How to Choose Custom Dancewear for Your Team

Choosing custom dancewear for a team is one of those things that sounds simple at first. 

You pick a colour, add a logo, choose a few styles and that’s that. 

Except, once you actually start looking at options, it can suddenly feel like there’s quite a lot to think about. What style will suit everyone? Will it work for training? Will it wash well? Will the dancers actually feel comfortable in it? 

And that last part is probably the most important. 

Because custom dancewear isn’t just about making a team look smart, although of course that matters. It’s about helping dancers feel like they belong, while also making sure they can move properly, feel supported and not spend half a class pulling at straps or adjusting waistbands. 

So, how do you choose custom dancewear that looks good, feels good and actually works for the whole team? 

Start With What You Need It For 

Before getting into colours, logos and styles, it helps to think about where the dancewear will actually be worn. 

Is it mainly for weekly classes? Is it for travelling to events, warming up backstage, team photos, conventions or a bit of everything? 

Training dancewear usually needs to be practical above all else. These are the pieces dancers wear again and again, so they need to feel comfortable, move easily and hold up well after plenty of washes. 

Competition dancewear has a slightly different job. It still needs to be comfortable, but it also needs to look polished on stage and feel right for the routine. Sometimes that means a stronger colour, a sharper silhouette or a more coordinated team look. 

Then there are the pieces that sit somewhere in the middle. Things like custom crop tops, leggings, dance shorts, hoodies and joggers can be worn for rehearsals, travel days, warm-ups and everyday studio wear. 

Once you know what job each piece needs to do, the decisions become much easier. 

Think About the Team Look 

Custom dancewear is a lovely way to bring a team together. 

It gives dancers that feeling of being part of something, which is especially nice at competitions, workshops and events where lots of studios are in the same place. 

But the best team looks don’t always have to be the loudest. Sometimes a simple, clean design can look just as strong as something bold and bright. 

It really depends on your studio, your dancers and the style you want to create. 

You might want something sporty and sharp. You might prefer something softer and more minimal. Or you might want a full statement look that really stands out in photos and on socials. 

The main thing is that it feels like your team. 

Not just a generic outfit with a logo added on, but something that actually reflects who your dancers are. 

Bespoke Uniform

Dancewear Fit Should Come Before Everything Else 

It’s very easy to fall in love with a design, but fit is always where custom dancewear really has to work. 

If something doesn’t fit properly, dancers notice straight away. It might ride up, roll down, feel too tight, gape in the wrong place or just feel a bit off. 

And once a dancer is aware of what they’re wearing, it becomes a distraction. 

Good dancewear should sit close to the body without feeling uncomfortable. It should stay in place while dancers move, stretch, jump, turn and rehearse. Ideally, they shouldn’t really have to think about it at all. 

That can be a little trickier when ordering for a full team, because no two dancers are exactly the same. Some may want more coverage, some may need more support, and some may be between sizes. 

This is where proper measuring really helps. 

Age guides are useful, especially for children’s dancewear, but they are only ever a guide. Taking measurements properly usually gives a much better idea and helps avoid the guesswork. Schools are also able to sample each selected garment to check sizing, fit, quality and logo placement before ordering for the team. 

Choose Fabric That Feels Good After More Than One Wear 

Fabric is one of those things that can be hard to judge from a photo. 

Lots of dancewear looks great when it’s brand new, but the real test comes after it has been worn, washed, stretched and worn again. 

Good fabric should feel soft, but still secure. It should stretch with the body, then return to shape afterwards rather than going loose or baggy. It also needs to offer enough coverage, especially under bright studio lights or stage lighting. 

For fitted custom dancewear, such as those available in our Uniform Service, Lycra and stretch fabrics are popular because they allow dancers to move properly. Double lining can also make a big difference, particularly for crop tops and leotards, as it helps the piece feel more substantial and less likely to become see-through. 

The detail is nice, but movement always comes first. 

Training Range

Support Makes a Bigger Difference Than You Think 

Support is one of those things that might not be obvious when you’re looking at a design on screen, but dancers definitely feel it when they put the piece on. 

