May 2016 Favorites!

Dancewear:

Grishko 2007 pointe shoes:  I wore 2007s "back in the day" when I first went en pointe.  After trying a myriad of Grishko's new models that make minor improvements to the 2007 last, there's something refreshing about the original classic design.  Anyone who wears a Triumph, Maya, Nova, Miracle, or DreamPointe can also wear a Grishko 2007, as all 6 shoes are created using the same last.  All follow the same size and width scales except the Triumph and Maya (don't ask why, I don't know).  I love that the 2007s have a higher cut heel (less slippage) and lower cut vamp (easier to pop over and exaggerate the arch).  This makes them great for performances.  Other models may last longer, but this "OG" Grishko bestseller has a lot to offer. (Note that this shoe works best for dancers with tapered toes.)  (Available from discountdance.com, bestpointe.com, and 

grishkoshop.com)

Yumiko Veronique Leotard with cap sleeves:  I love this style for spring.  In my area it's often quite warm in the spring, but it's also windy and rainy.  The Veronique style with cap sleeves is perfect for the weather.  It provides enough coverage to feel modest and keep me warm-ish when the studio is chilly, but the short sleeves and back cutout keep me from getting overheated.  My Veronique is black with pale periwinkle colored trim, so it's also most stylish in the spring.  (available from http://global.yumiko-online.com/)

Streetwear:

Rewind Back Cutout Skater Dress (from Kohl's):  This dress has a similar style to the Veronique leotard.  It has a modest front, wide straps, and a small cutout at the lower back.  The dress can easily cover a bra without anything showing through the cutout.  I love that the cutout is small and inconspicuous, but really fun for warmer months.  If you pair the dress with a sweater, it can also work for cooler weather.  I prefer the black and white option, but this dress also comes in a cute shade of light ballet pink. (Available from kohls.com)

Skincare:

Drunk Elephant Skincare Line:  My skin has been so sensitive and dry lately.  Blame it on the weather, stress, sweat…  Regardless of the cause, I always want softer skin with less redness.  This line consists of cleansers, serums, oils, and creams formulated with gentle, non-toxic, and natural ingredients.  The products are pricy ($20-$100 per product), but they absolutely work.  If you want healthy, beautiful skin that requires less makeup (hello, I do), check out this line.  It's available from Sephora, sephora.com, and drunkelephant.com.

Makeup:

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Sugar Ruby:  I recently had a few performances and a photo shoot, and the required makeup for these events was "light stage."  For things like headshots, photos to be printed in programs, and performances in small theaters, it's important to wear the right makeup to magnify/enhance your features without the overwhelming effect of full stage makeup.  Simple face powder, eye liner, mascara, blush, and lip color are all you need.  I love this lip treatment because it's a sheer red with a little shimmer.  The formula feels like a balm, and it gives the perfect wash of stage-red color without the trouble of highly pigmented or drying lipstick.  This product is available from Sephora, sephora.com, or on fresh.com.

Food:

Green Juice:  Green juice is totally a fad right now, but I really, really love it!  I enjoy making my own, but you can also find pre-squeezed tasty green juices at most grocery stores (not just Whole Foods).  Here's how I make mine.  In a blender, I combine 3 cups of fresh spinach (about half a bag of fresh spinach from the bagged salad section of the grocery) with a large can of pineapple chunks in 100% pineapple juice.  I blend the pineapple, juice, and spinach until it is liquefied, then pour the mixture into a 3 quart pitcher.  I then add additional liquid (water, green tea, or a different juice) until the pitcher is full.  I love having green juice as a refreshing and sweet-tasting (honestly, the spinach adds practically no flavor) snack before or after dance class.

Brand Spotlight: SoDanca

This Brazilian brand came to be in the 1980s.  In order to better meet dancers’ needs, the Teixeira Araujo family opened two So Danca locations in Sao Palo.  Over the years, they have kept on creating items that meet dancers’ needs of affordability, style, and function.

