You know it is so difficult finding dance costumes for guys that are not too flashy, will match the girls, etc. It drives me crazy! So I ordered the below shirt for a 5 year-old who is doing a jazzy/tumbling number with a couple of girls in our holiday show. I ordered it in the shown blue color.

Today the mom comes up to me and says, "so and so said that my son is going to wear a sparkling blue top and I draw the line at sparkly blue. I will not but him in anything that sparkles."

Now she wasn't as mean as it sounds. She was mildly joking but it was her way of telling me that she is serious. I assured her that it was not "sparkly blue." But it is isn't it? Now I am totally over analyzing! Is this shirt appropriate? Also, since the shirt won't come in until the week of the performance should I email her a picture just to prepare her?

Why do I let parents make me questions my own judgment??? Ugh!!!


www.liberts.com . . .

I would call that top "shiny" not "sparkly".

and yes, you could show her a picture but, I would leave off the description where it says "slinky" but, now I'm over analyzing it. ha,ha

This is a touchy subject she is going to dislike it I think regardless if it's shiny or sparkly. I would show it to her but start finding a substitute top, maybe the same color with no shine or sparkle to it.

I would not put my son in that shirt. Just my opinion. I would do a not shiny/slinky fabric. If you really want the "sparkle" do a white tux top and a sparkly/shiny bow tie or regular tie.

I run into this all the time...we have very few boys who dance in our area and in an effort to encourage male participation I try to find costumes for our male students that they will feel good in. I personally see nothing wrong with the shirt, however, if a student isnt comfortable in what they are wearing they certainly arent going to dance well, and probably wont return...(at least this holds true in my experience). I usually have my male dancers wear something that obviously goes with the female costumes--and the music. This year Im doing Candy Man with my 4 year olds, my little girls have the obvious sparkly costume while my little guy is going to wear black dress pants, a white button down shirt with a pink tie and sequined suspenders. Just a thought...but all in all, if you like what you picked, youre the teacher. Your decision is final!

That's not sparkly thats foil. What does she think pros wear?

If it's any consolation I have one of my 12 year old boys in a gold sequin tailcoat, gold satin shirt, sequin bow tie and top hat!!

He loves it.

I have had a boy student who was 10 wear this shirt and he didn't have a problem with it, except for the neck.

It's metallic, not sparkly. I swear some people freak out over nothing. There are a lot of homophobic people in this world. If she has a problem, just change it. The parent is always right, right?

Its a dance costume, its not like he is going to wear it out! Did she not have any idea what dancers actually wear? Ooooh big deal its shiny....deal with it. If you didn't want you child to be in this type of shirt, he should have been enrolled in soccer where he gets a jersey. Ugh sorry it just irritates me when parents complain about the normal costumes but you have 5 year olds on stage in bikini's. Don't second guess yourself. Your the teacher and the professional, its your decision.

I agree, it's metallic, not sparkly! It'll be fine.

Agreed - this is fine. This is one of the better looks out there. Choices are limited for sure.

Thanks for all your replies, they totally cheered me up! After an entire night worth of internet research I realized that if she doesn't like that shirt she can buy a black one at walmart for $5 because those are seriously like the only options. Ugh!

I also think the shirt is just fine. It's not like it is covered in sequins and your asking him to wear tights too. We always have a couple boys and we tend to pick out something similar to your choice in velvet, slinky or metallic. I have also seen similar fabrics styled like a menswear button up shirt. Mostly the boys and their parents draw the line at very snug pants...

I'm missing the boy in here! He might looooove this!
5 Year old boys can surprise you. If he likes it, huge chance his mother will turn and say 'okay okay'. If he doesn't like it..... oops .

Introduce it as 'metalic'. That sounds male.