ballet uniform

Sphynx

My 5 year old DD is starting ballet. She wants to look like all the rest of the girls who wear a navy leotard with a little skirt thing and white shoes. Does anyone know a cheaper place to get this stuff than the independent dance shops I have been to where prices are ridiculous. I don't want to spend a fortune on something that might be a 5 minute craze! Also what else am I likely to need for her?

Thank you!

julie2710

Try ebay for ballet shoes, and sports shops for leotards - Sports Direct are cheapish or ebay again

A leotard and skirt is fine along with ballet shoes.

I had this issue with my now 5 year old son who has been doind ballet for the last 2 years now! He said he wanted proper shoes - but not pink :eek::rotfl: Good luck

squibbs25

Have you asked the dance school if they have any used clothing?
Most of the time the smaller children outgrow it quicker than than it can get wrecked LOL
My dd has danced since she was 4 and a half, so i know how costly it can be.
I try and get 2nd hand uniform if i can but now she's getting older there doesnt tend to be so much about as the mums tend to buy a bigger size so it lasts longer.
I was advised not to buy second hand ballet or tap shoes, as ballet shoes mold to the shape of the childs feet.

Def give ebay a try or put a wanted ad on freecycle - you never know your luck!

stejobeth

I get all of my daughters dancing stuff from Dance Direct. They are a lot cheaper than the shops and its usually next day delivery.

She started when she was 5 and is now coming upto 15 and goes 3 times a week. She's tried all sorts of hobbies over the years but dancing is the only one she has stuck with, she loves it.

squibbs25

Forgot to say, does the dance school sell clothing and shoes? Ours does.
We also have fleeces that have the name of the dance school on both the front and the back and the childs name embroidered on the front right hand side - (stops the kids picking up the wrong fleeces )
If so the dance school might work out cheaper than buying from a dance shop.

Sphynx

Speaking to the other parents, the clothing seems really expensive through the school. The girls have a little white hoodie embroidered with the school name and their name and it's £17. I think they outsource their clothing so not cheap. I have posted on freecycle and also looked at dance direct. Cheap leotard but navy doesn't seem a popular colour to stock, typical!

Thanks all

squibbs25

Sphynx wrote: »

Speaking to the other parents, the clothing seems really expensive through the school. The girls have a little white hoodie embroidered with the school name and their name and it's £17. I think they outsource their clothing so not cheap. I have posted on freecycle and also looked at dance direct. Cheap leotard but navy doesn't seem a popular colour to stock, typical!

Thanks all

I know that sounds expensive but in my opinion thats not too bad,
I paid £24 for my dd's dance fleece compared to £12 for her school fleece. Quality wise the dance fleece is far more superior than her school one, on the plus side where her name is embroidered on it (first + surname) it hasnt got lost/taken/stollen.
Wish i could say the same about the school ones!

narabanekeater

buying slightly different colours/cheaper may not pay off. They havfe to wear the exact unifrom when it comes to exams for the individual school
Ebay sell good value shoes and probabily the exact colour leotards slighlty cheaper than what I pay from the main shops
Good luck, its an expensive hobby

amandada

I use Dance Direct too, but seriously check with the teacher exactly which leotard they're meant to have.
As others have said, see if anyone at the class has any outgrown leotards, when my dd has outgrown ballet uniform and shoes, I just hand them into the teacher as I have no further use for them, and a couple of times I've had the benefit of someone else's hand-me-downs. When they're only wearing them for an hour max a week , they're never worn out
I hope your daughter enjoys it, my dd has danced since she was 3, ballet at 4, and is now 13 and still loves it, and wants to keep going till she can qualify to teach

se999

Sphynx wrote: »

The girls have a little white hoodie embroidered with the school name and their name and it's £17.

Sorry if it sounds a little OTT, but make sure they don't wear it out other than accompanied. Young children assume that if someone knows their name, they're OK.

I actually got caught out in London on a course years ago, I went out wearing my name badge by accident, and complete strangers approached me by name, very strange and scary, how come I didn't know them and I was an adult!!!