DIY

Competition Suit DIY: Connectors

You’ll need a total of 6 connectors for your suit. If you want to save a little more, you could skip the connectors, but they add a lot of sparkle on stage – always a good thing! I buy my connectors from Mode Beads or Bead and Trim. Bead and Trim is less per unit, but has a minimum order quantity per style of 4-10 – great if you’re splitting with other girls or making multiple suits, but leads to extra materials if you’re just buying for yourself. The specific connectors I use are all linked below, or you can buy any extras I have from my Etsy shop.

First up, the center connector. This is a small piece between the two triangles. The size that will look best depends on how wide your chest is. I have a fairly small frame, so I use a center connector that is a little under 1″ wide like this 3×3 crystal or this one with a larger center stone. If you prefer more spacing in your top, you might prefer a 3×6 crystal connector like this one.

Buying the Fabric for Your Competition Bikini

Whether buying or making your competition bikini, picking the right fabric is critical. A few things to keep in mind when selecting your fabric:

Competition bikinis should always be made with 4 way stretch spandex. Unlike 2 way stretch, which only moves in one direction, 4 way stretch spandex stretches both cross-wise and length-wise. This enables the fabric to move with you and be pulled taught around a fixed object {like your top inserts} without the print “cracking”. If you pull a 2 way stretch fabric in a direction it does not stretch, the ink used to print the fabric will appear to crack, losing its elasticity and showing white or black lines through the print.

I source all of my fabrics from Spandex House. They have tons of 4 way stretch spandex options in nearly every color imaginable, and at really reasonable prices. I used their Avatar print in Turquoise and Black on my last suit, and have the same fabric in Black/Silver, Black/Purple, Black/Royal, and Black/Kelly as options for my next suit {I’m only a little indecisive…}. I also picked up the Scattered Mini Dot fabric in Red/Black as an option for my next suit.

Competition Suit DIY: Intro

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!}.