Ballet uniform sizing

[Eileen101]

DS is almost 4 and has been enjoying ballet for a while now. I can't put off buying a uniform much longer.

I usually like to buy a bit bigger for growing room but looking at leotard sizes, it's 3-4 or 5-6.

DS is just going into 4-5 clothes but generally is on the petite side. This is after several recent growth spurts.

Which size would you buy? Would I be able to get away with 5-6 or would it look ridiculously big?

I don't really know any mums and I can't really catch the teacher to ask easily while it's a COVID drop at the door situation...

Ballet kit tends to come up tiny, so I would go bigger rather than smaller.

But can’t you ask a mum of a similar size girl what leotard she bought, and then get that size? I’ve done that in the past.

I’d go up it’s pretty tiny then stretches on. I bought 5-6 when my dtd were four and it still fits now they’re six. Not sure if it applies to the boys but the belts are one size so you stitch and then unpick as they grow.

They come up tiny but it doesn't matter if they are a bit loose, so I'd definitely size up.

When my daughter did ballet the uniform was pink leotard, cross over cardigan pull on wrap skirt ballet socks and shoes. Boys wore white t shirt, black shorts white socks, black ballet shoes.

Leotards are made to have negative ease, that is they are smaller than body measurements because they are made of lycra a 4 way stretch fabric.

I would buy the 3-4 and accept it might need replacing in a years time. The 5-6 will look scruffy if its massively big.

Thank you everyone.

@ShortDaze I would, but he's the only boy in this age group and there's no cross over between classes because of a small area to collect from.

@Woeismethischristmas whoa hang on, there's sewing skills needed here? please say this doesn't extend to boys... Although chances are DD will start too.

My tall 3 and a half year old wears a 5 to 6. There is definitely growing room but it looks far better than the 3 to 4 did. As far as I'm aware, most of her similarly sized peers wear the same.

Can you email your dance teacher? My daughter’s teachers are excellent for things like this and they also pass on secondhand uniform for free or a small donation to charity.

So sorry, I assumed dd rather than ds while skimming and overseeing a sleepover and I shouldn’t have. If he has an exam coming up then the smaller one will look better, but if he doesn’t then I’d go with bigger (though proper ballet mums abs ballet teachers may disagree!).

@Eileen101 Take him to a dancewear shop and they will advise, or email the dance school as they may have a specific uniform you can buy through them or a specific supplier. They will know the right size for him as well. Boys often don't wear leotards anyway, and have either a pale blue or white t-shirt teamed with black shorts, white socks and either white or black shoes.

Dance clothing is snug fitting for a reason, which is so the teacher can see that they are using their body correctly and engaging the right muscles. So clothing that is too loose is a hindrance rather than a help. Because it's usually made of stretchy material it will last quite a while anyway.

No sewing skills required for boys' uniform unless the shoes come with elastic that isn't already sewn in. Or in years to come you volunteer to help with the dance school's show costumes.

Boys leotards tend to have little sleeves, so you can’t size up and sew the shoulders like you can with the camisole leotards. Go for the correct size, as he will be fiddling with it all lesson if you try to go for a bigger size. Have a look at the junior associates photos on the Royal Ballet School social media for some pictures of boys in immaculate uniform. They are so cute!

My DD's uniform fit her beyond the marked age, as they are very stretchy. She is average to tall for her age.

An oversized leotard is uncomfortable and looks scruffy. I buy most things a size up with growing room, but not a leotard or swimming costume.