Under leotard - what's good for a child?

[Confuddled]

I'v had a look at old threads on what girls can wear under leotards, and found the Intermezzo Loverfor highly recommended. Does anyone have one, and know how the sizing comes up? Dd is mostly wearing a 1b leotard at the moment (her 2 is a bit big but wearable), but the Intermezzo is sized in ages so I'm not sure what to go for.

 

Or does anyone have any other recommendations for something that can be worn for modesty under a costume (quick change in the wings needed) and which is comfy? Ideally she'd like one with thick tank-style straps, she doesn't like spaghetti style.

 

 

[Canary]

Research body stockings in child’s extra small they should come with see through straps and spaghetti 

 

some mums get white cotton leotards and dye them flesh colour with Tea but that depends on the type of costume they are to go underneath and can make a child hot 

 

 

[Guest]

The Intermezzo one appears to have the broadest straps. There are other childrens body stockings around but they all seem to have 'bra' type straps. I did think a 1b leotard was around 7-8 years so I would go for the smallest size in the Intermezzo.

[Clara67]

Hello. My daughter is a small 8 year old and wears a size 0 leotard (apart from her Roch Valley modern class leotard, which is a 1) - we recently ordered the Lovefor flesh leotard in age 6 but it is quite a lot too big (I'm keeping it for when she's bigger). She normally just wears flesh coloured dance pants under leotards and for modesty during changes. Hope that helps for working out sizing!

 

[Confuddled]

14 minutes ago, Clara67 said:

Hello. My daughter is a small 8 year old and wears a size 0 leotard (apart from her Roch Valley modern class leotard, which is a 1) - we recently ordered the Lovefor flesh leotard in age 6 but it is quite a lot too big (I'm keeping it for when she's bigger). She normally just wears flesh coloured dance pants under leotards and for modesty during changes. Hope that helps for working out sizing!

 

Thanks! Any chance you could tell me how tall your 8yo is? I'm dithering between the age 6-8 and the 8-10.

 

Mine normally just wears dance pants under costumes, but at 9 she's old enough to not want to strip to her pants in the wings (and there won't be time to go back to the dressing room for this change).

[Guest]

They do stretch quite a bit. My dd had an 8-10 years one and was still wearing it age 13.

[Confuddled]

7 minutes ago, mnemo said:

They do stretch quite a bit. My dd had an 8-10 years one and was still wearing it age 13.

Thanks!

[Clara67]

Hi - I just measured her and she's 125 cm. Hope that helps!

[Clara67]

The Lovefor age 6-8 isn't massively too long though, although it is a bit too long - it's just generally too big and baggy!  

[Cara in NZ]

With hindsight (DD is almost 14), I would have bought separate flesh-coloured knickers and crop/bra tops, which they wouldn't outgrow as fast. The nude leotards are ok but now she has costumes with mesh midriff or where her midriff shows and needs separates for those. We have at least four nude leos, which she also wears under pastel leos for class, but separates are much easier for costume changes (and speedy loo visits!)

[balletbean]

20 hours ago, Confuddled said:

Thanks! Any chance you could tell me how tall your 8yo is? I'm dithering between the age 6-8 and the 8-10.

 

Mine normally just wears dance pants under costumes, but at 9 she's old enough to not want to strip to her pants in the wings (and there won't be time to go back to the dressing room for this change).

I'm curious of where your DD would be performing. Our local theatre abides by UK regulations that no costume changes in the wings for those under 16. Which is strange because as soon as they hit 16 and a day they can strip down to a thong right next to their male cast members. Doesn't make much sense to me. but then if everyone is busy no one is looking either. 

[balletbean]

16 hours ago, Cara in NZ said:

With hindsight (DD is almost 14), I would have bought separate flesh-coloured knickers and crop/bra tops, which they wouldn't outgrow as fast. The nude leotards are ok but now she has costumes with mesh midriff or where her midriff shows and needs separates for those. We have at least four nude leos, which she also wears under pastel leos for class, but separates are much easier for costume changes (and speedy loo visits!)

I agree with you. The flesh all in ones appear a great idea but they tend to be cut quite high across the front and are visible around the neckline for many costumes. They also don't have as much growth as per separate items. Especially as these staple items are only used for shows and festivals. Nude knickers etc can be worn for regular lessons which is also a financial bonus. 

[Picturesinthefirelight]

There are no laws that say you can't have costume changes in the wings for under 16's but they have to be 'decent' hence the modesty undergarments. There would be an issue with a child stripping down to skimpy underwear. Screens are also allowed. 

 

The rules dont change when a child hits 16 but when they leave school which is officially the last Friday in June of Year 11. 

Edited October 9, 2017 by Picturesinthefirelight

[Nicola H]

1 minute ago, Picturesinthefirelight said:

There are no laws that say you can't have costume changes in the wings for under 16's but they have to be 'decent' hence the modesty undergarments. There would be an issue with a child stripping down to skimpy underwear. Screens are also allowed. 

don;t forget that   child protection  stuff  is prone to gold plating / misinterpretation  by the prudish or  those with political/ Political motivations ...  anbd  of course anyone  who points out  this  is immediately labelled as a  child abuser or facilitator  by said prudes  (  even though  said prudes  may  well be  neglecting or emotionally abusing   those in their charge ) ... 

In the eyes of the law and  those without an axe to grind there are four main types of  child abuse, physical , emotional, neglect and  sexual  ,  in the  eyes of  those with  an axeto grind  physical and sexual are the only ones of consequence  and often misinterpreted. 

[Picturesinthefirelight]

I'm sorry Nicola you've lost me there. 

 

The laws regsrding children in entertainment licensing & chaperoning are fairly specific & reference changing arrangements for children over the age of 5. This doesn't have to be in a "dressing room" quick changed side stage are permitted but certain rules have to be adhered to. 

