If you have made it this far, I assume you must take some joy in spending a night out dancing, or are just too enthralled to stop reading. In either case, a night of dancing can be a wonderful experience. It is even more fun when you are dressed for the occasion. Whether you are going to a salsa club, a standard club, a bar, or your best friend's crowded basement, when getting dressed to go out dancing, your first priority should be to enjoy dancing. Looking good comes next. Comfort and mobility are essential to a successful night of shameless flailing. In this post I will focus on how to dress to maximize dance floor comfort while still looking snazzy.
Let's start by talking about how to dress if you are a woman. To dress for a night of dancing we must start thinking from the ground up, literally. Your shoes will dictate how long you can dance before your feet begin to resent you. Comfortable, stylish flats, fancy sneakers or low heels are the best option. If you are like me, and unwilling to part with your high heels, opt for a wedge heel, or something that covers your foot fully. This shoe will have more stability than a strappy stiletto and won't slice your feet as they slide around.
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| I wear higher heels than this to the gym, still interesting flats like these will get you comfortably and stylishly through the night. |
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| These chunky sneakers look cool and are harboring a surprise attack heel on the inside. |
Moving on up, it is considered socially acceptable to cover your legs with something. While any blob of cloth will get the job done, some are better for dancing than others. You want the most mobility and comfort. Trade your favorite pair of going out skinny jeans for jeggings or faux leather leggings. These are quite stylish and allow a far wider range of motion. In lieu of other leg coverings jeggings and leather leggings tend to look more put together than normal leggings, but still show off your legs nicely. You can also show of your legs in a skirt. I would opt for a skirt that fits at the waist, or perhaps hips, and is loose and flowy over your upper legs. The skirt need not, and likely should not be particularly short or tight. This is not so much a matter of modesty as it is of practicality. Tight and short skirts restrict the range of motion of your legs, and tend to ride up. A circle skirt or skater skirt that reaches your mid thigh or lower will emphasize your waist with less threat of riding up. You can wear booty shorts underneath your skirt to avoid flashing anyone when the skirt flares up. Skirts like these also show off your dance skills when they move around. You can also wear a romper or dress where the skirt has the same cut as those described above. Shorts, just not jean shorts, leave your legs bare and give you full mobility without risk of flying up. If these options do not bring enough attention to your legs you can wear patterned stockings with any of these options. Patterned stockings emphasize the shape of your leg. Bear in mind, they will likely be a focal point of the outfit. The more attention grabbing the stockings are, the more muted the rest of your clothing should be.
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| It's a dress! It's a skirt! |
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| No, it's a romper! The built in shorts of a romper make them a great choice for dancing while not flashing total strangers. |
Maybe you do not feel like showing off your legs. That's fine too. A great option for dancing are wide legged patterned pants. These pants move as you dance showing off your dance skills. Their exciting pattern can be the central focus of your outfit. These pants are amazingly comfortable on a hot dance floor, and can conceal a high heel if you want to sneakily gain extra height...or if you have ugly shoes. Wide legged pants tend to draw attention to and can add volume to your hips and butt. Whether this is a good or bad thing is up to you. Another option is a fitted maxi skirt made of flexible material, and with slits in the sides. The stretchy material, and slits will allow you to move around freely, while the closer fit will prevent strangers from getting tangled in your long skirt.
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| These pants give me the power to dance and the power to stand in strange positions. |
Now that you have shoes and bottoms on you are almost ready to walk out of the house without violating nudity laws. Now you just need a top. Wear something with sleeves or straps that hold the top up. This avoids constantly pulling up your top while dancing. Cutouts can be a great way to look sexy, and stay cool without risking that the top will move around while you dance. If you do not need to wear a bra, an open back can be a great option. If you do need to wear a bra, just having cutouts in the back that still cover your bra may be preferable. Side cutouts, cutouts just under your collarbones, and cropped tops that reveal a slice of your midriff are great options for anyone.
Now, you are clothed and just about ready to go. Before you cake on the dramatic club makeup, remember you will be dancing, and your face will melt from the heat and sweat. Be kind to your skin instead. If you choose to wear makeup, use a lightweight tinted moisturizer instead of standard foundation. The moisturizer will help hydrate your skin as you lose water from dancing. Stick to a lightweight powder blush. If you want dramatic eyes, use waterproof mascara and eyeliner. This will prevent your sweat from giving you the irritated raccoon look. If you want to avoid any risk of raccoon eyes, bring the drama in your lips instead. A moisturizing bold lipstick, or lip stain won't melt the same way your eyes might, and will keep you lips looking and feeling healthy though the night. If you want to do your hair, do something that can survive hours of flailing, and won't wack the people around you if you turn suddenly. Tying you hair up in a low ponytail will help keep you cool and not injure innocent bystanders (unlike a high ponytail). Keep it to a simple bun, ponytail, or half up half down look. You can add a braid going over the front or side of your head, or a sparkly headband for a more put together look. Anything more complicated than this will likely not survive your night of dancing. You can add jewelry for pizzazz. Just make sure it is the sort of jewelry that won't maim everyone within a 10ft radius once you start moving around.
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| The necklace and purple lipstick will trick people into thinking I a put together. The necklace is heavy and short so it won't kill people while I dance. |
Men you are both lucky and unlucky in the dressing to dance department. On the one hand, getting dressed is less complicated, on the other, staying comfortable, and looking good are often at odds. A safe bet is to wear dark clothing made of comfortable fabrics. Starting from your shoes, black sneakers, fashionable sneakers, or any kind of shoe that is dark or trendy will do just fine. Dress shoes can get uncomfortable and are generally overly formal for a simple night of dancing. Unless you are wearing very trendy shoes that you want to show off, most people will not notice them. You are better off opting for comfortable dark shoes than over thinking your footwear.
While shorts may feel cool, they don't look cool in most outfits men wear dancing. Opt for a lightweight pair of dark slim or straight cut jeans, or a dark pair of cotton or linen pants. The structured cotton or linen pants offer the most mobility, and comfort. On top you have more options. You can keep it simple with a button down or collared shirt. Grey, navy, and black are always safe colors to go with, but don't be afraid to wear other colors that suit you. Speaking of suits, throwing a cotton blazer over a t-shirt and jeans is comfortable and looks cool. Pick a darker or graphic t-shirt to wear under the blazer, so that if you get too warm you can take off the blazer without looking sloppy.
Gentlemen, you are often rather sweaty creatures. This is perfectly fine and natural, but can become embarrassing for you, and awkward for your dance partner. A great way to avoid sweating through your shirt is to wear an undershirt. This will absorb much of your sweat and prevent it from reaching your button down. If you opt to wear a t-shirt, it may be wise to bring a back up. You will probably be more comfortable in a dry shirt anyway. On behalf of all other humans sharing the dance floor with you, I beg you not to douse yourselves in Axe in an attempt to cover your man-sweat smell. A good deodorant or antiperspirant, and a subtle cologne will do the trick without risking suffocating those around you.
Now that you know how to dress yourself, DANCE!
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