How do you determine a dress that is good enough for competition, without going over your budget and keeping it in your daughters taste?

My daughter is a lower-level skater(USFSA) and prefers simple dresses - for both practice & competition.  I know that dresses shouldn't matter, but all her competitors wear alot more "fancy" dresses.  How do you determine a dress that is good enough for competition, without going over your budget and keeping it in your daughters taste? Diane

Traci says:
I think that a dress that fits well, for example, the skater doesn't have a hungry butt that keeps eating the dress, is the most important thing.  I also feel that the skater should be the judge of what dress to wear at the competition because they are the one who is skating in it.  Fancy ones usually catch the eyes of the audience (and not always in a good way) but as long as the dress conforms to the attire rule, the judge(s) won't be marking the skater on it!

I know of some parents who have purchased a plain spandex skating dress and "jazzed" it up with sequins and appliques themselves.  Why don't you suggest that to your daughter.  And remember, always do a test run with the competition dress prior to the competition itself!

Linda says:
If your daughter is happy with her simple competition and practice dresses, let it go at that. It is important for competitions that her dress be neat and clean but not necessarily fancy. She is being judged on her skating, not her outfit. Her competition dress should be used for testing and competitions but not for practice. It shouldn't have a 'worn out' look. Most of the simpler competition outfits I've seen are a solid color, any material.

You may be able to 'dress up' her competition dress. Ribbon bows or sequins (from any crafts store) sewn on the dress may make a big difference. The fancy dresses can be very expensive and if your daughter is still growing, it won't fit her for a long time. Some fancy dresses have the crystals/bead work glued on and thus cannot be washed so keep this in mind. If you do decide on a fancier dress, look for a used dress sale. You will find competition dresses that have been worn only a few times for sale at a fraction of the original cost.

It can be difficult when your child is in a simple dress and the other competitors are wearing fancy dresses. Remember, it's the quality of the skating that is most important and having fun at the competitions.

Laura says:
Dresses at most levels should at least somewhat reflect on the skater's music, and also flatter the body type and style of the skater. (One would not put a ruffly, flouncy dress on a Senior level skater.) Simple lines work well on most body types.

When decorating, many designers think the more, the better.  I actually disagree with that notion.  I think that the skater should be wearing the dress, not the dress wearing the skater.  If you have a very young skater who is constantly growing, it is not cost effective to spend over $100 on a dress for every few competitions.

Key things to think about:
*skater's body type
* skater's style of skating, ie, athletic, balletic, etc.
* skater's personal style
* music
* age appropriate


One of the most popular means of providing a suitable competition outfit, is to purchase a plain basic skating dress and simply add sequins, beads or rhinestones to it. Since your daughter prefers simple dresses for competition, you may want to just add decorative work around the neckline and the sleeve cuffs of the dress. And as always, its the talent that wins competitions, not the costume!

Marie says:
My personal opinion is that kids (and parents) go way overboard on fancy dresses at low level competitions.  It's interesting that one tends to see a lot less of that at higher level competitions.  However, the overall appearance of the skater is supposed to be factored in the judging criteria, so you should make sure she still sends a good impression.

If you don't want to pay a lot of money for a "fancy" dress, you can buy a simple one (like a plain velvet) and put on a few rhinestones (make sure you use the sew-on or clamp-on kind) or appliques yourself.  It's really easy, fun and you can make your dress look the way you really want.