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Rhinestone Dance Costumes: 6 Budget-Friendly Transformations

Rhinestone Dance Costumes: 6 Budget-Friendly Transformations

Posted by Rhinestones Unlimited on Jan 17th 2014

COSTUME INSPIRATION

From Basics to Brilliant: Six Rhinestone Costume Transformations

Six dancers. Six budgets. One simple truth: your class wear already has star potential.

The metamorphosis a costume provides can do wonders for your dance, for both the audience and you. As the performer, the addition of your dressing room routine (applying makeup, arranging your hair, clasping on your jewelry) is part of the mental journey to the stage. And then you put on the costume. Looking in the mirror, you feel different. You've become a different you.

Even though you have the same technical ability, the change in your image gives a renewed confidence. But remember: performing in something you're comfortable in is just as important as performing in something that makes you look good. The pool from which your costumed look can be drawn is infinite, limited only by your own imagination or resources. A good place to start is pieces you've already had success in: your class wear. Using the leotards, shorts, skirts, and tops you're already used to seeing yourself in and moving in can transition easily to performance wear just by layering or styling with accessories, introducing new fabrics, or embellishing with, well, you guessed it: rhinestones.

Your basics aren't so basic anymore, are they? (A quick aside: there's a self-acceptance practiced each time you see yourself in your clothes, or out of your clothes. Ever notice when swimsuit season comes and you're constantly catching glimpses of yourself that you like the way you look a lot more than you do in the winter, when you rarely see yourself outside of the covering of your bulky layers? In the same vein, train yourself to love your body in that clingy spandex unitard by dancing regularly in front of the mirrors in a spandex unitard.)

We'll show you how we've glammed up some of our favorite basics from Discount Dance Supply to suit different performance budgets. Each piece was styled twice: once with an introductory embellishment of one to three gross of flatback rhinestones, and again with double or triple that amount. On most garments, the initial design style was an all-over pattern of alternating rows, to show you how far a modest first round of stones can stretch. Round two filled in the spaces with a second size, or accented the seams and style lines. Each design level is appropriate for a finished costume in its own right, but leaves room to add more rhinestones (our favorite phrase) in the future.

A note on the crystals: these six looks were originally embellished with Swarovski® #2058 Xilion Rose Enhanced flatbacks, in the same colors and quantities described below. Swarovski® is available again through Rhinestones Unlimited on a limited, special-order basis. For deep in-stock inventory and same-day shipping in equivalent sizes and a comparable color range, Preciosa® Chaton Rose MAXIMA is our go-to recommendation for recreating any of these looks today.

Ensemble No. 1: Gabby's Jazz Costume

Hot pink and black, embellished by Robin

Gabby wears:

First round (left) versus second round (right): 2 gross of 20ss versus the added 2 gross of 30ss

Pinks of all shades are a natural complement for iridescent Crystal AB, which is often chosen over Crystal when the performance style has a little attitude. Jet Hematite is a favorite choice for black dance fabrics, as the metallic coating is subtle enough for elegance, but pops on the dark color in a way that is very striking compared to the softly transparent Black Diamond or direct Jet.

First round (left) versus second round (right)

Ensemble No. 2: Alayna's Hip Hop Costume

Black, embellished by Jill

Alayna wears:

First round (left) versus second round (right)

Here's a combination that proves sexy doesn't have to be skimpy. Slouchy fabrics and relaxed silhouettes give a casual cool to the wearer that looks confident, not sloppy, when the details are polished. Jill concentrated the Jet Hematite rhinestones on the waistband for the biggest impact, which doesn't detract from the unique characteristics of the harem pants themselves.

First round (left) versus second round (right)

With glittery high tops, shiny satin gloves, and a crystallized top, allowing the pant legs to remain light on sparkle adds visual texture, which makes the whole ensemble more interesting (and easier on the audience's eyes). The second round of stones forms a pattern of shooting lines across the black fabric, almost like sparks: a creative use of a random scatter.

First round (left) versus second round (right)

Ensemble No. 3: Lexi's Lyrical Costume

Lavender, embellished by Jill

Lexi wears:

  • Body Wrappers Adult Camisole Dress (#7799): embellished with 3 gross of Crystal AB 16ss. Second round added an additional 2 gross of Crystal AB 16ss and 1 gross of 20ss on the skirt, and 2 gross of 20ss on the bodice.
  • Capezio Unisex FootUndeez (#H07): left unembellished in the first round. Second round added a half gross of Crystal AB 16ss, split between the pair.

