Majorette costumes are fun, perky costume choices for young girls, as well as a sexy option for women. Today, baton twirling is a popular sport that combines elements of dance and gymnastics into a coordinated routine that is fun to perform and beautiful to watch. Because of the great variety of majorette roles, there is also a great variety in costume design.
Where to Buy Majorette Costumes
Majorette costumes can be purchased in many places, including dancewear stores and other specialty boutiques as well as Halloween costume shops. The following websites are just a few of the many places offering the essential elements of these costumes:
- Amazon.com: A variety of Halloween and party-quality drum majorette costumes for children and adults
- Costume Craze: Little girl's majorette costume
- Kenerly Kreations: Competition-quality majorette costumes
- ABC Dance Supplies: Complete your look with a real baton
- ebay: Make your own costume with a vintage pattern
It is also possible to make homemade majorette attire by adding gems and colored accents to a basic leotard, adding a baton, and putting on a perky attitude to match the bold leadership costume.
Two Types of Majorette Costumes
What type of costume a young girl or woman chooses is based on the type of majorette role she wants to portray. There are two basic options.
1. Nostalgic Majorettes
Classic, nostalgic majorettes who led marching bands in parades in the 1950s and 1960s are familiar figures. These costumes include elements similar to a cheerleader, with a short, pleated skirt, white sneakers or boots adorned with flirty tassels, gloves to make the hands easily visible, and a hat with a feathered plume that would coordinate with the attire of the marching band. A short cape may be worn, and the costume should match the band as much as possible. For example, if the band's uniforms include double-breasted jackets with tails, the majorette's attire can be a flashier version of the same jacket. Another option is to have the costume tie in to the school mascot.
2. Competitive Majorettes
Competitive majorette dancers generally wear more revealing attire than the conservative bandleaders of yesteryear. Spangled leotards with flashy cutouts, bright, bold makeup, and elaborate hair styles are features that help establish a mood for each competition. For a slightly more modest version of a competitive costume, consider a short skirt similar to a figure skater. Whereas classic majorettes use bold colors that would match a school's logo, modern competitive majorettes can use any combination of stunning colors or even coordinated patterns, such as a vibrant tropical flower, flames, or starbursts on the costume.
Essential Accessories
Both categories of majorette costumes require certain accessories to be sure they are not confused with gymnasts or cheerleaders. The key accessory is the baton - the tool a majorette uses to keep the music tempo and share signals with the musicians. Toy batons can be found in many toy stores, or it is easy to create a baton with a slender piece of pipe or a wooden dowel capped with decorative tassels or glittery knobs. If the costume will be worn while trick-or-treating, a glow stick baton could be used for greater visibility and safety. Real batons can also be purchased from different online retailers and specialty stores, with prices beginning around $20. While this may seem expensive for a costume accessory, if a young girl is interested in learning how to twirl, it can be a great gift as well.
Other accessories depend on the type of majorette being portrayed. If the classic school band majorette style is preferred, accessories may include school pennants and decorative accents (cords, hair ribbons, etc.) in school colors. A competitive costume may have not only a baton, but also a long twirling ribbon or a medal for a championship majorette to wear.
What to Avoid
Because majorette costumes are similar to figure skaters and cheerleaders, it is important to avoid certain accessories and details that could misrepresent the costumes. A majorette, for example, would never carry pompons, nor would she carry a musical instrument - she leads the band, she isn't a member of it. Carrying a baton, that crucial accessory, is also a great way to avoid confusion.