[Loulabelle]

Sadly some theatres or maybe the organisations that hire them do not adhere to these rules. 

My DD had four dances in one section (clump of classes) at a certain competition in London. She had to strip and redress at the side of the stage with no screening (she was 14 at the time) and my insistence on being present back stage with her was met with resistance and impatience. There were girls and boys waiting in the wings, the only screening provided was by her friends (and I) standing in front of her. 

She wore undergarments but couldn't wear an upper body garment under her tutu due to the same issues as mentioned above. 

Luckily she didn't care too much, but I did!

[Picturesinthefirelight]

I don't think comps come under the jurisdiction of children's licensing, only performances. It's one of those strange anomalies. 

[Nicola H]

3 hours ago, Picturesinthefirelight said:

I'm sorry Nicola you've lost me there. 

 

The laws regsrding children in entertainment licensing & chaperoning are fairly specific & reference changing arrangements for children over the age of 5. This doesn't have to be in a "dressing room" quick changed side stage are permitted but certain rules have to be adhered to. 

 Some people will  try  to gold plate those  rules  - meaning it  becomes ' no changing in the wings '  rather than  'no nudity in the wings' . 

sometimes this  is out of prudery , other times it;s blindly  parroting     the rituals  or  a criticism of  someone  else  which   has grown legs  of it's own .  other times  there are   'belief' based factors   at play

if  the fact the rules are being gold plated is pointed out  the person who points this out  will find their life becoming uncomfortable  or  may  even find that their services are no longer  required   for challenging the self appointed experts.  seen this repeatedly with  none professionals  from education / youth work  / social care  challenging  Health professionals who are  trained/ educated to the same or 'higher'  'level'  of  safeguarding training 
 

[Pas de Quatre]

It is a very tricky subject as local councils often interpret the rules differently.  At a recent meeting of a group of teachers with our council's Child Protection officer, she said that they were aware of this anomaly and would be looking into it. 

 

When I had some individual quick changes in the wings, two Matrons with large beach towels made a very effective mobile screen.

[Confuddled]

On 09/10/2017 at 16:08, balletbean said:

I agree with you. The flesh all in ones appear a great idea but they tend to be cut quite high across the front and are visible around the neckline for many costumes. They also don't have as much growth as per separate items. Especially as these staple items are only used for shows and festivals. Nude knickers etc can be worn for regular lessons which is also a financial bonus. 

I'll see if I can persuade her to wear separates - but given her hatred of bra-style / spaghetti straps on anything, I'm not sure whether I'll succeed...

[Cara in NZ]

1 hour ago, Confuddled said:

I'll see if I can persuade her to wear separates - but given her hatred of bra-style / spaghetti straps on anything, I'm not sure whether I'll succeed...

 

Girls change their minds about this stuff as their bodies change, so I guess you just go with what she likes for now. But I have to say that 'being comfortable' is not often achievable with performance wear! (DD tells me she likes wearing nude leos under her class leos because of 'the side view' — I asked if she meant nipples and she left the room  )

[junedancer]

11 hours ago, Cara in NZ said:

 

— I asked if she meant nipples and she left the room  )

 

DD uses microporous tape for that particular problem - very effective

[balletbean]

20 hours ago, Confuddled said:

I'll see if I can persuade her to wear separates - but given her hatred of bra-style / spaghetti straps on anything, I'm not sure whether I'll succeed...

Good Luck. 

[Kate_N]

We had a quick change area one side of the stage - past the wings - at the recent showcase of my local studio. The quick change area for us was a reasonable space, where children could change away from the view of anyone waiting to go on stage from that side. It had two chaperones, one of whom is a very experienced performer/teacher.

 

The quick change children were mostly pre-pubescent girls, and there wasn't too much pressure on them, as the showcase was pretty low key in terms of costumes - they were mostly the studio uniform., with added accessories or throw on bits of costume (jackets, skirts and so on). However, care was taken there to give them a relatively private space, and I think that was VERY appropriate. It's not prudery from the adults - it's care for the young people and their right to have control over their bodies, particularly girls - those of us who have been girls at that difficult time of pre-pubescence & puberty can remember how agonising one's body can be.

 

If they go on to become professionals, then quick changes down to thongs & less are going to be routine - although at the professional dance company I know well they always have a tented cubicle in the wings on one side for quick changes for male and female dancers - the dressers are there as well. 

 

But oh! I wish that our parents had thought about knicker showage for all ages of children! Lots of white underpants showing under leotards of all ages! I'll let our studio director know about this thread, and the options available for children and young people - flesh/nude colour knickers can be used for everyday wear as well, so it's an option for us for the next showcase which wouldn't be onerous for parents (my studio director tries to keep show costs to a minimum for parents ).

Edited October 12, 2017 by Kate_N

[Pixiewoo]

I'm going to suggest nude/flesh pants to our dance teacher too! 

 

Last dance show was hilarious for the white knicker spotting! Especially those parents who obviously thought it didn't apply to their little cherubs ... multicoloured/spotted/striped with added bows under pale leotards! 

[Confuddled]

On 12/10/2017 at 17:15, Pixiewoo said:

I'm going to suggest nude/flesh pants to our dance teacher too! 

 

Last dance show was hilarious for the white knicker spotting! Especially those parents who obviously thought it didn't apply to their little cherubs ... multicoloured/spotted/striped with added bows under pale leotards! 

Nude-coloured dance pants are easy to get via Amazon, and apparently comfy enough to wear all day on ballet days. I do have some sympathy for the parents, it's actually quite hard to find small child pants that aren't patterned / frilly / have bows - it gets a lot easier as they get older.