by Peggy Molloy

Created on: December 23, 2008   Last Updated: January 02, 2011

The primary ingredient in a ballet costume is movement of the dancer, so from there one must make all plans. Age, size, and character played are also elements to be considered when creating an effective outfit for the ballet.

The easiest thing to do is make it leotard friendly. How many different ways can I decorate a leotard and still maintain its initial function of portraying poetry in motion. Unitards have much to offer the designer also, one unitard and some dye can go a long way. I have tie-dyed unitards, and painted them, and frankly, I think they look great. Keep in mind that ballet dancing is hard, sweaty work, so be sure the costume can be hand-washed at a minimum.

The tutu is a fine feature specific to the ballerina. They require advanced seamstressing skills, graduating in skirting length as it gets sewn onto the panties part of the body section, from the base to the hip. Stiff, elegantly detailed tutus are works of art, so don't be shy in your research. Many key ideas can be found in costume institutes or in stage history books. Go onto a ballet dancer site and you can research some excellent tutu making companies.

If time is of the essence, or you need an inordinate number of costumes in a hurry, there are many costume catalogs that can be viewed on the Internet or that one can order in the snail-mail. Getting 10 or more mothers to agree on one costume for the recital, as well as all the little girls/boys is also an art form that few can master.

I still have many ballet costumes from when I was a child, so don't disregard this project as being disposable. The photographs of children or young professionals in their ballet garb is a great keepsake to be treasured.

For the guys, you can go for the pumpkin pants, the prince tunic and a pair of tights with slippers. Unless you have a new Nijinsky, most of the men I know who get dragged into the ballet line, prefer their manliness under wraps with some mystique about their physiques.

In my opinion the best sewing patterns for making costumes are from the fifties. Thrift shops often have older patterns, so it's worthwhile to check it out. The costumes had princess styling and one expected "boning" in the sides of the bodices. I would head to a local costume shop for some vintage wear and usually once a year local theatres sell their costume shop inventory extras.

Becoming a good costumer will make you a popular member of any ballet team, so be prepared to be well-liked.

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