Hey, I’m Tia!
I am a dancer and a seamstress, and I’m revolutionizing dancewear by creating leotards that are as comfy as your athleticwear. I believe that dancers are athletes, and they deserve comfortable, supportive clothing. I also believe in eliminating the idea that beauty is pain where it doesn’t have to be. I can’t make your pointe shoes comfier, but I can definitely help you with your leotards!
I started ballet as a sophomore in high school.
I was a rookie, but I jumped right in and instantly loved almost everything about the world of ballet—pointed toes, classical music, hair in buns, the feeling in your body when so many muscles are engaged to complete a ballet barre—I even loved the smell of leotards and tights.
Since then, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with leotards that I’m sure other dancers can relate to.
Some leotards are soft and silky, comfortable, and you like how they look and feel on your body. Others, though, almost seem like they were intentionally designed to be uncomfortable! I was always trying to find another new leotard that I could feel comfortable and confident wearing to class, one that provided enough coverage, was secure and comfortable and made me feel like an athlete, but was feminine and made me feel beautiful, too. Those were some high expectations and it was hard to find what I was looking for.
In college I discovered, to my delight, there were sewing classes I could take!! I’d always wanted to learn to sew, but never had anyone who could teach me in-depth sewing lessons. My grandmother, with some persuasion, had lovingly taught me some basics. But in college I took advantage of every sewing class offered but one.
One summer I signed up for the swimsuits class, and everyone around me seemed panicked—everyone had heard nothing but horror stories about sewing lycra and other stretch fabrics. I was expecting to feel the fabric stretch, slip and slide out of control and get tangled up in the machine. Happily, instead, I found that I couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about, because lycra was easy to sew to me. Not to mention it was a more forgiving fabric that was easier to fit and much comfier to wear.
Stretch fabrics are the bomb.
It didn’t take much after that for me to realize that 1) swimsuits are pretty darn close to leotards and 2) this was my opportunity to embrace a unique creative outlet and to serve a specific group of people by combining two things I love: sewing and dance!
Now I use my skill of sewing stretch fabrics to design leotards that are soft, comfy, athletic, supportive, and feminine.
And now, I want to show you how you can do the same thing.