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The first time I walked into a feis, I was eleven years old and absolutely terrified. Not of the competition—I was terrified of the dresses. Every single girl in the registration area looked like they'd stepped off a runway in Dublin, all hand-embroidered bodices and swirling skirts, and there I was in my mother's old hand-me-down that hung off my shoulders like a tent. I wanted to disappear.
Twenty years later, I've learned that the right outfit doesn't just make you look good—it makes you feel invincible. And here's what nobody warned me about: the dress is only half the battle.
The Fabric Matters More Than You Think
Let me tell you about the satin dress I wore to my first regional championship. It was gorgeous—deep emerald green with delicate appliqués along the hemline. What nobody mentioned was that satin is basically a sweat magnet. By the end of my second dance, I looked like I'd jumped into a swimming pool. The bodice was sliding around, the sleeves were clinging to my arms, and I spent more time adjusting than actually dancing.
These days, I swear by velvet for winter competitions and a good matte jersey or breathes fabric for summer. Velvet has that luxe look that photographs beautifully, but it weighs a ton once it gets humid. If you're competing in July in Missouri like I was that disastrous year, learn from my mistake. Look for moisture-wicking blends if you're prone to sweating—nobody wants to see sweat patches under those stage lights.
The Real Cost of Going Custom
Here's the thing nobody talks about: Irish dance dresses are expensive, and the waiting lists are insane.
When I was competing regularly, a decent custom dress from a reputable designer like Sodero or Sofie's would run you anywhere from $800 to $2,000, and that's not counting alterations. You'd put down a deposit in January and maybe see your dress by September. Want something faster? Ready-to-wear options from Rince Couture or Occasions start around $400, but you'll almost always need $100-200 in alterations to get it to fit properly.
My advice? Start shopping at least six months before your first major competition. If you're a beginner, don't blow your entire savings on a dress you'll grow out of in a year. Rent or borrow first, or hit up the Facebook groups where dancers sell their outgrown dresses—I've seen some absolute gems go for a third of retail.
Embellishments Are a Double-Edged Sword
I once watched a girl do a perfectly executed treble and hard shoe at a national qualifier, but all anyone could talk about afterward was her dress. Not in a good way. She'd gone heavy on the rhinestones—literally thousands of them—and they were catching the light every time she turned, blinding the judges and distracting every other competitor backstage.
More is not always better. A well-designed dress with subtle embroidery or strategic beading will always outshine something that looks like a disco ball exploded. The best designers know that your dress should frame your dancing, not compete with it. If you can't walk comfortably in your dress or if the embellishments catch on your hard shoes during a treble, you've gone too far.
Finding a Tailor Who Actually Gets It
This is where most dancers mess up. You can have a $1,500 custom dress, but if your alterations person doesn't understand Irish dance, you've wasted your money.
Irish dance costumes need to move with you—not against you. That means specific considerations: the armholes can't be too tight or you'll lose your arm placement during crosses, the waist needs to stay put during jumps (no one wants a wardrobe malfunction mid-rise), and the skirt needs to flare when you turn without flying up over your head.
Find a tailor who has worked with Irish dance costumes before. Ask other dancers in your area for recommendations. The difference between a good alteration and a bad one can literally be the difference between placing and not placing.
The Secret Weapon Nobody Mentions
Hair. I know, I know—it seems obvious, but the number of girls who spend $800 on a dress and then throw their hair in a basic ponytail is staggering.
A good hair piece or styled updo pulls your whole look together. At higher levels, elaborate hair with flowers, ribbons, or even small tiaras is standard. Budget around $30-60 for a quality hair piece, and if you're serious about competing, learn to do your own hair or find a good stylist who specializes in Irish dance competition hair. Those girls with the perfectly-coiffed ringlets and intricate braids didn't get there by accident.
What to Wear When You're Just Starting Out
If you're brand new to Irish dance, don't stress about the dress right away. Most studios have girls wear black shorts or a black skirt with a plain blouse for their first few performances. Focus on learning your steps first—once you catch the bug and start competing at feisanna (that's the plural of feis, for those keeping track), then you can start thinking about the dress.
And honestly? The best dancers don't need an elaborate costume to stand out. I've seen girls win in simple black dresses and watched girls with $3,000 custom gowns bomb their dances because they were more worried about their outfit than their footwork.
Here's the truth: your first Irish dance dress will probably be wrong in some way. It'll be slightly too long, or the sleeves won't sit right, or you'll look back at photos five years later and cringe. That's okay. Every dancer who's ever taken the stage has been there.
The perfect dress is the one that makes you forget you're wearing it—so you can focus on what actually matters: the dancing.
Now get out there and break a leg. (Actually, don't—that's bad luck in Irish dance.)
