TRANSFORM YOUR COSTUME
Having a show stopping dress is really important in Irish dance, especially when performing a solo. But with bespoke made to measure costumes costing anything from £500-£1500+, many parents have turned to buying used dresses for their little Irish jigger. Instead of buying or selling second hand costumes, transform your costume with embellishments, crystals and other colorful bling from Crystal Parade.
In the fierce arena of Irish dance competitions, there is a pressure to wear a brand new dress for each event - which would cost thousands each year. But Irish dancers go to great lengths to impress the judges, and it’s vital to have a standout outfit with the wow factor. But instead of selling old dresses to buy new ones in a never-ending cycle, we have some great ideas for updating a dress for each competition.
TRANSFORM THE DRESS WITH PRECIOSA CRYSTALS
No doubt the dress was originally handmade with crystals incorporated into the design. But you’ll be surprised how easy it is to change up the design on the dress simply by adding more crystals, replacing crystals in a different colour or removing all the crystals and making a new diamante design. For a wow effect, you can choose to cover certain sections such as a sleeve or fabric panel entirely with crystals. You can use Preciosa hotfix crystals or non-hotfix crystals to adhere to fabric, and buying a bulk pack is much cheaper than purchasing a different dress.
ADD LARGER EMBELLISHMENTS
In addition to switching the smaller crystals, you can also add larger points of interest such as sew on stones. These are available in a variety of different shapes to complement the patterns on the dress, and are fairly easy to apply.
ADD SOME TRIMMINGS
If you are a little more confident with a sewing machine then you can go even further to transform the competition dress. Choose some fancy trimmings to add to the design - how about embroidered or sequin motifs? Different coloured feathers or netting around the skirt, ribbons and bows can also be used. You may also decide to alter the dress slightly, perhaps making different sleeves or adding some extra fabric to the back of the skirt. You can truly get creative and decide the new direction of the costume.
Also, customising your own Irish dance competition dress is fun! It allows you to show off your personality, and gives you a project to focus on in-between competitions. Rather than worrying and trying to find a used dress that will fit perfectly, get some more wear out of the one you paid a lot of money for.
OUR COLLECTION OF CRYSTALS
We have a stunning collection of trimmings, the latest fashionable crystals, custom tools and design elements for your crystal costumes and nail art.