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Wednesday, December 11th
Eleve Dancewear is a company that creates custom dancewear that reflects an individual's unique personality. Founder Lisa Choules, a former professional dancer, started her career at Ballet West in Utah before moving to Kansas City Ballet, where she designed costumes for various directors. After retiring from dancing in 2009, Choules founded Eleve Dancewear, which specializes in creating one-of-a-kind dancewear focused primarily on ballet styles, but with options for other styles of dance too. The most important thing is that Eleve makes all of its own dancewear. You won't find other brands listed on Eleve, so everything has one unified style and vibe.
Easy-to-use and detailed listing pages
Eleve has an impressive website that's easy to browse. You can look through the site's entire inventory or jump right to a section you want to purchase. Our favorite part? Eleve's product descriptions are some of the best we've seen. Each product features real-life images taken from different angles, along with a helpful size chart for a perfect fit. While the site does tell us what size the model is wearing in the photos, it doesn't give any measurements for the model to judge how a size small will fit someone of a similar build. We might suggest adding more detail to that section. Further, adding reviews for individual leotards might be helpful so customers can chip in with their sizing and fit feedback.
800+ dancewear items for women
Eleve's product selection offers a wide range of options for women, men, and children, as well as seasonal prints for special occasions. With over 800 ready-to-wear items in the women's section, you'll find a wide variety of fabric choices, colors, shapes, and styles. Most of Eleve's gear is ballet-focused, but you'll find some workout tops and pants that are suitable for hip-hop, jazz, and contemporary. There are around 100 different leotards and you can select from solid colors, patterns, and velvet or mesh fabrics. On top of that, Eleve has 46 black leotards for dancers with a dress code. Finally, we found 32 different styles for warm-ups which change out seasonally. Whether you're looking for a leotard, skirt, dress, top, or bottom, you can find something new at Eleve. However, if you're looking for basics like shoes, you may need to shop elsewhere, as Eleve only focuses on clothing.
Custom leos made to order
If you can't find what you're looking for in the "Ready to Wear" section, Eleve also offers custom-made dancewear. For example, a custom leotard starts by selecting a "base” leotard style. From there, you can choose the size, how much of the interior you want lined for modesty, and colors for the base, the trim, and any details on the leo you chose. We are surprised there are no custom options to change the leg line or add sleeves or other features to the base leotard, but in general, the customization is on par with other companies that offer this service.
Prices from $27 to $151
It's no secret that Eleve Dancewear is a little pricey. However, the high-quality materials and unique designs make it worth the investment. The prices for dancewear start at $27 for a flower-patterned ballet skirt and go as high as $151 for a black women's unitard. To compare prices across different sites, we picked four items to compare: camisole leotards, ballet skirts, men's unitards, and legwarmers.
14-day return policy
The company offers free shipping on orders over $200, which is a small price to pay for exclusive products that will make you stand out from the crowd. Custom orders take 6-8 weeks to produce and are non-returnable. In contrast, "Ready to Wear" items will usually process in 2-3 business days. Shipping across the board takes around 2 weeks, and you can return your ready-to-wear items within 14 days for a full refund as long as they are in their original condition.
Solid reputation for quality fabric
We found numerous reviews from both customers and employees praising Eleve Dancewear. Most customers were thrilled with their purchases and felt that they were worth the cost. The acreage score for Eleve was 3.6 stars out of 5. Many reviewers mentioned that the fabric is durable and stretches well, so the dancewear will last for years to come. Others appreciated the accurate size chart, which makes it easy to order the perfect fit. However, there were some reviewers that state if you have a shorter torso, Eleve's sizing might be a little off, so make sure you triple-check the measurements before you buy a custom item.
Best spot for custom ballet gear
Browsing Eleve's website is a pleasure due to its modern and beautiful collection. If you're a serious dancer looking for high-quality dancewear that reflects your unique style, Eleve Dancewear is the perfect choice. However, if you're looking for a store that has all the basics, Eleve doesn't quite hit the mark. There are no dance shoes of any kind on Eleve and dancewear for styles outside of ballet is a little limited. Still, as an option for custom dancewear, Eleve stands out from the pack and earns an excellent rating in our review.
Dance is such a beautiful art form, and the intense sport-level workout comes with a lot of different types of clothing that are specific to each kind of dance. Finding the right styles and support for your body type can be a game-changer. Whether you're a seasoned ballet dancer or just starting your first jazz class, the right dancewear can help you move easily and confidently.
Every style of dance has its own unique requirements when it comes to apparel, especially shoes. For instance, ballet dancers need specialized pointe shoes that provide support for dancing on their toes safely. Dancers working in commercial theater need supportive "character” heels. Hip-hop dancers require loose clothing for freedom of movement, while contemporary dancers often perform in socks.
Dance is not just a hobby or activity, but a way of life. Dancers spend countless hours rehearsing and perfecting their craft, and their dancewear is an essential part of that process. During classes and training periods, younger dancers wear basic attire such as leotards, tights, and ballet shoes that are designed for comfort and functionality and usually part of a required dress code, while older dancers and professionals get to change up the style and color and accessories of their leo-tights combination.
Plus, class wear isn't the only dancer must-have. Warm-ups are also important for dancers of any skill level. Many warm-ups are designed for ballerinas who need to keep their muscles warm between classes, rehearsals, and before performances, but the dancewear can be worn by anyone. Warm-ups included knitted sweaters, leg warmers, "garbage bag” pants meant to retain body heat, and even specially-made booties that can be worn over other dance shoes to keep feet and ankles warm and cozy. This is where a lot of the "balletcore” styles come from.
And what about costumes? Whether you go to see Swan Lake or La Bayadere at your local arts theater or enjoy a local hip-hop performance, you'll see costumes are extremely important for dancers. Some have to buy their own for freelancing, whereas others are purchased through their academy for recitals. Most dancewear stores sell a combination of class wear, warm-ups, and costumes, offering a variety that suits a dancer's complete lifestyle.
Since dancewear used during training and practice is subject to significant wear and tear, it often needs to be replaced frequently. However, finding a brick-and-mortar dancewear store can be challenging, especially if you live in a rural area or don't have access to a dance studio. Online shopping provides a convenient solution to this problem, allowing you to browse through a wide range of dancewear brands and styles from the comfort of your own home. You can compare prices, read reviews, and take advantage of discounts and promotions to find the best deals possible. Many companies offer free shipping and periodic discounts so that dancers get the best value for their money.
When selecting an online retailer for your dancewear needs, there are several key factors to consider.
To help you find the best place to shop for dancewear online, the dance experts at Top Consumer Reviews have evaluated and ranked the top options out there today. We hope this information helps you find the perfect apparel to feel comfortable and confident during your dance classes and performances. (And yes, you should treat yourself to the extra pair of legwarmers - you can never have too many warm-ups!)
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