A custom crop top, for example, needs to feel secure without digging in. For higher-energy routines, wider straps, double straps or a little more coverage can make a big difference. 

For older dancers, removable bra pads are often helpful from around age 12/13 onwards, depending on the style and personal preference. Some leotards may also include a built-in bra shelf, which can help everything feel more held in place. 

These details might not sound very exciting, but they’re often the difference between dancewear that looks good and dancewear that dancers actually want to wear. 

Keep Branding Clean 

Logo placement is another thing that’s worth thinking about carefully with dancewear. 

A studio logo can look brilliant on team dancewear, but it usually works best when it feels clean and consistent. 

That might mean a bold logo across the back of a hoodie, a small logo on a crop top, or a subtle detail on shorts or leggings. There’s no fixed rule, it just depends on the overall look you want. 

What matters is consistency. 

If you’re ordering for a team, logo size and placement should feel the same across each piece. It sounds like a small detail, but it makes the finished result look much more polished. 

Colour is worth thinking about too. Some colours look completely different on a screen compared with real fabric. 

So, it’s always worth choosing colours that suit your studio branding but also feel practical for the way the dancewear will be used. 

Build a Small Set That Works Together 

One of the best things about custom dancewear is that you can create pieces that work together rather than choosing everything separately. 

A crop top might pair with high-waisted shorts for class, leggings for conventions and joggers or a hoodie for travel days. 

That kind of mix-and-match approach can be really useful, especially for teams who need their dancewear to work across lots of different settings. 

It also means dancers get more wear out of each piece. 

Rather than having one outfit that only comes out for a specific event, they have a small team wardrobe that feels coordinated but still practical. 

Bespoke Uniform

Make Sure it Works in Motion 

This sounds obvious, but it’s one of the easiest things to forget. 

Dancewear has to work when dancers are dancing, not just when they’re standing still. 

If a routine has floor work, the outfit needs to feel secure enough for that. If there are jumps, tricks or fast choreography, straps and waistbands need to stay where they should. If the team is performing under bright lights, coverage matters even more. 

A good test is to think about the most energetic part of the routine. 

Would the dancer still feel comfortable in the outfit at that point? Would anything need adjusting? Would they feel confident? 

If the answer is yes, you’re probably on the right track. 

Give Yourself Enough Time 

Custom dancewear usually needs a bit more planning than buying ready-made pieces. 

There are designs to choose, sample sizes to consider, colours to confirm and production times to allow for. If you need everything ready for a competition, show, recital or convention, it’s always better to start earlier than you think. 

It just takes the pressure off. 

Rushing custom orders can make the whole process feel more stressful, especially when you’re organising for a full team. A bit of extra time means you can check details properly and avoid last-minute panic.  

Quality is Worth Thinking About 

Custom dancewear is often an investment for parents. 

But better-quality pieces usually make more sense in the long run. 

Cheaper dancewear can sometimes lose shape, become see-through, feel less supportive or start showing wear quite quickly. And if pieces need replacing sooner, they don’t always end up being the cheaper option. 

Good custom dancewear should hold its fit, feel secure and last through regular wear. 

At Squad Dancewear, we design and manufacture a wide range of Lycra and casual uniform items for dance schools across the UK, Europe and further afield. All our garments are hand-made using top quality fabrics by experienced machinists, so the finished pieces are made with real dancers in mind. Visit our delivery information page for more details on shipping. 

Training Range

Final Thoughts 

Choosing custom dancewear for your team is about more than just picking a nice design. 

It’s about finding something that suits your dancers, represents your studio and works properly when it’s being worn. 

The right team dancewear should feel comfortable, secure and easy to move in. It should look coordinated without feeling forced. And most importantly, it should help dancers feel confident. 

Because when dancers feel good in what they’re wearing, it shows. 

If you’re looking for custom dancewear for your team, contact us today and we’ll be happy to help you create dance pieces that look amazing, feel secure and are made for real movement, or for more insight into how to design a dance team uniform check out our blog.