Riot and Frolic

Awhile ago, I wrote a post for Dance Comp Review titled The Smell of Dancers, referring to personal hygiene and all that really sexy stuff.

Part Two is coming to Riot and Frolic in the shape of How to Wash Your Costumes because UGH, YOU GUYS.

After a competition or show, everyone goes back to their room and scrubs off the makeup, hairspray, tanner, sweat, blood, and tears from their bodies, but WHAT ABOUT YOUR CLOTHES?!

I KNOW you threw it in a sweaty, bacteria-inducing pile overnight and packed it in your suitcase the next day and THEN put it back in your closet until the next performance.

WITHOUT WASHING IT.

When you took it out the day before your next comp, you sniffed it absentmindedly and said, "It's not that bad."

IT'S THAT BAD, PEOPLE.

How to Wash Your Dancesport Clothes

The first rule of washing your fancy costumes is…

LISTEN TO RYAN GOSLING!  Put those damn things in the water.  A nice rinse in cold water in a hotel sink WILL NOT hurt your already-soaked-in-sweat clothes.  Please, baby.  

If you're a dude, it's pretty safe to throw your garments in the wash, but PLEASE WASH YOUR WHITE SHIRTS WITH OTHER WHITE STUFF AND NOT WITH YOUR BLACK PANTS. Your white shirt will not be white for long and will look dingy if you just throw your whole kit in the wash.  Hot water for whites and cold for darks (do I really need to be typing this?  YES).   

Drycleaning is also on option, but let's be frugal, shall we?

Ladies, you can:

A) pay your dressmaker an arm and leg for them to launder and restone it for you.  LEGIT.  SAFE.  PAIN IN THE ASS.

B) take it to a trusted drycleaner.  [I've heard horror stories about rhinestones and drycleaners, tho, so be cautious.]

C) take a deep breath and make like Ryan said.  Get thee some Woolite, a bucket of cold water, an old towel or three, and somewhere to lay your gown out flat.  Dunk it, swish it around, rinse it, lay it out.  The end.  

I've washed all varieties of fabrics (silk, georgette, crepe, spandex, mesh, tons of rhinestones, etc.) and nothing untoward has happened.  

BUT PLEASE GOD, IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT THE PEOPLE WHO MADE YOUR COSTUMES AND ASK THEM HOW TO WASH YOUR ENSEMBLES.  

Go forth and conquer.