Hello polers! 

One of the major parts of the performance is costume, but equaly as imprtant are the ACCESSORIES. They can play a big roole and used wisely can shift your performance th the whole new level! I'm gonna show you step by step how I made Leanne's accessories and costume fot Pole Theatre Irland 2017.  

Pole Theatre it's definitely one of the most diverse ones. Divided into Pole Art, Pole Drama, Pole Comedy and Pole Classique, Pole Theatre allows the performer to tell their story and create a master piece on stage. Created by Michelle Shimmy and Maddie Sparkle in Sydney in 2013, and is now in over 20 countries worldwide, and growing.

If you haven't already watched it, click on the image to watch Leannes's super sexy performance:

Custom costume: Sway

Idea

So here it is. My beautiful friend Leanne, asked me to make Sexy Jellyfish costume for her. She wanted it sparkly and she wanted to use the jellyfish-like umbrella at the part of her performance. I must say I fell in love with this crazy, brilliant idea straight away.

Photographer: Falco Negenman

Tools & Materials

• Sway costume (regular model) made in custom fabric and slight aleration.

Umbrella:

• transparent umbrela.
• string curtains (measure the umbrella to see how many you need).
• glowing sticks.
• clear adhesive tape.
• scissors.
• measuring tape.
• sewing machine.
• pins.
• iron.

Garters:

• long fringe tape or...OLD TOP!
• piece of lycra or other streatch fabric.
• elastic band.
• measuring tape.
• threads and needles.
• velcro.
• scissors.
• sewing machine.
• pins.
• chalk or soap to mark on fabric.
• iron.

Steps

Umbrella:

1. Close the umbrella and disconnect the canopy from the ribs.
2. Prepare the string curtains and make sure the you have enough curtains to cover the circuit of the umbrella. I had to but three curtains of 90cm. The one I got had rod pocket.
3. Do the test stiiching to see if your nedle and string is strong enough to stitch through plastic umbrella and curtain rod pocket fabric.
4. Cut the extra bit of fabric and leave around 4-5cm. Tie a knod on each curtain - it will be easier to manouver them during sewing. 
5. Fold the fabroic in half and press with iron.
6. Pin the curtains to the canopy and sew along.
7. Continue sewing the curtains to canopy. I used zig-zag stitching.
8. Put the canopy back onto the ribs. Make sure you use right ribs - its hard to tell with all the fringe and fabric!
9. And you are almost done!
10. FINISHING TOUCH! Remember those fun glowing bracelets you could get at festivals? You can buy those for very cheap online. Choose 8 of the same colour, connect each two together and secure with adhesive tape.
11. Now secure each pair onto stretchers like on the picture below to create Moon Jellyfish kind of look ;)
12. Congratulations! Your Jellyfish umbrella is finished!

Some ideas come unexpected and it's good to follow your nose as it may lead to amazing resoults. So the idea for Leannes garters came when I saw this (hedious) top in second hand shop. I understand its probaby impossible to find same now but you can try to find this kind of fringe online or in local fabric/sewing accessories store.

1. I removed the fringe from top, be careful not to undone the fringe!
2. Measure the your thigh and cut elastic to the same length. Cut the fabric to the same length and twice the size of width. Attach fabric to elastic to make a tube and sew around with elastic stitching.
   
3. Measure how much of velcro you need to attach one end to the other. The soft part should be longer to be able to adjust it. Place it on the "inside" of the garter. The part with little hooks should be on the "outside" part of garter.
4. Attach velcro with pins. 
5. Best way is to sew the velcro with hand so it will not show on the other side of the garter.
6. So here it is! finished costume the way that I've send it to Leanne. Now see how she turned into magic!

Here are some clips from Leannes performances. The whole outfit and ubbrella didnt took more than 3-4 hours to make but I think the final resoult was fantastic and I know she got a lot of great feaddback about it. It was a pleasure to take part in Leannes creative idea and I'm looking foreward fot the next ones!

Custom costume: Sway
Photo credit: Anton Privrel

Custom costume: Sway
Photo credit: Anton Privrel

Custom costume: Sway
Photo credit: Anton Privrel

Make up

The outfit and accessories are ont hting, but what Leanne did to it bu putting the finishing touches is the whole new story. Here are fome backstage pictures that Leanne did before and after the show. 

Leanne is such a babe!