The Updated and All-Inclusive Costume Thread

[prncssjas]

If you haven't tested the actual tutu in a run, I probably would not try it for a marathon. But you could always start in them and ditch them on the course if you hate it (assuming these aren't $$$ tutus).

Excellent point and thank you! I would be using a tutu brand I have used for other half marathons (just a different color) and I think we plan to have arm sleeves in case of arm chafing. This brand is decent and not poor quality. But DH just said...if we hate them, we can chuck them! And he is right so I might just live a little dangerously and see where this goes. Thank you all so much.

 

[The Expert]

Can you explain how this liner phenomenon works?

I want to be one of the cool kids that dresses up for the races but every time I try to run in a skirt, my thighs gobble it up.

Photo below is from my latest attempt two years ago where I tucked the front in so it would be too short for my legs to eat

View attachment 1035923

Tulle is a very grabby fabric and when it touches itself, it tends to bunch up on its own, and because of the movement of running, it then clumps up between your legs. With a (preferably satin) liner, it keeps the tulle flatter and if it does bunch up on its own, it keeps it to the outside layer. @Herding_Cats has tons of experience with this, having made her own liners for the Dotti skirts she wears.

YMMV but this has always worked for me.

 

[Naomeri]

Calling my costume experts on this thread...for those of you who have run in tutus (with a thin liner under the tulle) and bike shorts, do you find it manageable during a full marathon? I can do the tutu for a half (with no issues) but have never attempted it for a full. DH just messaged me to ask if we want to run in tutus for the full (NOW??! NOW he asks? ) but I would love input from those of you who have done it. Thank you for any guidance!

I ran the full (and the 5K and the half) in a skirt and crinoline last year. The liner got a little bunchy in the crotch, but didn't really bother me much. On my one porta stop, for simplicity's sake, I just took the whole skirt and crinoline off and left it standing up outside the porta (and trusted my fellow runners not to steal my pouch with fruit snacks off the back of it --my phone was in my legging's pocket)

I would say to make sure that whatever shorts you wear under the tutu are a little longer than the tutu, just so the material doesn't potentially irritate your legs (wasn't a worry with 2025's MW temps)

Here's a pic from the 5K showing the crinoline I wore

 

[GollyGadget]

I’ve never run in a tutu, but my Sparkle skirts never ride up.

My problem isn’t that the skirts ride up, they ride in . I’ve never tried sparkle skirts but I did try an athletic skort several years ago and had the same issue of my thighs gobbling it. It’s such a shame because I prefer to wear skirts and dresses in my regular life but I have not figured out how to do it while running.

 

[prncssjas]

I would say to make sure that whatever shorts you wear under the tutu are a little longer than the tutu, just so the material doesn't potentially irritate your legs (wasn't a worry with 2025's MW temps)

Excellent advice! Thank you and you look adorable btw!

 

[Herding_Cats]

Tutu stuff I’ve learned:
Don’t wear…”buttery soft” shorts underneath. You want that layer to be as slippery as possible. Not “peached” iykwim.

You may need to play around with how high or low you wear it to keep it from being gobbled.

As long as it’s not super poofy you might not need arm sleeves.

 

[prncssjas]

Tutu stuff I’ve learned:
Don’t wear…”buttery soft” shorts underneath. You want that layer to be as slippery as possible. Not “peached” iykwim.

You may need to play around with how high or low you wear it to keep it from being gobbled.

As long as it’s not super poofy you might not need arm sleeves.

Excellent advice, thanks @Herding_Cats

 

[GollyGadget]

I decided to ask Google about the skirt bunching situation. The internet overlords agree with @The Expert & @Herding_Cats The theory is that there’s friction grabbing the skirt and pulling it in. ideally if I have a slick skirt and slick shorts, the problem will go away. I have a satin skirt I made for a Halloween costume several years back. I think I may take that for a jaunt and see how it goes. If it works, I may finally join team costume .

I always get a little sad when I see everyone else looking so cute and I’m just in running tights.

 

[Herding_Cats]

I decided to ask Google about the skirt bunching situation. The internet overlords agree with @The Expert & @Herding_Cats The theory is that there’s friction grabbing the skirt and pulling it in. ideally if I have a slick skirt and slick shorts, the problem will go away. I have a satin skirt I made for a Halloween costume several years back. I think I may take that for a jaunt and see how it goes. If it works, I may finally join team costume .

I always get a little sad when I see everyone else looking so cute and I’m just in running tights.

If you can put a safety pin through the satin skirt and the tulle in a way that won’t be super visible or irritating that can help things too.