Elevating children, the community and the world through the power and grace of Irish dance.
COSTUMES
Costumes are administered by the Trinity Booster Club!
Please contact Booster Club manager Anne Leonard at anne@trinityirishdance.com with any questions regarding costumes.
QUICK LINKS
BEGINNER COSTUME INFO
SAME FOR TPT & FEISING.
NEW TO TRINITY? CLICK HERE
BOYS COMPETITION COSTUME
(ALL LEVELS)
UPDATES COMING SOON FOR BOYS TPT LOOK!
NONBINARY
Dancers identifying as nonbinary may choose the costume that best suits them, following the appropriate TPT or feis qualifications. If you have any questions, please discuss with your teacher.
TPT COSTUME INFO
2025
(Check the TPT Program Letter to determine your level)
IMPORTANT DATES
January 13th: Costume Sale in Elmhurst
January 20th: Costume Sale in Johnson Creek
January 13th: Costume Sale in Elmhurst
January 20th: Costume Sale in Johnson Creek
January 26-28th: Winter Weekend
SHOES & SOCKS
Each Trinity location has a used shoe bin!
Q: When does my dancer need dance shoes?
A: Brand new to Irish dancing? Your dancer does not need Irish Dance shoes for their first class. They can take their first few classes in ballet slippers, jazz shoes, or their tennis shoes. We encourage them to have proper Irish Dance shoes by the end of their first month!
Q: When will they wear hard shoes?
A: All dancers begin their journey in soft shoes. While they will learn fundamentals of hardshoe dancing early on, they will not need hardshoes until they reach the County Donegal level.
TIP: Those of you starting hard shoe for the first time (County Donegal) do not worry if you don’t have hard shoes on day one! Learning hardshoe in your gym shoes or soft shoes for a few weeks will work great while you find your hard shoes. We recommend Feis Fayre or Fays. For wide-shoe sizes, check Rutherford.
NEW TO TRINITY
Q: My dancer is brand new. When do they need to get their first costume and how do I get it?
A: River dancers will need their first costume for their first performance during the spring St. Patrick's Day TPT (Trinity Performance Troupe) season! More information will be shared about how to get this costume closer to the date. Click here to learn more about TPT!
Cork/Derry dancers will need their first costume before for their first performance or before their first feis. More information will be shared here about upcoming costume sales. Please contact Booster Club manager Anne Leonard at anne@trinityirishdance.com with any questions regarding costumes.
DRESS TYPES & FEIS QUALIFICATIONS
River (Pre-Beginner) Dress
Qualifications: Dancers are put into pre-beginner dress when they begin dancing at the pre-beginner level. Pre beginner boys are measured for a black vest to be worn over a black shirt with black pants, belt, and tie. Boys costumes stay consistent throughout their career until they earn a solo vest.
Costume Description:
Socks: Katie Luck Sport Length
White Spankies (aka cheerleading briefs) are needed for under the dress. These are available for purchase online through the Trinity Wear store.
Hair: Natural Hair with White Bow
Girls natural hair style: A very common hairstyle, we are simply pulling the sides and front of the hair back, with a pony at the top of their crown.
NOTE: If your child has short hair and cannot pull the sides back, pull only the top back and follow the rest of the directions.
Only use clear ponytail holders (no colored bands). This can be purchased at any drug store.
Junior Jumper
Qualifications: Dancers U9 & younger in Cork/Derry or Donegal/Galway/Kerry. Dancers may continue to wear their Jr. Jumper until they outgrow it, regardless of age or qualification.
Competition Look:
Costume: Junior Jumper
Socks: Katie Luck Sport Length
Black Spankies (aka cheerleading briefs) are needed for under the dress. These are available for purchase online through the Trinity Wear store.
Hair: Natural Hair with White Bow
Girls natural hair style: A very common hairstyle, we are simply pulling the sides and front of the hair back, with a pony at the top of their crown.
NOTE: If your child has short hair and cannot pull the sides back, pull only the top back and follow the rest of the directions.
Only use clear ponytail holders (no colored bands). This can be purchased at any drug store.
Performance Look: For this level, dancers wear the same thing for performances as they do competitions!
Black Dress
Qualifications:
Dancers qualify for their first Trinity black dress in one of 3 ways:
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Placing 1st, 2nd or 3rd in any Beginner II competition with 5 or more competitors. ANY BEGINNER II DANCE COUNTS.
