Is Winning Everything?

05/13/2008 01:16:13 PM EST by Satin Stitches in Diaries

I got to be a fashion show judge last week!  I was chosen, along with three other fashion professionals, to judge the Silhouettes Fashion Show at the University of Wisconsin-Stout.  This show is a very big deal, every spring, and is put on by the Apparel Design department.  This collegiate program has been referred to as the best kept secret in fashion design instruction, in the country.  I was honored to be given the task to encourage fashion design students to strive for excellence with their work.

I have a Bachelor of Fine Art Degree, with a major in fashion design, along with years of honing by design skills in the real world.  Satin Stitches is a small, custom company, but we are very strong on creativity, with THREE fashion designers on staff!  Pao and Michael both have Bachelor of Arts apparel design degrees from UW-Stout.  Our customer service representative, Sarah, also has her BA degree from UW-Stout, with fashion marketing-merchandising as her major.  Now do you see my connection to UW-Stout Fashion Design?  I have known for years, that the apparel design program at this college, grooms wonderfully talented fashion designers, who are also very good at patternmaking.  

Can your custom costume design company compare?  Ask!

Will Spring Really Ever Come - With a Rebirth of Ideas?

05/02/2008 10:50:04 PM EST by Satin Stitches in Diaries

We just cannot seem to be rid of winter, here in Minnesota.  Yes, yes, I know that if you live on the coast-East or West, you probably think it is ALWAYS winter here, in good, old Minne-snow-da!  With global warming supposedly everywhere, what is up with our COLD and snow this spring?  It is always fun to chat with business associates in New York, LA, Atlanta or Portland.  Living in Minnesota, we always have something to talk about here, anyway.  One day we have cold, another day we have heat, one day rain and gloomy and another day sunny and beautiful.  That is why I love living in Minnesota!  As the story goes-if you do not like the weather, just wait a day!  As I explained today to someone, via telephone conversation, yes we have it cold in the winter, but we also get an average of 15 days or so, each summer, in the 90s with some nasty humidity!  And some 100s, which I can do without.

It was sunny and in the 60s a few days ago.  Only in the 40s today, maybe snow flurries tonight? The grass is greening up, the robins are out, but we had snow ON THE GROUND last Saturday morning.  We had a few 70+days a couple of weeks ago.  Such a variety of temperatures and conditions!

So what is with my weather report today?  

At Satin Stitches, We take the STRESS out of your Costumes!

04/24/2008 10:32:52 AM EST by Satin Stitches in Diaries

Studio owners and choreographers, do you keep tight control of your costume creation for all your competitive dance lines?  Do you spend way too much time worrying about designing, working with your studio seamstresses, buying fabric, overseeing the fitting of costumes, worrying about delivery deadlines and so on and so forth?

Many studios still hold everything close, causing more stress about costuming than with choreography and working with the dancers themselves.  Why?  

Maybe it is time for a change!

Why do you choose to spend so many hours fretting over costume issues?  Is it because of money issues?  Do you feel that your dancers cannot afford full-price costuming, created by a professional costume design company?  Do you not trust a professional costume design company to work with your studio and create stunning, creative and affordable costumes?  Do you not have a local professional costume design company that you feel has the talent and expertise that is up to your standards?

Let me make my case for working with Satin Stitches.

Dancers Unite - With the Power of Shine!

04/17/2008 06:51:47 PM EST by Satin Stitches in News

The Power of Shine!  This is a charity that all your dancers at your studio can participate in.  Wear sequins for a cause.  Elizabeth Barry of Elizabeth Barry and Associates has teamed up with Sequins Direct, a division of the sequin manufacturer that we have worked with for over twenty five years-Sequins International, to promote this project.

If you have missed my April Newsletter at satinstitches.com, I feature this partnership.  The Power of Shine is helping to reach dancers from around the world. Two big charities that can help dancers such as yourself, are Dancers Responding to Aids or DRA, and Dancers Care Foundation or DCF, which helps to fight cancer.p>

In our shaky economy of today, let us not forget about our less fortunate friends in the dance world that can benefit from these two fine charity causes.

