May 22 2017

Competition Costuming

Just as the right outfit can make a good impression at a job interview, on a first date or even just help you feel good during the day, the right costume will have a significant impact on the competition stage. And believe it or not theres a lot that goes into finding the right costume. I’m going to share with you a few of (what I think) are the most important things to consider when it comes to your costume. I’m also going to include links to a handful of places to help you get your search started.

First and foremost: consider your body type! I like to think of this as camouflaging areas of concern, while accentuating areas of pride. Face it, we all have things that we love about our bodies, as well as ares that we might feel slightly insecure about. Be honest with yourself about your areas of concern. Your insecurities and concerns can been seen and felt by the audience and judges, so use this honesty to help you when selecting costume coverage. For example, if your tummy is not as toned and tight as you prefer then consider a one piece, high-waisted bottoms (I love the tummy control ones) or even a monokini. On the flip side, maybe you have a stunning rack that you want to show off so you have a cleve enhancing top (just make sure there’s no opportunity for a nip slip!) or maybe you’ve got a great ass and you rock some super cheeky bottoms. If you got it, flaunt it!

The second thing to consider is the areas of contact/support needed for your combos. When it comes to pole, skin is IN! Review your combos to see where you need exposed skin at or even where you may need some padding/protection (knees, tops of feet, balls of feet). Ensure that the costume you pick, allows you to have access to the areas of contact that you need and doesn’t restrict movement or get in the way of your movement (nothing like a beautiful flowing skirt getting tangled between you and the pole)

Once you have your requirements, body type and areas of contact, then consider your song/theme. Your costume should be expressive and bring your theme to life, especially if you are doing an entertainment or dramatic piece. Remember that your costume is another visual connection that ties the audience and judges to your music. It is also an extension of your movement. If you don’t know where to start for costume ideas, then consider your song. If your song has a music visor or is from a movie, then take inspiration from there. Dance teams that may have performed to your song is another great place for ideas and inspiration (look up dance teams + “Your song title” on YouTube).

Think of ways to accessorize! Necklaces, hair flare, body paint, lashes, arm/legs bands, etc.

Things to consider when ordering:
– Sizing. Is it true to size? Contact customer service, talk to friend that may have tried the brand and read reviews.
– Consider turn around time. If you are having a costume designed and custom made specifically for you and your routine then be sure to ask the designer how long it will take. I would also suggest you let thrm know that you Oder is time sensitive and let them know w the date of your competition.
– Consider shipping times. International orders take longer to arrive and can often get held up by customs. You want to ensure that you have your costume not just in time for competition, but well in advance. You want to have your costume sooner so that you canker flare practice in it to ensure it fits, no tits and bits pop out and works for your routine. This will also allow time for additional customizations, alternations or the purchase of another costume if it doesn’t work.
– While I don’t recommend going the “off the shelf” route (purchasing a cookie cutter set) if you do, then I suggest mixing a different color top and bottom. For example: Black Bad Kitty Brazil Shorts with a White Bad Kitty Spider top.
– If you do purchase off the shelf then find ways to make it Unique to you. Add rhinestones, feathers, fabric, etc.
– Are your bottoms see through or low rise? Get a safety thong!
– Wig Tape and Firm Grip can help fabric sticking to skin to minimize shifting.
– Have a backup costume! ANYTHING can happen. You can get your period and bleed on your costume (yea I’ve seen it happen), you can tear/rip your costume, you can forget it, if you’re traveling it can get lost (so pack your backup in a carry-on/different bag).
– If your competition falls during SHARK WEEK then be sure to cut and tuck your tampon strings. If you wear pads, then consider how that might look, feel and possibly shift in your costume bottoms during your performance.

Where to Shop:
Don’t only shop pole dance specific companies. Explore ALL online and brick and mortar dance stores. They are a lot of great finds in the dance world: ballet, gymnastics, etc. Etsy is another great place to find unique and custom options. Swim wear, fitness wear and halloween costumes are other great sources. Below is a list of places to start your search. There are many more out there, but these are some of the most popular and some of the most unique I’ve come across. Pinterest is a great place to go for inspiration!

Pole Wear:
Artista Apparel (Texas Based)
Bad Kitty® | PoleFit®
cleothehurricane.com
DerbySkinz
Pole Candy
Wink Designs
Dragonflybrandusa.com‎
Dragonflybrandusa.com‎
Pole Dancer KA
Pole Addict
Vekker
Kelly Maglia
RAD POLEWEAR
Backbone Polewear
Rarr Designs
Juicee Peach
Point Out Pole Wear
Boom Kats
indi pole wear
Nao Pole Wear.com‎
GloryLA
Pole Dance Costumes
Body Melody
FiBourke Designs
Creatures of XIX
Grata Designs
Unicorn pole wear
Pole Dance | Etsy‎
Pole Dance Wear Carolina
Polerform Pole Wear
Paradise Chick