Edited by CSxo (186139) on 2008-04-06 12:05:03 fixing typos etc.
Made sticky by TheMidlakeMuse (78507) on 2008-04-07 08:58:21 Great thread!
Are
you confused about all the latest dress styles? Well, this guide should sort out all your problems!
Note: Champs That Wear Them are taken from the top three world and all ireland championship dancers in each age group, and various other well known dancers (not all are listed)
Pictures are taken from
dance-again.com and worldirishdancing.com. If you do not want your photo on, please tell me.
Skirt Styles
1. Three Panelled
This style is the most traditional dress style, and is common amongst both class dresses and slightly older solo dresses.
Dresses can have three separate panels, and others can have joined, pleated panels.
Often pleated panels have
kickpleats, a contrasting patch of material in the pleat that shows when a dancer leaps, kicks, cuts, hops, basically any move that involves upward movement of the leg.
Champs Who Wear Them: Many Younger Champs, and Formerly Older Ones!!
dress with separate panels
dress with attached panels
2. Multi Panelled
This style became popular not very long ago, and is still widely used. It involves a skirt with
more than three panels- similarly to three panelled dresses, they can also have separate or pleated panels. Sometimes the panels are completely separate, and therefore can bounce and move freely as the dancer dances. Others are slightly attached, and therefore still move, whilst not as much as the former. Others are pleated, and similarly to the three panelled dresses, have kickpleats.
Another form of multi panelled dresses actually only has three panels- there are normally two panels at each side that are real panels, whilst the middle panel has a pattern that makes it look like two panels. These are usually called faux panelled dresses.
Champs Who Wear Them: Ciara Sexton, Lauren Early, Siobhan Casey, Donna Griffin
five panelled dress
3. One Panelled
These are an incredibly recent style of dress. The skirt has one panel- usually similar to the attached multi panelled dresses, except even more attached (if that makes sense!), and slightly shorter. Underneath this panel is a “soft skirt”, a sort of petticoat, usually made of either lace or ruffled material.
Champs Who Wear Them: Fiona Dargan, Mary McEvoy Morgan, Naimh Taylor, Ashley Smith
one panelled dress
4. Soft Skirts
Soft skirts are a huge up and coming trend. It involves NO panels, and usually had 2-3 layers of fabric, the smaller usually on the top, in different colours, on top of each other.
It’s a very hard style to explain- take a look at the photos.
Champs Who Wear Them: Shannon Daly, Zoe Baines, Jillian Oury
elevation-design.co.uk . . .
due to the site design, I cannot simply copy the photos, therefore, please click the link!
far right- soft skirted dress (this one's gorgeous!)
5. Puffball Skirts
Puffball skirts are a style made famous by the dressmaker Siopa Rince. The dress is made up of many soft panels, usually with a pattern on each one. When in motion, these panels “puff” up, and give almost a mushroom like effect.
Champs Who Wear Them: Katherine Vincent, Tara Stone, Ann Marie Melia
puffball skirt dress
6. Wrap Skirts
These skirts became very popular a few years ago. They were considered unique and different, and every so now and then, a twist on the style appears. There are two main forms of wrap skirt- centre (curtain) and side. Centre wraps have two “leafs” that meet in the middle, and have either a soft or hard backing in the space. Side wraps are similar, but meet off centre. Again, these can have a soft or hard backing. There are various twists on the standard wrap skirt- some have no backing, and the panels overlap enough over each other that there is no skin seen through the gap.
Champs who wear them: Maggie Darlington, Jessie Baffa
centre wrap dress
side wrap dress
Bodices
There are no actual “names” for bodice patterns, but dancers/dressmakers tend to describe them in similar ways.
1. Corsets
Corset style bodices are common throughout all age groups. These resemble corsets, although are usually part of the bodice itself. This style can be completely plain or have pattern on it, but usually any pattern involved isn’t very complex. Often the sleeves are a contrasting shade, and this is where the pattern is. Sometimes there are buttons down the centre, and recently “straps” have been added.
Champs Who Wear Them: Shauna Ryan, Mary McEvoy Morgan, Donna Griffin
corseted dress
2. Jackets
This is a fairly popular style amongst senior dancers, although younger girls also wear them. There are buttons running up the middle of the “jacket”, and sometimes there is a pattern around the neck. This style is often a two piece dress, although it still usually opens down the back, rather than with the buttons at the front.
Champs Who Wear Them: Jessie Baffa, Many Senior Non-World Champs
worldirishdancing.com . . .
page copyrighted, so please click the link. various jacketed dresses- jessie baffa, 2nd place in over 21 ladies.
3. Necklaced
This style was incredibly popular at the worlds. The bodice is usually completely plain, with only a small amount of “necklace” around the neck. Also, lace collars have become more popular.
Champs Who Wear Them: Loretta Callanan, Niamh Taylor, Therese Corless
Niamh Taylor in her necklaced dress
4. Other
There is a huge range of bodice types. There are rarely two the same, therefore it is impossible to list them all. Some just have traditional patterns in the centre, others have patterns down the middle.
Champs Who Wear Them: Tara Stone, Lauren Early, Katherine Vincent
for pics, see basically everywhere!
If you have any better pictures, please post them!
Please feel free to comment, add info and ask questions.
