How about a double layer chiffon skirt?
Very pretty. If it were me, I would go with black silk chiffon. Nothing is quite as milky/flowy as silk, and with the lace it would make for a very pretty look.
You could make several different types of skirts for variety without fear of them not staying in place by sewing on hooks onto the dress/skirts (like the kind on a bra clasp).
I think adding a lacey skirt is the best idea.
I read this in a hurry...but I might have missed this...what is the music you will be skating to?
Thank you for all the suggestions!
Quote from: slcbelle on April 15, 2012, 07:10:11 PM
Have you considered buying black dance skirts in various lengths and shapes so you can change it up whenever the mood suits you? Such as:
I had a lot of difficulty matching skirts to this leotard because the lycra has an unusual sheen in person, and I couldn't find lace that matched enough to not look obvious. Of course, a week after I ask the question, the company brings out a matching lace skirt 88) I might sew it on directly, and make the waist a little lower: http://www.dancedirect.com/uk/Products/Ballet/P524/plume-skirts-p524/
Quote from: Doll on April 16, 2012, 01:48:53 AM
You could make several different types of skirts for variety without fear of them not staying in place by sewing on hooks onto the dress/skirts (like the kind on a bra clasp).
Really good idea. I will bear that in mind for next time (although next time I will be thinking more carefully about how I will use something, not just because it looks pretty!)
Quote from: hopskipjump on April 15, 2012, 08:04:22 PM
It would lend itself nicely to Spanish music or if you went with black as a more formal freeskate.
I did think that! But I can't carry off Spanish music to save my life, as much fun as it sounds to skate to!
Quote from: miraclegro on May 04, 2012, 02:12:10 PM
I read this in a hurry...but I might have missed this...what is the music you will be skating to?
It won't be for my current programme music (I have the dress for that already) - I just came across the leotard and thought it looked really pretty! Programme is nevertheless this ;D it is a Finnish "symphonic metal" band, and the piece is used a lot by Synchro teams. My boyfriend is a big fan, suggested I skated to something more dramatic than my first choice, and voila! The dress also, coincidentally, looks like a lady's version of his costume too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffmPj6w0t6M