How can you help?  Check out sequinsdirect.com and click on The Power of Shine.

You be the Judge on Dancing With the Stars Costumes!

04/09/2008 09:28:32 PM EST by Satin Stitches in News

As I have stated before, I LOVE watching "Dancing With the Stars!"  I have been on vacation this last week, seeing the sights in Montreal, Halifax and Quebec in our northern neighbor, Canada, with my husband.  I was delighted to be able to catch this week's episode, and thankfully not in French, as I do enjoy the judges and hosts comments.  I wrote most of this blog last week.  My observations can be applied to any of the episodes.

Glitz galore!  It is so much fun to see how the professionals costume the amateurs, along with their partners, on each new week of "Dancing With the Stars."  The costume shop for this television show has only one week to conceptualize and then create all the costumes for the dancers.  Last week, there were ten couples, which means that twenty costumes were needed. Additionally, I understand that the wardrobe is also found or made for all the judges and hosts and any guest performers that may need them.  All these rhinestones, feathers and spandex EVERY WEEK!  We have deadlines nearly every week at Satin Stitches, but they are not all seen by millions on national television.

I love that the costume designers tailor each costume to the stars personality or style, for many different looks during the approximately 60 to 90 minutes of the show.  I also love that the designers have the challenge of working with all different body types and shapes, not just the cliche dancer's body.  Anyone can design for the Posh Spice of the world.  It takes much more talent to design costumes that flatter less-than-perfect bodies.

But, do I like all of the designs?  No.

Dance Like REAL MEN in Masculine Boys Costumes - Design Tips!

04/01/2008 05:09:42 PM EST by Satin Stitches in News

Whenever competitive dance studios are responsible for costuming, the inevitable question that comes up is How do we make our boy dancers look masculine?  In my blog from last week, I talked about high school show choir and how much fun it is to costume these talented amateur singer-dancers. We also occasionally have the opportunity to work with male figure skaters and ballroom dancers, and entertainers such as Elvis impersonators, magicians and wrestlers!

As a mother of two boys who grew up around the costume business, if they had been involved in dance, I would not have wanted them to look feminine either.  In fact, when my son accompanied me on one of my many treks to a local fabric store, he asked me if I would make him a pair of basketball shorts out of a very flashy silver lame, that he saw in the store, his request made me a bit nervous.  At the very least, it certainly raised my eyebrows.  But my son is built like a front lineman, so I figured that, well, if he really wants to make a statement on the basketball court, I was just the mom to make that happen!

After all, it was me who asked this same little boy, before he had any concept of boy or girl colors, what color fuzzy, footed pajamas he wanted, and promptly bought him the hot pink and red ones, which he requested!  When you are a masculine looking boy or man, you can carry off the nontraditional colors or styles and still look masculine.  My son has always looked like the football front lineman that he then became, in high school.  He looks masculine in everything.  Boys also need a heavy dose of attitude and swagger to wear anything, and still look masculine.

But the right clothes will help or hinder.  The color, the cut, the fit, the workmanship, the fabric and the details will make or break a masculine boys dance costume.

High School Dancing for Geeks & Jocks - SHOW CHOIR!

03/25/2008 10:11:01 AM EST by Satin Stitches in News

I LOVE musical theater!  I love watching talented young men and women singing and dancing their hearts out.  Where can you find this interesting blend of music and choreography?  Possibly right in your local high school.  I am sure the popularity of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL on the Disney channel will only increase the popularity of high school show choirs, where all the talented girls showcase their skills, but also, boys are enlisted to join the ranks.  Of course all the high school music geeks join, and in the most competitive organizations, this activity is also popular with the high school jocks.

Being from the Midwest, and in the costume business, I am well acquainted with the high school and collegiate phenomenon of SHOW CHOIR.  Last weekend, I traveled to a national high school show choir competition in Orlando, Florida. FAME Events is one of a handful of companies that stage these competitions.  Satin Stitches has been sponsoring this organization for several years, including setting up our booth which showcases our custom work, annually, at a national venue.

Dance teachers and choreographers, this is an additional venue where you can share your expertise!