Planning Your Tutu

Buying your tutu at Class Act Tutu with all the selection in colors, sizes, appliques and more, means you can get EXACTLY the tutu that you want. You get to pick every little detail!

BUT how do you come up with the inspiration?

AND THEN, how do you communicate your idea?

First, finding inspiration. This first step stops many at the outset. Don’t fret! There are many sources of inspiration for your perfect tutu:

Look at art. Remember, “art” can range from the Masters to an illustration in a children’s book. Here is an illustration submitted by a professional costume designer (Genevieve Tyrrell, Walt Disney Pictures & Television, used with permission).

Look at nature. You may find the perfect colors for your tutu by looking at the colors in a flower or a hillside. Look at this photo and see how the autumn tutu matches the leaves on the branches. (Model: Rachel Smith / Photographer: Jerome Tso)

Look at fashion. A current fashion trend may lend itself to a contemporary look for your tutu. Bridal styles often work well for ballet. Look at necklines, sleeves, embellishment, colors, etc. What looks do you like, dislike, work for the piece, etc.?

Look at dance. Check out magazines, videos/DVDs, libraries & book stores. When I enter a used book store, I head straight to the dance aisle and look for bargains in books with lots of pictures. They can provide great direction for tutus for a role that dictate a specific style.

Look at costume. A good historical costume reference helps not only with inspiration, but can provide a guide for getting a period piece correct.

Now that you have a design concept in mind, how do you communicate those thoughts? Through a picture, a sketch or a very detailed description. Remember the old adage, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” While there are copyright laws that prohibit exact replication of a design, a picture or photo can be used nicely as a starting point. Specify the pieces of the design that you like and those that you want to change. You can also piece together more than one example to convey what you want (i.e. "The skirt on this tutu, the sleeves on this tutu., etc.")

A picture doesn’t necessarily have to be a tutu. Here is an example of a picture and design submitted by a client for their Design Concept.

(Used with permission from Genevieve Tyrrell, Walt Disney Pictures & Television)

Don’t feel that you need to be an artist! There are schematic figure forms (children’s, women’s, men’s) available on the Internet or you can trace the outline of a picture.

How to Order a Tutu

Happy tutu planning! And when you're ready for help, whether it be design advice, or a little added inspiration, feel free to contact us.

Planning Your Tutu Checklist

Choose Your Bodice

• Fabric/Color(s)
• Neckline Shaping (Sweetheart, Scoop, Boat, Other)
• Bottom Shaping (Point, Straight, Dropped Waist)

Choose Your Skirt

• Fabric/Color(s)
• Style (Romantic, Classical, Bell, Flat, Full, etc.)
• Skirt Length
• Choose Your Size
• Get Measurements
• Decide upon Custom vs Standard Sizing (if an option)

Accessorize

• Sleeves
• Wings
• Headpiece/Tiara