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Advancing to County Kerry
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Being U10 or older in 2022 (even if you are dancing in Cork/Derry, any dancer who is U10 or older can go into a Black Dress, not a Jr. Jumper. If your Jr. Jumper still fits, you do not have to change to a Black dress simply because of age. You are welcome to wear your Jr. Jumper until it no longer fits. )
Competition Look:
Costume: Black Dress
Socks: Katie Luck Sport Length
Hair: Ciara Wig and New White Poodle Headband (available for $18 through Trinity Wear)
Performance Look:
Costume: Black Dress
Socks: Katie Luck Sport Length
Hair will be natural and well groomed.
Hair (ALL Levels Cork Derry through Trinity Gold): A very common hairstyle, we are simply pulling the sides and front of the hair back, with a pony at the top of their crown then places a white bow at the crown of their head. If you have questions about bows, please email the Booster Club.
NOTE: If your child has short hair and cannot pull the sides back, pull only the top back and follow the rest of the directions.
Boys Competition Costume
This costume is the same for all ages and experience levels.
Costume:
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Black, flat front dress pant (example*)
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Black dress shirt with black buttons - not Oxford button-down type collar (example)
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Black tie (recommend zipper tie, especially for littles - gives a much neater line under the collar - but not a clip-on tie) (example)
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Black belt with silver buckle (example)
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Black dress socks
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Black vest from approved costume maker
*Examples provided for reference. There are several brands/stores that carry acceptable items: Calvin Klein, Macy's, Kohls, JC Penney, Gioberti, Burlington, Amazon)
Hair: Freshly trimmed and gelled for a clean look.
Shoes: Beginners wear jazz shoes, after that, they need "reel shoes" with Rutherford heels.
UPDATES COMING SOON FOR BOYS TPT LOOK!
Solo Costume
Qualifications: Dancers qualify for their first solo dress, jacket, or vest by winning 1st place in any Novice competition with 5 or more competitors. ANY NOVICE DANCE COUNTS, or by advancing to County Waterford. Dancers typically start in a second hand costume, available through families on our Trinity Dance Family Marketplace FB page, or through internal solo dress sales. Dancers can also find a second hand costume online or at a feis, but we recommend getting the approval of a teacher before purchasing, as fit issues can preclude the dancer from actually competing in the costume.
Any and all questions regarding “look”, like wigs, headpieces, buckles, dress fit or style, can first be directed to your dancer’s primary instructor.
Competition Look:
*Province dancers who already have a solo look approved by your teacher can disregard this memo.
Trinity dancers competing in solo costumes will wear one look for performance, and a different look for competition!
Costume: Solo Dress, jacket or vest
Socks: Katie Luck Sport Length
Hair: U8 or younger Rosie Wig, U9/U10 Ciara Wig, U11 & older Maddie are recommended (Camelia Rose Wigs)
Headpiece:
U10 and Younger: One medium/large bow that matches your costume, placed behind the pouf, above your dancer's left eye. You can have a custom bow made at All That Glitters.
U11 and Older: Use the headpiece that came with your costume or have a custom headpiece made at All That Glitters.
Performance Look:
Costume: Solo dress, jacket, or vest
Socks: Katie Luck Sport Length
Hair will be natural and well groomed.
Beginners,Young Movers & Intermediate Hair: A very common hairstyle, we are simply pulling the sides from the temple and front of the hair back, with a pony at the top of their crown, then place a white bow at the crown of their head.
NOTE: If your child has short hair and cannot pull the sides back, pull only the top back and follow the rest of the directions.
Advanced and Ensemble Dancers Hair: While your dancers hair will be natural as well, we have a slightly different version for our Advanced and Ensemble Dancers. Each of these dancers will need to purchase a black barrette to wear in their hair for performances.
"Black-Out" Feis Attire
Trinity prefers to stay within the spirit of black-out competitions and keep our look as simple and streamlined as possible. Parents truly do not need to invest significant cost or time into their dancer’s black-out look, as the whole point is draw attention away from the dancer’s appearance and towards the dancer’s performance. That being said, we do want to look tidy and prepared. Here are a few suggestions to help make your dancer look their best on stage at a “Black-out” competition:
