Leotard size help...

[Skittl1321]

I think I found a class! Now I need to find clothes

 

I would like to order

http://www.discountdance.com/frame_set.php...yle&TopCat= (Natalie Adult Double Strap Camisole Leotard) and http://www.discountdance.com/frame_set.php...yle&TopCat= (M. Stevens Adult Crisscross Back Tank Leotard)

but have no idea what to do with the sizes.

 

When I last danced, I was 5'0 and about x lbs. I most of my leos were smalls, but towards the end found that I preferred the fit of mediums. Now, I am not quite x+20 lbs, and the same height. In "street clothes" my pants tend to be about a 10, but my shirts are all still size smalls, the weight is in my tummy and hips. I think even a medium would be too tight, so it seems the logical step is to get a large. However, size charts all say larges are for people 7-10 inches taller than me. If I get a large, will the leotard stretch to fit my waist/hips, or will it just be super long in the torso? For these specific brands (Natalie and M.Stevens) are either known as being shorter in the torso?

 

Should I just order one in medium and one in large and hope something fits?

[Sellen]

I'm no help, one of those 7-10 inch taller types, just wanted to say hurray on finding a class!

I don't suppose you have a local dance store somewhere around? Leo fitting can be a little tricky in the best of circumstances.

[Skittl1321]

It's not an ideal situation- it's a 60 minute "adult ballet/modern" class. But the studio tells me I can move into it's children's track once I determine if I can make it through the classes.

 

There is a dance store around here, but not for these brands, and the leotards there are just SO expensive. I guess if no one has any other thoughts, I'll just order them large, and return them if they don't fit. Still cheaper than buying local. Pointe shoes (and "emergency tights) are the only thing I've ever bought in store- and only until I figured out which ones I liked.

[Sellen]

Gotcha, just keep in mind the cost of shipping/return shipping/fees. Sometimes those add up to similar costs to buying in-store.

[wembley]

I'm a shortie too (5'1"), and I wear large sized leotards, because I am curvier than the average dance student.

[Serendipity]

Well, I'm 5'4" and had weighed pretty lots when I started. I had extra-extra large (actually unitards) to start with. Now I can fit into a medium of some styles and smalls of others, but I have a large chest, which is the main issue.

 

I'd say go with a medium. If you're fine up top and all the size is in the hips area, a medium should work well enough. The issue really is in the top area with leos, rather than in the waistlines, in my experience. I wear a size 8 around the waist but still have to have a medium/large because of the cleavage issue.

[macropis]

I wear a jeans/dress size 6 (small in the real world) which seems to be medium or even large for ballet clothes :-)

[Skittl1321]

Thanks all for the comments- I think I'm going to go with the larges. It sounds like a medium might fit, but that a large might fit too- I'd rather it be too loose than too tight, because that's an easier problem for my sewing machine to fix.

 

I'm also editing the original post to remove the reference to my weight, since I know we aren't generally supposed to discuss that- but since this was about sizing, I thought it was relevent

[Balletlove]

Hooray on finding a class, very chuffed for you.

 

I am a little bit of an opposite to you in that I am 5'9" with uhm nothing in the cleveage deparment, so I tend to order the large sizes and just take them in on the top... If they are a bit long in the body you could always create a seam in them just under the bust line which looks very attractive and would shorten it for you.

[xSugarplum]

Natalie leotards run smaller (and shorter at the torso) than a lot of other leotards. I have leotards by Mirella, Bloch, Capezio, Body Wrappers, and a few random other companies...I always have to get a size up in Natalie. They are designed for flat chests, too. I find Mirella is better for anyone with anything in the chest area.

[Balletlove]

You mean someone has actually designed leotards for those of us that are uhm not that well endowered on top???? I had resigned myself to always having to take in the tops of my leotards!

[xSugarplum]

You mean someone has actually designed leotards for those of us that are uhm not that well endowered on top???? I had resigned myself to always having to take in the tops of my leotards!

 

Well I'm unfortunately not flat-chested (yes, some of us wish we were...) so I can't comment to that extent, I just know that if I take the same size in Natalie as I do in Mirella (medium) I tend to have issues in the chest area (there's enough fabric, but the seams are done tightly enough that everything gets squashed down, which is just not a good look.

 

I do think Natalie is a good choice for flatter-chested girls, but that's just my opinion from what I've tried so far. I do see Mirellas gaping quite a bit on some people.

[Skittl1321]

Natalie leotards run smaller (and shorter at the torso) than a lot of other leotards. I have leotards by Mirella, Bloch, Capezio, Body Wrappers, and a few random other companies...I always have to get a size up in Natalie. They are designed for flat chests, too. I find Mirella is better for anyone with anything in the chest area.

 

This is good to know- I'll get a large in Natalie- but I have a short torso and flat chest, so as long as it accomodates my belly, it sounds like it otherwise might be a good fit for me.

 

(I decided I am going to take a tap class too - so I think I'll end up buying a leotard at a local store where I can try them on- it will be more expensive, but I have to try on tap shoes, no idea how those fit, so since I'll be buying there anyway, I'll just get the leotard too.

[Tiffany]

Shipping/return charges are not fun to pay, but I always, if I am trying a new style of leotard, order the 2 sizes that I am between, and then return what doesn't fit as well.

 

Looking at the sizing forms, I find that weight helps me decide what to buy more so than height. I don't usually take the time to measure...so I don't know how well that works!

 

The company that I have noticed as having much smaller leotards is Harmonie (i.e., I would always go up at least 1 size in those).

 

Leotards fit people differently; I imagine you may have to just learn by trial and error to figure out what sizes work for you in which brands, and I also think it depends on how the leotard is cut--what type of straps, or how high it rises in the bust (lower cut or higher cut).

 

I always thought of Mirella as being sized small until a few years ago (probably around 2005 but I'm not sure), when I ordered a Mirella leotard and their medium was much larger than it had been. I have a Mirella unitard size medium that is pretty old---maybe from about the year 2000?---and it fits perfectly, whereas last I checked, I can wear a small in their leotards.

[xSugarplum]

I do think the newer Mirellas run larger than the old ones (I have both types). But I think that's to be expected since they were bought out and are now being produced by another company (Bloch I think?)