Let’s be honest. Bikini competitions are expensive! There are entry fees, tanning appointments, travel to and from the show, hotels, supplements, gym memberships, and nutritionists. Add a sequined competition suit, and you could be looking at $1,500 or more – for ONE show!
Competition bikinis from reputable companies are a minimum of $200 {for a basic suit, with no rhinestones} and can run as much as $700 for full rhinestoning. Having grown up sewing with my mom, I decided to attempt my own {to be safe, I gave myself until 6 weeks prior to my show, at which point if I didn’t have the construction down, I was going to order one from someone else}.
Hours of research and testing different patterns, three completed “practice” suits, and a few burns from the rhinestone applicator later, I had my suit done. My first suit took about 4 weeks to construct; the second I completed in about 6 hours over the course of three days {yay efficiency!}.
Since it’s one of the questions I get most commonly at shows, thought it was about time I document the process I’m following for competition suit #3, scheduled to make its debut in May.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll walk you step-by-step through the process of making your own suit, share my favorite sources for suit materials, and tricks for those who want to alter or jazz up a suit they’ve bought from someone else. Click the Subscribe button in the upper right to receive each post in your inbox as they go live!