pronunciation	So-dance-uh
website	sodanca.com (browse only)
styles of dance included	ballet, pointe, tap, character, jazz, ballroom, modern/lyrical/contemporary, flamenco, acrobatic/gymnastics
types of items	shoes, bodywear
country of origin	Brazil
price point	generally low-moderate
quality	decent, but nothing special
availability	Pretty broad availability in the US.  Easy to find most items in local dancewear stores and online (discountdance.com, etc.).  Some items can be special ordered in additional colors and widths; this has to be done through a dancewear store.  Individuals cannot order from official website.
Sizing	Shoes: ballet shoes (including pointe): 1.5-2 sizes down from US street size hard shoes (character, ballroom, tap): street size to up 1 size (US sizing) leotards/bodywear: true to size warm-ups: true to size, but waistbands can be tight
Jillian’s top pick	D-340 tank “ladder back” leotard.  Comfy and flattering.
Jillian’s item to avoid	SD-55 children’s ballet shoes and BA-13 adult ballet shoes.  Both have a clunky fit and are not very comfortable.  While not terrible items, there are many better options out there.  Pointe shoes also fit very wide and are just “ok” quality.

Help! I can’t find a hairnet in the right color!

Is it the day before your competition and the dancewear store is sold out of all the hair nets closest to your hair color?  First, I am obligated to say that you should not wait until the last minute to purchase any important items.  Second, discountdance.com and capezio.com both have Bunheads Guaranteed Perfect Invisible Hairnets in more colors than most local dancewear stores or drug/beauty supply stores (so you can stock up in advance).  If all else fails and you need a hairnet with a decent color match right now, here is a guide to what net colors work with what hair colors.

Remember that the purpose of a hairnet (in dance) is to keep “fuzzies” from appearing around a neat bun and showing up under stage lights.  Hairnets also need to be pretty close to the natural hair color in order to be invisible from the audience.  I will be referring to colors associated with Bunheads Guaranteed Perfect Invisible Hairnets, which are the ones that most local dancewear stores carry.  Note that blonde hairnets tend to be super bleach blonde and black hairnets tend to be dark blue-black.

hair Color	ideal net color	ok net colors	avoid this net color
light blonde	blonde	light brown	black, dark brown, auburn
dark blonde	light brown	auburn, medium brown	black, dark brown
strawberry blonde	light brown	auburn, blonde	black, dark brown
light brown	light brown	medium brown, auburn	blonde, black
red	auburn	medium brown, light brown	blonde, black
medium brown	medium brown	light brown, auburn	blonde
darker auburn	auburn	dark brown, medium brown	blonde
dark brown	dark brown	medium brown, auburn	blonde, light brown
black	black	dark brown	blonde, light brown, auburn

How to write a product review (and how to use them to your advantage)

If you're a big online shopper like me, you probably read tons of product reviews before making purchases.  I frequent websites for stores like Discount Dance and Sephora.  I always use reviews to help me decide what products to buy, and I love leaving reviews to help the next customers.  After years of doing this, I consider myself a bit of a connoisseur of  product reviews.  I've formed strong opinions on what makes a review useful.  My day job involves writing and editing, and I love writing this blog for you, so I like to think I have good advice. :) 

First I'll explain how to write a useful review, then I'll talk a bit more about reading reviews and using them to help you make the best choices in your online shopping.

All online reviews that I am familiar with use a star-rating system in addition to a written review.  Most use a 5 star scale.  5 stars is the best rating, and 1 star is the worst rating.  (Some people get this backwards, and it leads to really confusing reviews.)  When rating the product, rate it on quality, not value for price.  People use star ratings to see if the product is worth buying.  The item's price is listed, so people can determine for themselves whether or not the item fits in their budgets.  A really good expensive item is sometimes a much better buy than a "just ok" cheap item, and sometimes really expensive items are poor quality while cheaper ones perform better.  Rating items based purely on quality of use or wear creates more useful reviews.

When formulating your written review, keep a few things in mind.  Remember to own your opinions and use I-statements (I think…, etc.) since people tend to have different opinions and preferences.  Back up your I-statements with evidence based on your experiences.  Even if you hated the product, don't use profanity or other demeaning language (calling a product or brand "garbage," etc.).  While your grammar doesn't have to be perfect, try to spell words (especially brand names) correctly and use capital letters and punctuation.  Avoid text speak; many people don't understand texting abbreviations. 

I recommend writing a minimum of  5 and maximum of 10 sentences.  If your review is too long, people will not read the whole thing and therefore not get the full benefit of your review.  It it's too short, it won't hold enough useful information. 

