Posing DVDs, Suits, and Tanning

[Tiffers]

Posing DVDs...how do you ladies feel about them? I was thinking about purchasing one, even though there are a bunch of videos on youtube. That being said, I don't know if some of those girls on youtube know what they're doing, so I don't want to learn from them.

Ughhhhhhhhh I just read Bev's question about the suits, and I'm thinking to myself "HOLY CRAP, do I need to ORDER ONE now?!". So yeah, DO I? How on earth do you get one made if you're going to shrink? I remember Yetta's suit was too big by the time she competed in her first (she was the amazing shrinking woman!), so I figured (haha, get it?) that I'd get it maybe 4-6 weeks out. I plan on losing A LOT of fat on my butt, so I don't know when I should start looking.

TANNING. I usually tan on a regular basis in a tanning bed (I haven't been in a while...I'm whiteeeeeeeeeee). I know that I'm going to need to get some lotion for comp. day (or usually the day before, right?), I just don't know which brand to use. I've heard horror stories about some, but I think that Marilyn swore by Jantana. What do y'all use?

THANKIES! :D

[CTri17]

Tiff, I would get your suit now...you are lean already and the designer should be able to help you figure out where you will be. And perhaps ask sarah how far you think you will get down. Mine are already ordered...and I went to my first fitting back in early December. i'll have another fitting about 4 weeks out. but Suits take time, and now is the time of year that designers get busy. anything less than 8 weeks before your comp designers will charge an express fee....so just be careful.

I havent gotten a posing DVD , I've been utilizing other girls that have competed so I cant help you there.

I'm starting to tan this week cuz I am WHITE!
I got Jantana for my comp stuff....Nikhi can help here too, she is writing her comp plan up and i'm really excited to read it
here is an article from bodybuilding.com
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/brenda1.htm

hope this helps tiff!

[SarahPT]

Yeah, it's time to start thinking abiout the suit. You don't need to order asap, but do look around so you know what you want. You can also think about buying an undecorated one and decorating it yourself. It's easy. I just starting decorating suits for people and it's easier than I thought. And keep in mind that you are going to get smaller than you think, especially after losing peak week water weight.

My personal fav for tanning is the dream tan because it gives you a nice shimmer. For Dream Tan using it the night before and the morning of is a good idea. Jan Tana is decent, I have never thought much of pro tan.

[CTri17]

just check to make sure there is no rules against dream tan. for my show we arent allowed to use it because apparently it gets all over the place...

[Tiffers]

I think that I might stick with JanTana.

[CTri17]

it should be interesting...I'm wondering who is gonna paint me, haha
hopefully my roomie will help, but she may be on a reality show then. :lol:

[Tiffers]

it should be interesting...I'm wondering who is gonna paint me, haha
hopefully my roomie will help, but she may be on a reality show then. :lol:
Wick will probably paint me.

What show might she be going on?!

[CTri17]

it's a hip hop show....called Not just a dancer
she dances in a hip hop group now... its gonna show them from tryouts to the finished product....
yea my bf will def not be painting me, he might faint haha....He's a great guy, strong Christian and I dont think that would fly lol

[Yettamae]

If you don't have access to a posing coach, then a posing DVD is a must. I own 3 Figure Coach, Cathy Savage, and Mike Davies. I like the Mike Davies and Cathy Savage ones the best. They are very helpful when it comes to walk, presentation, and what the judges are looking for. The figurecoach.com one is ghetto in my opinion. I got my measurements taken when I was 2 weeks out for this year. I would take with the designer, most times they anticipate the 6-8 pounds weight loss and design the suit for that. The suit that I used from my very first show was not custom made, so that did make a huge difference. I would start looking now, so you have a designer picked out. For tanning since I already had a base tan I just used Pro Tan the night before the show. Some light skinned black women, do tan too. You want to tan up tp the show to have a solid base then use the Jana Tan or Pro Tan the night before not that day. I used Pro Tan in the past, but I was told it was for amateurs, so I am going to go with Jana Tan this time around. When you apply the posing oil it may streak. I saw it happen and the tanning product starting caking up and got all over a girl suit.

