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

Satin Stitches | Apr 01, 2008 | there are 0 comments

Look Ma, I'm dancing in a Fuchsia Jacket!

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.

As I have mentioned in previous, published articles, boys and mens clothing requires a higher level of construction technique to pull off a quality costume. Many talented hobby sewers have years of experience sewing girls dance costumes, but not very much experience with the construction details that are needed for creating boys dance costumes. It is more difficult to tailor jackets, shirts and trousers than to sew dresses or leotards. A common mistake is for these sewers to use their girls patterns and fabrics for the boys, without much adjustment.

Correct fit is VERY important for a masculine looking boys or mens costume. Many home sewers may not have the ability to get the best fit for boys. If you rely on your usual volunteer or hobby home sewers, practice makes perfect. Perhaps they have made thousands of girl costumes. How many boy costumes have they had the opportunity to make?

Sheer numbers of girls costumes versus boys costumes comes into play with all your dance catalog companies, as well. For every thousand of girl costumes they sew and sell, maybe they sew and sell one boy costume. High volume is what can keep prices low. Catalog companies are unable to offer the quantity of styles because of the disproportionate amount of boys costumes needed for the industry. Better construction is too expensive. They need to keep their prices down, to make these costumes affordable to your dancers. Their patternmakers also do not have as extensive experience with working with the boys patterns.

What makes the cut more masculine? Traditional desirable masculine features include the appearance of stature or height, broad shoulders and narrow hips. Why do men always look so handsome in military uniforms and tuxedos? The tailoring accentuates the height, broad shoulders and narrow hips. The long, lean look is promoted with a single color from top to bottom, shoulder pads and design details drawing the eyes upward to the upper chest and face. And if the uniform or tuxedo fits right, it will look better.

With costumes, fabrics are very important. Street fashions with traditional street fashion fabrics obviously keep boys looking masculine. But dance costumes generally need to use fabrics to coordinate with girls costumes, which means working with traditional dance costume fabrics. Any fabric CAN work, if the cut, workmanship and fit is right. But some fabrics will work better.

Better looks for guys include thicker spandex such as ottoman, football-weight,and other heavyweight fabrics. Most surface-printed spandex fabrics have a thicker feel and look. Slinky fabrics and other soft and drapey fabrics such as lightweight spandex should be avoided, Chiffon and double georgette are sheer and probably not suitable for masculine looking boys costumes. Geometric prints, stripes, bright colors rather than pastels are more masculine fabrics, rather than flower prints.

Of course all rules can be broken. These are just guidelines for more masculine looks for your boys or men. So do not be afraid of special costuming for guys! Call us, or work with someone in your area that can handle the special requirements that male dancers need, and deserve!