A classic empire waist dress is always feminine and very flattering for slight figures. Here, iridescent Crystal AB stones are used for their eye-attracting qualities under stage lighting, though the soft purple would accommodate other color directions with ease. Instead, concentrate the crystal design along the bodice, which will draw the eyes up and frame the dancer's face while the skirt enhances the choreography.

First round (left) versus second round (right)

The flowing georgette skirt only needs a light layer of scattered stones to make an impact; too much will weigh down the lightweight fabric and restrict the skirt's intended movement.

First round (left) versus second round (right): notice how much more the fuller scatter reads under light without weighing the hem down

First round (left) versus second round (right): the full transformation

Ensemble No. 4: Bella's Ballet Costume

Black, embellished by Ester

Bella wears:

There's something to love about a black ballet costume. In a world of unnatural body contortions smothered in pinks, the moody tutu gives the discipline a modern depth of emotion that is suddenly more believable, more relatable to the audience. Jet Hematite stones on black fabric make a perfect, snappy complement.

First round (left) versus second round (right)

Ester introduced two design options on the leotard between rounds one and two. The first-round stones are evenly spaced in alternating rows: a tidy but predictable pattern. If one were not watching the dancing but paying attention to the way light played through the stones, one could anticipate its path. In round two, she intentionally maneuvers the second layer of stones into a more random smattering, which keeps the eye guessing. The tidy look suits a tight-bunned pink dance style well, but a more organic, constellation-like scattering feels right for a moody, dark costume. A few crystals sit below the waistline where the skirt is sheer, but most concentrate above the tutu line.

A third design option to create an all-over sparkle on this leotard would be to line the straps with stones, then cluster a dense mass of stones in the top half of the bodice, slowly fading to a trickle at the waistline, where the tutu takes over. With sheer tulle, stones on a second layer would peek through for interest (a good spot to subtly introduce a contrasting color), but the most impact stays on the top layer. To prevent a sticky mess, remember to put a barrier such as wax paper between the layers of tulle when gluing rhinestones onto tulle.

Ensemble No. 5: Lexi's Jazz Costume

White, embellished by Jill

Lexi wears:

First round (left) versus second round (right)

Pure white may be irksome to a lighting designer, given the way it bounces light, but it is dynamic on a stage. Crystal is a natural choice for embellishment on white, as it is unfussy, clean, and polished. Note the rhinestone trim around the halter neckline and shoulders, which eliminates the need for additional jewelry.

First round (left) versus second round (right)

Lexi's high-waisted shorts are a classy throwback to ladylike vintage. Depending on the way the ensemble is styled, say a tulle wrap versus a garter and thigh-highs, the same two pieces can read sweet or spunky. Notice the concentration of smaller stones through the center of the waistband, which helps highlight the flow of the dancer's curves.

Ensemble No. 6: Bella's Musical Theater Costume

Black, embellished by Jill

Bella wears:

First round (left) versus second round (right)

Rows of rhinestones play up the unique style lines of this leotard. Opting for clear Crystal over the tone-on-tone alternative, Black Diamond, the stark stone punctuates the alternating panels of Lycra and mesh in a musically theatrical way. The look changes dramatically between the first and second round: enhancement versus intention, a subtle lift versus a whole new statement.

First round (left) versus second round (right)

Round two also introduces sultry highlights of Jet Hematite throughout, to add a subtle sparkle without detracting from the style lines. The fishnet tights carry their own rhinestone seam trim up the back of the leg, echoing the same tiered embellishment story as the rest of the ensemble.

First round (left) versus second round (right)

Keep in mind that pieces less prominent in the ensemble should still be performance-ready, or they'll look out of place next to the classier pieces. In Bella's look, the derby hat and gloves still got the full treatment for uniformly spread sparkle. The character shoes, on the other hand, needed only a single round: a light touch of Crystal at the ankle strap was enough to hold its own next to the rest of the sparkle.

The character shoes, embellished in a single round

If you're planning on reusing embellished shoes for multiple costumes, consider gluing the stones onto ribbon first, then using double-stick tape to secure the back of the ribbon to the shoes once the glue has dried. That way, the sparkle travels with you.

You can see what a different personality your everyday dance pieces can take on with a little effort. These pieces won't become the superstars of the spotlight; that's your job. But they will make your stage presence that much more compelling.

The beauty of starting with basics is that it lets your ingenuity shine through, so go ahead: get creative, and make those pieces your own. And if you want to use crystal rhinestones (dancers' performance enhancers, as we like to call them), you know where to find them. Break a leg!

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