Hi dancers!
Today I want to show you some of my favourite leotards. Those of you who follow me on Instagram will have seen that last week, I tried on some leotards by Claudia Dean Collections on my stories. I already had two beautiful CDC leotards, the Aurora Peach from the Signature collection and Bluebell from the Floral Collection, and then they sent me two more to try from the Floral Collection. I have the videos saved to a highlight if you missed it (@daretodanceblog on Instagram).
There is a reason that everyone is going crazy for these leotards. I think what makes them different is that Claudia clearly considers every little detail very carefully. Yes, there are so many gorgeous unique designs and colours, but beyond this you can tell that Claudia really takes time to get the perfect fabrics, feel, lining, fit, and support. So, I decided to try on my Claudia Dean Collections leotards again and take some fun photographs of them!
I wear an Adult Large in all of these leotards. The photos were taken by Jake Owens, and edited by me. Enjoy, and let me know which CDC leotards you have in your collection!
Signature Collection: Aurora Peach
The Aurora Peach is the first CDC leotard I bought and I love it- you will have seen me wearing it in other photographs like this studio shoot I did before the first lockdown. It’s a very flattering design with a pretty neckline that’s not too low, and a high cut leg. I find the floral collection leotards more comfortable than this one, because more bottom coverage has been added and this one can ride up a bit because of the high cut leg. However it’s also a cut that makes your legs look really long and I know loads of dancers who prefer it, so if you’re one of them, you’ll love this leotard. I also adore this colour, peach and coral colours are some of my favourites.
Floral Collection: Bluebell
I bought this when the floral collection was released, and I had such a hard time getting hold of it because it kept selling out immediately! You can see why- the Bluebell design is so unique and gorgeous. It has a super low, square back and very soft mesh that comes high at the front. I find the high neckline the best option if you have a bust, lots of dancers look for a shelf lining but I find that a higher neckline and maybe even getting a size down for a firmer fit provides more support- I think I actually could have gone down a size here for a bit of extra support, but this leotard is very comfortable and very beautiful.
Foral Collection: Bluebell Lily
The Bluebell Lily leotard is the same design as the Bluebell one above, but all white. I talked about this on my Instagram story, but I NEVER thought I could wear an all-white leotard. I thought that white was clingy and unflattering unless you had a very toned physique, especially a toned stomach, and I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off with a bust as well. However I think that this is my new favourite leotard. It’s lined really well, so it’s not see-through at all, and the extra lining seems to give it a firmer fit, because it’s the same size as my Bluebell leotard but feels more supportive. It is really thick, soft, luxurious fabric and definitely the most comfortable leotard I’ve worn.
I got photobombed by the dog at the end! Doesn’t he just steal the spotlight?? Also the grey skirt I’m wearing in some of these photos is the Ombré Swan rehearsal skirt from Cloud and Victory- another brand I adore & this skirt has been my favourite for over a year (Marianela Nunez has one!).
Floral Collection: Daisy Jasmine
The last leotard in my collection of CDC leotards is the Daisy Jasmine. I love the colour of this leotard because it’s so unique and I think it’s really flattering. The neckline sits at the top of the bust so it gives enough coverage, which can be a problem with some strappy leos and ones with that kind of sweetheart neckline. I especially love the mesh panel at the back that comes around to the sides- it’s really soft mesh and I love the design. I somehow neglected to get a good picture of the back of this one, so if you want to see what the back looks like on, you can check out that highlight in my Instagram stories!
Please note that this isn’t a sponsored post or an ad, although the Bluebell Lily and Daisy Jasmine leotards were gifted to me by Claudia Dean Collections- I just genuinely love these leotards and wanted to show them off in a fun way as I have a few now!
Claudia Dean Collections actually has a new Christmas collection as well as new activewear dropping in just a few hours as well- I’m not going to be able to get any of these new pieces straight away (because, you know, being a freelance artist during a pandemic) but I really hope there’s some left for when I can! Let me know if you get any of them so I can live vicariously through you! Just be quick because my experience trying to buy the Bluebell leotard tells me some pieces sell out quicker and quicker with every launch!
Also remember that these items ship from Australia, so there’s often a customs charge to pay- please don’t ask me because I don’t remember how much I paid (someone DMs me asking about once per week and I never remember sorry!)- you can find customs charges calculators online!
I hope you enjoyed this post and until next time,
Jessica x