In the first sentence, introduce yourself in relation to the product you are reviewing.  If it's a skincare item, state your age range and skin type (I'm a woman in my 20s, and I have sensitive combination skin).  If it's a dancewear item, state your general level, style of dance, and experience (I'm an advanced ballet dancer, and I take 6 or more classes a week).  Adding a little bit of information about yourself helps other customers.  If they are like you, they are likely to have a similar experience with the product.  If they are different from you, they will know that their experiences may differ.

In the second sentence, explain why you got the product.  Were you experiencing a problem? ("My skin has been really dry recently" or "The heels of my shoes kept slipping off.")  Have you noticed this product is popular among your friends?  ("Many of the other dancers at my studio wear this brand.")  Was it appealing for another reason?  Did you get if as a gift? ("My grandma got me this for my birthday, and I love the color so much.")  This helps set the context for your actual review.  Overall, people tend to be happier with items that they view as popular or that they got as gifts, and they tend to judge products more strictly if they are supposed to fix a problem. 

In the third section (which may be one sentence or a few sentences), explain your experience with the product.  How often did you use it? ("I used this serum every night for 3 weeks" or "I've worn these tights to class 4 times.")  Did you wash it (if it was clothing)?  ("I washed them after each wear.")   Most importantly, do you like the product and how it seems to be working for you? ("My skin is more hydrated when I use the serum" or "The tights are soft, but they already have a run.")

In the fourth section, start wrapping up your review with your takeaway thoughts on the product.  If you got the product to solve a problem, is it solved?  Are you seeing long-term results?  ("My skin is staying hydrated and looks noticeably brighter than it was before I used the serum" or "These tights make my shoes fit better, but they aren't especially durable.")

In the last section, give your verdict.  Would you repurchase this product?  Would you recommend it to a friend?  Do you think it is worth the price?  ("I love this serum, and I will repurchase it.  I'd recommend it to anyone with dry skin.  I think it is worth the price because it is so effective.") This last question is important, but be careful with it.  Not everyone has the same budget, so what is "unreasonably expensive" to one person is "quite cheap" to others.  I recommend including a value for price assessment (especially if your review is one of only a few for that item), but don't give the product a lower star rating because you think it's too pricey.

Your final review should look something like :

"I'm a woman in my 20s, and I have sensitive combination skin.  My skin has been really dry recently.  I used this serum every night for 3 weeks.  My skin is staying hydrated and looks noticeably brighter than it was before I used the serum.  I love this serum, and I will repurchase it.  I'd recommend it to anyone with dry skin.  I think it is worth the price because it is so effective."  

OR

"I'm an advanced ballet dancer, and I take 6 or more classes a week.  The heels of my shoes kept slipping off, so I wanted to try convertible tights with larger convertible openings that don't cover my heels.  I've worn these tights to class 4 times, and I washed them after every wear.  The tights are soft, but they already have a run.  The heels of my shoes aren't slipping off anymore, so  they definitely make my shoes fit better.  These tights solved my problem, but they don't seem to be especially durable.  I'd recommend these tights to dancers who have heel-slipping problems.  I'm not sure these are a good value because they aren't too durable."

A review like this is super helpful to the next customers who view the product!

When you are shopping online, here are a few tips for using reviews to help you decide what to buy.

Always read at least a few of the written reviews; don't just look at products' star ratings.  Like I said earlier, some people get the star rating system backwards and rate their favorite products with 1 star and least favorite products with 5 stars.  (I reiterate, this is incorrect.  5 stars is the highest rating.)  Also, the written reviews will reveal any strange tendencies with the product that may not detract from the overall quality ratings.  (For example, a particular leotard may run short in the torso, making it a poor choice for long-torsoed dancers even though it's stylish and high quality.)

Concentrate on the most recent reviews.  If a product has been around for a long time, there's a good chance it has been changed since it was initially released.  Skincare and makeup items are re-formulated and re-packaged, and clothing items come in different colors and fits as manufacturing specifics change.  This is especially true when many early reviews point out the same problem--many companies try to fix issues and please customers.

Be aware of overly vague reviews like "Nice product."  Sometimes (not always, just sometimes) companies produce reviews for themselves to raise their products' star ratings and make them more popular.  If you notice that reviews with high star ratings have little written information, but low star ratings have more in-depth and realistic feedback, this may be happening.  I'd advise against purchasing a product in this situation.

If you have a question or comment about a specific dancewear item, please let me know.  I love hearing others' experiences with products and providing insight when I can.