Make your own ballroom dance gown

When I was looking to start sewing my own ballroom gowns, I was disappointed by how little information I could find on the web about sewing them.

Many years ago, I took a 2-year program in fashion design. I never used it professionally but I have used those design and drafting skills many times over the years.
Now was as good a time as any to once again dust off those skills.

So with this blog, I will share what I learn about making competition and performance ballroom dance gowns.
And maybe some men’s dance clothes occasionally so my husband (and dance partner) doesn’t feel left out.

Luckily, a friend at the dance studio had started sewing her own dance gowns a year ago. So she had a years worth of lessons learned that she was willing to share. And also the instructors at the studio are very helpful with ideas of what will and won't work in a gown from the dancer's perspective.

Yet even with that help, there are still a lot of lessons that are learned the hard way. Like my first Latin dress that had this cute beaded fringe at the hem. How was I to know that on a short dress the beads would end up being right where I had to sit on them all day in a hard chair!