[Yettamae]

it should be interesting...I'm wondering who is gonna paint me, haha
hopefully my roomie will help, but she may be on a reality show then. :lol:

My mother in law painted me in the buff twice I felt so embarrassed, but it had to be done! We had alot of good luaghs during it, especially when she told me to spread them! lol Then the job was finally passed to my hubby. ;)

[Tiffers]

ARGGGGGGGH! Trying to find a suit that I like and is relatively inexpensive and this SUCKS! LOL I should spend more on the one-piece and less on the two-piece, correct? Since one-piece is for judging?

[nikhi19]

Tiff you get judged in both. I would spend equal amounts on both, but you'll need more stones on the one piece since there's more material and you want to stand out. So you might end up spending more on the 1pc. I spent about $300 on each of my suits, but I did the stones myself and saved a bundle, otherwise it would have been close to $600 each suit.

[Tiffers]

*faints in ten characters*

[nikhi19]

Yeah, the suits are NOT cheap. Have you tried divaexchange.com yet? What about ebay?

[Tiffers]

Yeah, the suits are NOT cheap. Have you tried divaexchange.com yet? What about ebay?
I think maybe for my first suit (since I'm not the best at measuring or knowing what kind/type I will need plus I have no clue what I will look like afterwards) I might just go custom with a professional designer. There are so many out there that have made so many for different body types that they'd probably have a better clue than I. I will try divaexchange.com though! *pokes around*

[SarahPT]

Divaexchange is great! I sell suits there. But most people don't give you a refund if it doesn't fit. Have you thought about stoning it yourself? If you do, go to CherryBombs.net. Go to womens' posing suits. You can order a suit, ven one of the nice velvet ones, plain for CHEAP. And you can return it if i doesn't fit. Then you can order Swarovski Crystals from Rhinestoneshop.com. They sell them the cheapest that I've found, and believe me I have looked everywhere for the cheapest. Gluing them on takes time, but it's not that bad. Even when you order an expensive suit if you look close they are not perfect. You don't have to be perfect at it.
If you decide to do that and need advice just let me know.

[Yettamae]

Here is an inexpensive website for suits:

http://www.teazfashions.com/

Check out the sale items and off the rack suits. You can stone them yourself.

[Tiffers]

Did I mention that I suck at sewing and clothing design? No? Oh well.

[SarahPT]

lol you don't have to sew anything!!

[Tiffers]

'Splain! How do the little stones get on then?

[CTri17]

'Splain! How do the little stones get on then?

glue my friend, glue.

[Tiffers]

glue my friend, glue.
Oh...snap...*blushes*

So then how did you guys design your suits? I suck at making designs and patterns with tiny objects.

[CTri17]

lol I didnt design mine...mine were done. but I know nikhi did so maybe she can help

[SarahPT]

I just started by looking at suits that other suit designers made for ideas. Industrial strength glue and toothpicks to put the glue on. You don't really have to have an eye for design, trust me I don't! I just look for ideas that I think look simple, like stones lining the edges and things with straight lines.

[Tiffers]

Thanks girlies!

[Tiffers]

Hmmm, so I could buy the swovorski crystals on eBay then buy the suit and voila?

[SarahPT]

Yeah pretty much. And some industrial strength glue. Gotta make sure they stay put!

[Tiffers]

Okay, then I guess that I'm gonna try that. LOL About how many crystals should I think about getting? There are so many loose-bead deals on eBay.

[CTri17]

well I know some suit company's say....2 suits with up to 500, 1000, blah blah blah...so I guess it's just how blinged out you wanna be...pm nikhi perhaps...I know she did her own

[SarahPT]

The suits I have done have been about 300 crystals, usually 3 different sizes. Depends on how fandy you want the suit.