Custom Boy costume recommendation- TO or SF | Golden Skate

Custom Boy costume recommendation- TO or SF

SmallAminal

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2016
Does anyone have a recommendation for someone who can do a custom boy's figure skating costume in the Toronto area? In particular, my skater ONLY wants the unitard/one piece look (vs. pants and shirt) and I don't know if someone who typically does girls' dresses would be able to do that.

Alternatively, we also spend time in the San Francisco Bay area from time to time where we have family, so we may be able to work with someone in that area as well.

We are also on a budget....would not want to spend more than $400 maximum on this, but luckily my skater doesn't want a whole lot of bling, which helps.

I'm assuming the one piece outfits are always custom???

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
 

sandraskates

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2006
Country
United-States
I'm sure that I or any other person with a sewing background would be able to do transition to doing a boy's costume even if they usually only make girls dresses. PM me if you're interested. :)

I'm making the assumption in this topic that the "girls dresses" are of the Lycra variety.
Someone who is a dressmaker or sewist but not familiar with sewing Lycra / stretchy fabrics may not be able to be make a boy's costume, and certainly not a one piece. It would likely turn out baggy. The last thing one wants is a baggy once piece costume. :laugh:

So make sure whomever you pick is making skating, ballroom dancing, or similar costumes.
I used to prefer making the men's and boy's costumes - much easier to get a good fit!
 

Sk8DSmom

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
There are many boy skaters in the Toronto area so I'm surprised no one at your club has made any recommendations to you.
Most costume/dress makers prefer as much notice as possible as some require 3 visits -1 measurement, 1 fitting, 1 final fitting/pickup.
So a minimum of 1.5 mths or more is good advance notice before the 1st competition you require the outfit - 2 or 3 weeks notice isn't really fair to the other clients the costume/dress maker has either who have already made advance arrangements.

The only thing I would like to comment otherwise is that depending on the age of your skater, a unitard may not be the best especially if there is growth through the season. I haven't been even able to re-use pants for the past number of seasons -usually by Jan-Mar time frame, they get too tight around the hips/thighs/crotch area (we need outfits done for summer competitions) -even had to have a 2nd pair made part way through a season too.

I would say $400 is very generous budget for 1 boys outfit IF the skater is not at the competitive level (pre-novice or higher).
I don't think I've ever paid that much *yet* for 1 complete outfit.

Good luck.
 

SmallAminal

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2016
There are many boy skaters in the Toronto area so I'm surprised no one at your club has made any recommendations to you.
Most costume/dress makers prefer as much notice as possible as some require 3 visits -1 measurement, 1 fitting, 1 final fitting/pickup.
So a minimum of 1.5 mths or more is good advance notice before the 1st competition you require the outfit - 2 or 3 weeks notice isn't really fair to the other clients the costume/dress maker has either who have already made advance arrangements.

The only thing I would like to comment otherwise is that depending on the age of your skater, a unitard may not be the best especially if there is growth through the season. I haven't been even able to re-use pants for the past number of seasons -usually by Jan-Mar time frame, they get too tight around the hips/thighs/crotch area (we need outfits done for summer competitions) -even had to have a 2nd pair made part way through a season too.

I would say $400 is very generous budget for 1 boys outfit IF the skater is not at the competitive level (pre-novice or higher).
I don't think I've ever paid that much *yet* for 1 complete outfit.

Good luck.

I don't know if it is snarkiness, but nobody at our club who gets costumes made is willing to share info. Also, there are hardly any boys at our club and maybe 2 others that compete. Our coach hasn't had a boy in a long time and her girls all buy off-the-rack dresses, so she wasn't able to help. Honestly, if it weren't for general lack of availability at the retail level for young boys, I would have gone the store-bought route but it seems this is not an option until he gets taller, and even then there are very few options and he doesn't seem to like the shirts on the market. He has strong opinions on clothes, so I'm not surprised that he really wants to feel like he loves his outfit.

Point taken on the unitard, so we'll keep that in mind.

My skater is still lower down, so it sounds like we will be OK with this budget, or possibly less. I have friends with kids in competitive dance teams and they were telling me how much they spend every year and they were warning me that I have to spend a few hundred dollars.
 

Sk8DSmom

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
^^ sorry to hear that no one in your club is willing to 'share info' -especially when you've got a boy and they've got girls. It is very unfortunate when this happens.
You should be able to get off the shelf pants (ie. Jerry's competition or Podium -available at Figure Skating Boutique as you are in Toronto area).
If your little guy is small, it may be better to go custom for the shirt. There are several online options as well.
I believe there are quite a number of seamstresses in Toronto, Oakville, Niagara area's. Some may only deal with only higher level (competitive) skaters.
PM me if you want more info.
 

MasterB

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 18, 2004
Above all make sure the person making the costume does the crotch area correctly. I once had a woman do pants for me and she did not cut them right and it was a mess, I had to throw the out.
 

VegMom

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 25, 2017
I'm new and in a different location but I'm interested also in anyone's input about custom boy's costumes. My son will likely need some special costumes within a year or two and I'd like to have some good ideas about where to find good options.
My son, however, prefers the pants and shirt style simply because that's what he's already used to.
 

SmallAminal

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2016
I'm new and in a different location but I'm interested also in anyone's input about custom boy's costumes. My son will likely need some special costumes within a year or two and I'd like to have some good ideas about where to find good options.
My son, however, prefers the pants and shirt style simply because that's what he's already used to.

VegMom - I can PM you the info for the place we found. They do most of their work internationally/elsewhere in the country - it was a bonus that it was local for me.
 

skatemomoftwo

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 17, 2015
We use Kay Evans , she is in Co. I send measurments, she does sketches, and then send outfit. If its too big, I can send it back or take it somewhere local. She has been doing both my kids, one boy and one girl for a long time. Reasonable priced.
My son is almost 6 4.
http://www.evansinc.com/kay/index.html
if you look under latest photos you will see some boys.
 
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