Where to Buy Contortion Costumes on a Budget
Where to Buy Contortion Costumes on a Budget
Looking for a costume for your first student showcase? Want something fun and new for an upcoming photo shoot? Seeking a more “professional” costume for corporate or professional performing opportunities? I’ve got you covered!
I’ve been performing contortion for 7+ years now, and I’ve sourced my costumes from all over. Here are my usual go-tos when it comes for looking for costume inspiration or trying to find a new outfit for performing. Many of these are also great sources for aerialists (just be conscious of “spikey” costumes with sequins or chunky rhinestones that could damage aerial silks).
Get ‘Em Used ($-$$)
If you’re not ready to drop $100+ on a fancy catsuit, looking for used costumes is your best bet. You can often find either full bodysuits, or separates for anywhere between $25-$100.
ebay
ebay is an obvious choice for used costumes and I’ve had great luck with literally every piece I’ve bought from an ebay seller. You may need to be “creative” with your search terms to find the right pieces (very few sellers advertise “contortion costumes”) - ones that work well for bodysuits, leotard-style dresses, and other contortion outfits are:
Adult dance costume - two brands I like to search specifically for by name are Weissman dance costume adult and Kelle adult dance costume
Tips for finding something that will work for contortion: Always always always check the size chart before buying (or message the seller if you have any concerns or questions about sizing). Few sellers offer free return shipping, so you want to be pretty confident in the size before you order. Also, if you’re ordering an outfit that isn’t specifically marketing/made for “dance,” double-check the material to make sure it has some stretch to it (generally this is a concern with anything lace or mesh).
Local Facebook Groups
If you live in or near a city, odds are there’s some Facebook group of local dance / pole / circus / burlesque / variety performers that has people selling outfits. For example, living in one of the suburbs of Minneapolis, there are several groups with folks who occasionally post selling costumes: Twin Titties Performer Exchange, Dance Wear Exchange, ExFit Exchange (no longer active), Dollhouse Students & Staff (my local pole studio’s group).
You might also want to try Facebook Marketplace, but I’ve never seen anyone selling dance costumes there where I live.
Buy Them New ($$-$$$)
Amazon
You can use many of the same search terms from ebay for finding new leotards and catsuits on Amazon. I’ve gotten good luck with some full-body and shortie unitards (and tried several things that fit quite awfully - which is why I’ll never order anything unless they have free returns!). Be wary against ordering literal “costumes” that are for Halloween, generally their construction is cheap and won’t hold up to performances. But catsuits/unitards/bodysuits marketed for “dance” are usually a safe bet. And if you’re not sure - check the reviews.
Discount Dance Supply / Dance Wear Solutions
These two are so similar I often mix them up - but both Discount Dance Supply (DDS) and Dance Wear Solutions (DWS) are great sources for unitards, bodysuits, and costume separates - especially if you are looking for something sequined!
While they don’t offer free return shipping, you can rest assured the quality is solid, and the size charts are accurate (although anecdotally I think their size chart skews to smaller bodies).
If you’re a crafty type, you can order a “plain” leotard or unitard and rhinestone and bedazzle it very affordably (rhinestone-ing costumes is a whole other topic for a whole other blog post I should write…).
Etsy
Ah Etsy, the real Mecca for costumes! I love Etsy so much for circus costumes I wrote a whole blog post about my favorite Etsy sellers for contortion costumes. Etsy is a total mix of being able to get a cute leotard for $50 to getting a super sweet tailored sequined masterpiece for $250 (looking at you, KikimoraFashion - SWOON!)
Many Etsy sellers are also willing to custom-make a costume if you like something on their shop and reach out, which brings us to….
Order a Custom-Made Costume ($$$-$$$$)
Obviously the most expensive option, but if you are a professional performer (or are lucky enough to just have an insane disposable income) - you can get some absolutely lovely, one-of-a-kind costumes custom-made for you. Olga at KikimoraFashion is happy to recreate virtually any of her catsuits or bodysuits with a different pattern or color if the fabric is available. Another artist I’ve oggled for a long time is Gena Cristiani who has made SO many gorgeous costumes for professional aerialists, contortionists, and other circus artists.
Pricing can range anywhere from $300 (although that’s really the low end) to $500+ (more realistic for a designed-from-scratch piece).
