Thread: two more lighthearted costume peeves

1) please iron the veils (silk is fine with low heat in fact i use med. heat on mine)

nothing distracts the eye from your dancing faster than a wrinkly veil

2) please wear cover ups when not dancing, i know your costume cost a lot of money but i LOVE the element of surprise of seeing your costume and all its mystery when you are dancing, please don't wander around the venue after (or before your dance),. slouched over and like a normal person without a cover up.

ps unless you are really uncomfortable please continue to wear your costume and all your pretties after your performance (with cover up, even if it's just a veil)..keep the romance going..it's an enchanted evening, please don't change your outfit, i'm not done ogling you :)

I agree!

Especially on the cover-up aspect. But I've seen some pros and teachers at workshops enter the room uncovered and stay uncovered afterwards. I was wondering if it was trend away from covering or just something a few individuals do in certain areas.

Good points Jesennia. I was also taught that if my veil isn't hemmed, to make sure to trim any dangly threads before a performance. All of my teachers have always said the only time the costume should be seen is when I'm dancing. No hanging around before or after in costume without coverup.

Originally Posted by jesennia

1) please iron the veils (silk is fine with low heat in fact i use med. heat on mine)

nothing distracts the eye from your dancing faster than a wrinkly veil

2) please wear cover ups when not dancing, i know your costume cost a lot of money but i LOVE the element of surprise of seeing your costume and all its mystery when you are dancing, please don't wander around the venue after (or before your dance),. slouched over and like a normal person without a cover up.

ps unless you are really uncomfortable please continue to wear your costume and all your pretties after your performance (with cover up, even if it's just a veil)..keep the romance going..it's an enchanted evening, please don't change your outfit, i'm not done ogling you :)

Amen!

I danced at student show last night and we had some GP folks in the restaurant for a birthday. The birthday girl was thrilled to get to see so many fun, gorgeous costumes and commented that as each dancer unveiled herself it was like unwrapping a present. ..g.:

Agree and agree.

Ironing veils is just a pain and takes a long time. I've found that once I've ironed one, if I fold it over a few times into a rectangle and hang it on a skirt hanger, placing the clips a few inches in from the edges where it's folded (hope this is making sense), it will stay looking quite smooth. When I travel with a veil I'll take it right on the hanger. I did buy a fabric steamer recently to see how that will do, but haven't tried it yet.

Cover-ups: These are definitely the item people forget to pack most often when getting their stuff together for a show. And having organized some shows I can tell you that even when you e-mail people "don't forget your cover-ups!!!" they still forget. Somehow the mental focus is all on what's needed for the performance and the cover-up slips the mind. I think it's a good idea just to keep one in the car and never bring it in the house.

Rosette

I totally agree with all of these points. I remind my students about the cover up or a veil to cover themselves up, surprise element.

I hereby confess that I have been guilty of dancing with wrinkled veils.

I hate to iron. Hate it. I DO at least attempt a wrinkle-free veil by spritzing with lightly scented water and drying on delicate to steam most of them out though. Does that count?

Gulity on the first count too...w.:

I don't actually possess an Iron, after watching my Mum ironing endlessly as a child i promised myself i never ever would waste a moment of my life doing it...

A lovely fellow dancer and friend took pity on my poor veil before our last Hafla and took it home to iron it for me... the shock was far too much for it to bear and it behaved like a three year old having a chocolate tantrum...

In future I'm back to careful washing and folding!

Silk is so lovely, but so wrinkly! I use the skirt-hanger technique to transport ironed veils to the show, too. I've ironed veils only to have them get wrinkled on the way to the show before I learned that trick.

I like having a cover up that opens in the front and looks pretty, almost like having a second costume. But it is easy to forget sometimes in the haste of packing.

i hate ironing too..but silk looks like glass when you finish..to make it easier, I fold mine up rectangular and first iron it in folded sections then i go over the creases

Old Navy (at least the one in hawaii) is having a sale on summer stuff..yesterday i picked up a see-thru beach tunic, almost reaches my knees, i bought it in extra large, plain white with some silver embroidery..i think it cost 12 bucks. should make a great coverup.

i like the unwrapping a gift concept :)

I am completely guilty of the un-ironed veils. I go in the opposite direction, in fact. I have a theory that a veil with random crinkly look is better than the regular wrinkles that come from being neatly folded, so I loosely wad them up and gently cram them into my dance bag. Ok, I admit I really should consider starting to iron them...

Veils are the only thing I iron. I can't stand wrinkly veils.

If you spray the silk down with water (not soaking) and hang it over your shower curtin rod it will de-wrinkle itself in minutes and dries pretty fast as well. I HATE MY IRON!

I am guilty of wrinkly veil.

Alrana

What about those wrinkle releasing sprays? Are they bad for silk?

You can help preserve the ironed look of a veil if you fold it in half, lie some tissue paper at one and begin loosely rolling it up from there. The tissue paper helps stop it from creasing.

I want to CRY when I see one of my "made with love and TLC" beautiful veils appear in a photo or on stage in wrinkled wad!!

Yes, please iron your veils.

I pack and transport my veils with tissue paper as well. It really helps reduce wrinkles.

Originally Posted by TribalField

You can help preserve the ironed look of a veil if you fold it in half, lie some tissue paper at one and begin loosely rolling it up from there. The tissue paper helps stop it from creasing.

Oh what a great tip! I'm going to try this for next time!

There are some beautiful polyester chiffons that make great veils and wrinkle less than silk...bonus is you can toss them in the washer and the dryer!

I use the chiffon that have one color for the warp and a different color for the weft...gives a great sheen and change of colors on stage.