Topping it Off

Fairy Autumn or Queen's crown

The crowning glory of a dancer or ballerina is some sort of headpiece. A dancer's headpiece can be as simple as a rose, some sparkly pins or a circlet of flowers or a very elaborate crown.
Dancers' headpieces have to meet several unusual requirements: they have to be light weight, stable (imagine trying to balance or do multiple turns with something wobbly on your head) and should be visible from the stage.
Once on a dancer's head, the headpiece needs to stay there securely. It would not be funny, to start doing turns and have the headpiece go sailing off into the audience.
The decorations on the headpiece have to be attached securely. One releve on some decoration that has fallen off a headpiece or costume onto the stage, can seriously injure a dancer and even end a career.
What are the headpieces made of?

silk milliners flowers

Simple headpieces can be made of milliners horsehair or crin, sew through boning Rigilene, (silk) flowers, ribbons and Swarovski crystals. More elaborate headpieces are built on a milleners wire frame, with laces and jewels attached using jewel wire. I buy most of my milliners supplies from ,JudithM(she takes small orders) or Hats by Leko($30.00 minimum purchase).

Precosia crystals

Swarovski crystal colors

Why do I keep specifying Swarovski crystals by name? Not because I am paid for product placement (although maybe someday? hope springs eternal) but because they are simply the best. Second best is Precosia, which is made in the Czech republic.  Precosia has some size, shapes and colors that are not available from Swarovski. You can mix the two brands of crystals to reduce costs but still end up with a high quality product. Although there are cheaper stones on the market, you get what you pay for. Stone for stone Swarovski and Precosia  give you the most sparkle for your costuming dollar because these stones are made to very high, consistent standards. Acrylic, cut glass  or knock-off crystal stones just do not sparkle enough to be seen past the edge of the stage and so it is a waste of your time and money to use them.



Crowns and tiaras: Odette-Odile, Swanlake

Odile, "Black Swan", Swan lake

Odette, White swan queen

Swan lake

Cinderella fariries Autumn and Summer

Fairies and goddesses: Diana, Cinderella fairies Autumn, Summer, Winter and Spring, Sleeping Beauty fairies
Princesses: Raymonda,  Aurora, Talisman, other, other
Flower headpieces:

Flower Circlet

Circlets: La Esmeralda, Giselle, flower
Around the bun
Side of the bun
Side of the bun pins
Hats:

Other types of headpieces