What to Do with Old Dance Costumes: Practical Ideas with a Sentimental Twist
This post may contain affiliate links that allow us to earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
As a dance mom, I know the feeling — you’ve got dance costumes piling up in the closet, storage bins, or even the attic, but each one has a special memory attached to it. From the first recital to that winning solo, it’s hard to decide what to keep and what to part with. So what should you do with all these costumes? Here are some options that balance practicality with a bit of sentimentality.
Keep the Costumes That Matter Most
Let’s face it—some costumes are too precious to let go. Whether it’s their first-ever performance costume or a group dance that holds special memories, keeping a few can be a great way to hold onto those memories. Personally, I still have my daughter’s very first lyrical costume tucked away in a storage bin. Not ready to part with it yet!
If you’ve got the space, hanging onto them can be a fun way to relive the good old days. Younger siblings or cousins will love playing dress-up in them, and honestly, who doesn’t love a good laugh when you pull out those old recital photos?
Turn Them into a Quilt
Some parents choose to make a quilt out of their child’s old costumes, and it’s a beautiful keepsake. You can use pieces from each costume to create a quilt for your dancer, especially after their senior year, as a sentimental gift. If you or someone in your family sews, this can be a great way to hold onto those memories without needing a whole closet to store them. It’s both practical and heartwarming.
Repurpose for Halloween or Themed Parties
Dance costumes are often elaborate and colorful, which makes them perfect for reusing during Halloween or themed parties. You can easily repurpose an old jazz or ballet costume for a fairy, superhero, or princess look. Encourage your child to get creative by mixing and matching accessories to give the costume a whole new flair. This not only saves money but also gives the costumes another chance to shine. In addition, younger siblings may be thrilled with the option to use a gorgeous costume for future Halloween costumes!
Donate to Dance Studios or Theaters
Many dance studios, local theater companies, and school drama clubs are always looking for costume donations. Speak with your studio owner, some studios enjoy having additional costumes for summer dance camps. Old dance costumes can help schools and small production companies create professional-looking performances on a tight budget. It’s also a wonderful way to give back to the dance community and ensure that other kids can experience the joy of performing in something special. Another option for donating would be local charities. Also, if you choose to donate, don’t forget to get a tax receipt!
Sell Them Online
There’s a growing market for secondhand dance costumes online. Websites like eBay, Poshmark, or even dance-specific resale sites and Facebook groups allow you to sell gently used costumes. If your child has only worn a costume a few times and it is in good condition, it can be the perfect option for another dancer to use. This is an excellent way to clear out space and make some extra money to put toward future dance expenses!
Frame a Favorite for a Keepsake Display
Some costumes hold more meaning than others—like the one your dancer wore during their first solo or a big win. Why not frame a special costume and turn it into a keepsake display? You can include photos, medals, or ribbons from the event to create a shadow box that celebrates their hard work and accomplishments. This makes for a meaningful piece of art for their room or your home’s dance space.
Create a Dress-Up Bin
If you have younger children or friends with little ones, why not create a dress-up bin full of old dance costumes? Kids love to play pretend, and dance costumes can inspire hours of imaginative fun. This can be especially entertaining for playdates or sleepovers, where the kids can host their own “performances” right in your living room.
Use for DIY Projects
If you or your child enjoys crafting, dance costumes can be a treasure trove of materials. Sequins, tulle, rhinestones, and lace can all be repurposed into new DIY projects. You can use the fabric to create hair accessories, add embellishments to bags or jackets, or even decorate your dance mom gear! The possibilities are endless.
Old dance costumes don’t have to gather dust in the back of a closet. Whether you choose to donate, repurpose, or get crafty, these cherished costumes can continue to bring joy long after the curtain falls. Plus, by giving these outfits new life, you’ll clear up some much-needed space and preserve precious memories in fun and creative ways.
What do you do with your child’s old dance costumes? Share your ideas below!
Great ideas – Our costumes are in bins. I just can’t part with them.
Thank you for the list of costume resellers! That may be an option for us.
My grandma took my old costumes and turned them into pillows for me!
I use them for Spirit Week (dress up week at school) and Costume Parties. I also wear all the hair accessories everyday.
Excellent idea!!
I placed my daughter’s first recital costumes, shoes (after she outgrew them), a copy of the program book and her “offical” dance pictures in a shadow box that is hanging in her room above her “studio” corner.
I would LOVE to see a picture!!!!
My daughter keeps them for dress up and Halloween costumes. We give the outgrown ones to friends and family members for their children to play in. My daughter is outgrowing playing dress up, but still does Halloween costumes. Her things are getting into adult sizes and I love the suggestion of donating the outgrown and unneeded ones to the school’s theatre department.
I have kept all my daughter’s costumes (and mine!) because they are part of her history. We have used them for Halloween costumes, Spirit Week, loaned them to other dancers and, most of all, used them at church as part of our sacred dance group. I can’t imagine parting with any of them!
I still wear some of mine. I adapt them to street wear, then wear them to parties or date night.
There is a great organization called “Traveling Tutus” that collects used costumes and other supplies and distributes them to orphanages or other programs in depressed areas. Check it out.
Thank you so much for this info. I have been looking for something just like this. Personally I feel the costumes are very excessive, and while I disagree with asking parents to spend such exorbitant amounts of money on costumes for our young dancers, I feel better about donating them to those less fortunate after they are used. My daughter used to get alot of use playing dress-up and doing “shows” with costumes, but now she is in 6th grade and does not have interest in the costumes after the recital. Thank you!!!!!
So far we have kept all of ours! They have been used for dress up, Halloween costumes and Spirit Week! My oldest daughter (the costume owner) has also had a fun time using them for her babysitting kids! The afternoon goes by pretty quick when you have tons of costumes to try on!
We can use them for other functions or we can exchange them with our friend’s cloth so we get another Dancewear for next session. Else we can sale them out and by adding some money get another new one.
Dance is passion and things connected with the dance are always memorable. I still have the costume that I wore on my first dance performance.
We have a great non-profit called Born to Dance (borntodance.org) in our area that we donate our costumes to. They then get them to underserved and disable youth that are in need of dance attire.
I just finished making my daughter’s “Dance Quilt” from all of her old recital costumes. It’s such a great reminder of how far she has come in 10 years.
I’d love to see a picture of your quilt. [email protected]
can you send me a picture of the quilt made with dance costumes? I’ve been tasked with making a quilt or wall hanging out of my granddaughters dresses. Thanks
Trying to see you know of any places that purchase costumes
I donated my daughter’s costumes to a local preschool/HeadStart Program. They use them in their “dress-up” center.
My daughter became interested in sewing costumes. She deconstructed a few of them to understand how they would made. She also upcycled some of the material (especially tulle) into some of her attempts at creating new ones. She is also using the fabric to create American Girl Doll sized ballet costumes.