It’s that quiet time of year for high school dance and skate teams right now … competitions have drawn to a close, but next year’s team hasn’t been formed yet. And while it’s the perfect time to take a much needed break from the season’s hectic activities and practice schedules, it’s also the perfect time to start planning for next year! We know, we know, “early bird gets the worm”, blah, blah, blah.

But,  planning ahead is the best way to save money and stress on your next custom dance costume or skate dress! And better yet, you don't even need your team roster to get started!

Here are a few good reasons why planning ahead can benefit your team:

1. Save big with early bird discounts.

Many dance and skate companies offer discounts for planning ahead, with savings as much as 5-12%. These discounts don't sound like much, but combine that with quantity discounts, and multiply that times 20 or more costumes, and the savings add up fast! Sometimes from 15-30% total! The biggest savings often comes from making a deposit on your order. How is that possible without a team list or sizes? Well, often you can make a deposit with only an approximate quantity or number of uniforms, which leads us to ….

2. You don’t need your team roster to get started.

You just need three simple things: your concept, your budget, and approximately how many you’ll be ordering. Getting started with design is the key to planning head, especially when it comes to custom designs. If you're looking to do something truly unique and want to design something from scratch, this takes time. Allow for 3-6 weeks to finalize your design illustration, plus another 2-3 weeks to get a sample made. So get started now with the fun part of the process - design and concept!

3. Beat the rush! Get your order in your hands quicker.

In the dance and skate world, it seems everyone wants their order at the same time - in the fall, ready for the first big competition. Most costume companies make all their garments to order - even those you see in catalogs aren't typically stocked. Which means production schedules at your favorite costume company can get booked fast from August through December, creating up to a 13 week lead time (and that's after your design has been approved, if it's a custom costume)! If you plan ahead, you'll beat this rush and could potentially shave 4-6 weeks off of your delivery date!

4. No rush fees!

It's easy to think that planning 6 weeks in advance of the competition is enough time - but beware! Because custom costumes are more complicated than buying off the rack, this is actually cutting it extremely close and may cost you rush fees! It’s best to allow yourself 12-16 weeks for a truly custom design, or 8 weeks for web orders.

5. Save the last minute stress!

You’ll get your costume in time for team pictures and competitions, and with room to spare. This leaves enough time to add rhinestones and accessories without the stress of rushing to get things done the night before the big day. Give yourself the time to make the costume EXACTLY how you want it!

Hope this shows you how planning ahead can help you save big - in time, $$, and stress!