Competition Bikini

I wrote a post back in February about selecting the perfect fabric for your competition bikini – and your feedback was great.  Since that post, I’ve received a few emails and messages on Instagram asking why 4 way stretch was important and whether a 2 way stretch could work. So today, we’re talking more about fabric…

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Whether you’ve decided to sew your own suit or buy a simple suit from a reputable competition bikini manufacturer, adding your own rhinestones adds a lot to your stage look and can save you HUNDREDS!    

CHOOSING A STONE TYPE

I don’t use true Swarovski crystals for my suit. I know, it sounds crazy, but here’s why:  Swarovski uses a precision cutting technique that gives you those gorgeous facets that reflect light.  And, that comes with a price.  You’ll pay about twice as much for Swarovski stones, compared to Preciosa Viva 12 czech crystals.  

If you’re producing these suits for sale with significant markup or using the stones in something that will be viewed up close like jewelry or a wedding dress, of course it makes sense to use the genuine Swarovski crystals.  If you’re making the suit for yourself, save 50% and use Preciosa.  You’ll never notice the difference on stage, I promise!

You’ll need a total of 6 connectors for your suit.  If you want to save a little more, you could skip the connectors, but they add a lot of sparkle on stage – always a good thing!  I buy my connectors from Mode Beads or Bead and Trim.  Bead and Trim is less per unit, but has a minimum order quantity per style of 4-10 – great if you’re splitting with other girls or making multiple suits, but leads to extra materials if you’re just buying for yourself.  The specific connectors I use are all linked below, or you can buy any extras I have from my Etsy shop.

First up, the center connector.  This is a small piece between the two triangles.  The size that will look best depends on how wide your chest is.  I have a fairly small frame, so I use a center connector that is a little under 1″ wide like this 3×3 crystal or this one with a larger center stone.  If you prefer more spacing in your top, you might prefer a 3×6 crystal connector like this one.

Let’s be honest.  Bikini competitions are expensive!  There are entry fees, tanning appointments, travel to and from the show, hotels, supplements, gym memberships, and nutritionists.  Add a sequined competition suit, and you could be looking at $1,500 or more – for ONE show!

Competition bikinis from reputable companies are a minimum of $200 {for a basic suit, with no rhinestones} and can run as much as $700 for full rhinestoning.  Having grown up sewing with my mom, I decided to attempt my own {to be safe, I gave myself until 6 weeks prior to my show, at which point if I didn’t have the construction down, I was going to order one from someone else}.  

Hours of research and testing different patterns, three completed “practice” suits, and a few burns from the rhinestone applicator later, I had my suit done.  My first suit took about 4 weeks to construct; the second I completed in about 6 hours over the course of three days {yay efficiency!}.