Square Dance Clothing Styles
I love the fun of square dancing, the social aspect and the physical and mental exercise.
I also love any excuse to dress up.
Modern square dancing gives you plenty of options whether you like to dress up or not.
At our beginners classes we just wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Depending on the time of the year that could be long or short pants or any style of skirt you can move in comfortably. Many people wear jeans or shorts and a T shirt with sneakers or walking shoes.
Our regular Friday night dances are mix of styles.
Some ladies will wear a nice pair of jeans, some with T shirts or tops with a flowing style. Others will wear simple skirts, modern square dance outfits or the more traditional outfits with light to medium fullness petticoats.
Closed toe shoes are recommended for safety but not enforced.
Men will wear a nice pair of jeans or pants, T shirts, polo shirts or long sleeve shirts with a collar. Men’s tradition shirts can have extra embroidered designs, often in a western style or have feature fabric panels around the shoulders.
A common accessory worn by men is a small scarf held together at the front with a ring or a string neck tie with a decorative clasp, called a bolo.
For bigger local dances most will wear square dance outfits but a few of our ladies prefer to wear pants and flowing style tops.
Square dance skirts normally finish just below the knees and worn with a petticoat.
The long red skirt above is a style known as a western or prairie skirt. They are not commonly worn at conventions but still an option if you really don't care for a knee length skirt.
The State and National Conventions attract hundreds of dancers.
These events have a more formal dress code.
Follow this link to read the current Australian National Dress Code as of April 2017.
Each state can set there own rules that will apply to their State Conventions. Most states follow the National Dress Code but there may be some variations state by state.
Men are required to wear neat and tidy trousers, slacks or dress type jeans.
They can wear dress shorts but only permitted in conjunction with long roll top socks.
Shirts must be buttoned with full length sleeves. The style is completed with a bolo tie, cravat or similar small scarf tie.
Clean dress, dance shoes or boots must be of a type that will not mark or damage wooden floors.
Hats are not to be worn indoors unless it forms part of a demonstration or theme night.
Ladies are required to wear a square dance dress or skirt complete with suitable discreet underwear.
Most ladies will wear a petticoat but the current National Dress Code doesn't specify this as a requirement.
Full backless-type, bare back or bare midriff dresses or blouses are not acceptable.
Ladies tops can be long or short sleeve shirts. Most common is a short sleeve blouse, covering the shoulders.
If ladies don't want to wear a knee length full circle skirt with petticoat, the longer western style or prairie skirts are an option. They are not that common in Australia but often sold by American square dance clothing manufacturers.
In keeping with the dress code, some ladies that only dance as a left hand dancer (the man's side), choose to dress in the men's style of full length pants and buttoned long sleeve shirt with collar.
Most ladies, even if they only dance the man's side, still prefer to wear tradition ladies outfits.
The ladies shirt is most commonly tucked in and the look is often finished with a cinch (elastic) belt.
A sash is worn by the lady to indicate to the other dancers and the caller that they are dancing in the left hand position. (traditionally the mans side)
The colour of the sash is most commonly blue but not mandatory. The choice of colour can be to make it stand out from the shirt colour or pattern.
Ladies shoes must be clean, low-heeled or flat-heeled shoes or jiffies of a type that will not mark or damage the floor. Spike or small type heels are banned (heels must be a minimum 25 mm long in all dimensions in contact with the floor surface).
For safety, I would suggest closed toe shoes, although this is not specified in the current National Dress Code. With lots of people on the floor at conventions you can be dancing very close together and not uncommon to clip your own or each others feet.
Any jewellery worn must be of a type that can't snag and damage dancers clothing.
The Queensland Callers' Association (QCA) run the Queensland State Conventions. The QCA variation to the National Dress Code is "Neat casual dress is considered suitable for dancing on the Sunday, provided that suitable dance foot wear must be worn whilst dancing."
This suits dancers that may be starting a long drive home straight after the dance, in what they are wearing.
The older style, huge petticoats are still worn by some at conventions but the modern types with light to medium fullness are much more common.
Traditional full body petticoats like the one on the left will hold its shape even with heavy fabric skirts.
The one on the right is designed to give lots of body but is softer and will lift into a horizontal line while twirling.
The most popular modern style petticoats are generally soft while still creating a bit of body under a full circle skirt.
Modern look 50’s, vintage or Rock and Roll petticoats and skirts are also popular for square dance outfits.
If you like to twirl around in a style designed to get a horizontal line as you spin, for modesty you can wear a slip, short leggings / bike shorts or pettipants (frilly dance shorts) under the petticoat.
Ladies short sleeve shirts vary greatly in style and don’t need to be specially made for square dancing.
Peasant shirts are still popular although with generally less exaggerated puffy sleeves and frills of the traditional style.
Some of these older traditional style, frilly peasant tops with matching skirts are not my thing but if you love that look you can still where them, particularly at the big dance events.
These are two USA made, full circle skirts that I own.
The bone coloured skirt alternates with lace that can be seen through to show off the colour of the petticoat worn under it. This lace pattern matches some of the traditional shirts above, so in the same colour, could be worn as a matching set.
Bubble shirts are now becoming more popular as they have been sold at a number of conventions. Bubble shirts come in lots of colours and stretch to fit most sizes. They are easy to pack and don’t need to be ironed.
My favourite convention skirts are now a soft pleated type that are also easy to pack, wash and wear.
60s Theme night at the 58th National Convention in Bendigo 2017
On theme nights at conventions, the only formality that still applies is suitable footwear must be worn.
I also love any excuse to dress up.
Modern square dancing gives you plenty of options whether you like to dress up or not.
Some ladies will wear a nice pair of jeans, some with T shirts or tops with a flowing style. Others will wear simple skirts, modern square dance outfits or the more traditional outfits with light to medium fullness petticoats.
Closed toe shoes are recommended for safety but not enforced.
Square dance skirts normally finish just below the knees and worn with a petticoat.
The long red skirt above is a style known as a western or prairie skirt. They are not commonly worn at conventions but still an option if you really don't care for a knee length skirt.
The State and National Conventions attract hundreds of dancers.
These events have a more formal dress code.
Follow this link to read the current Australian National Dress Code as of April 2017.
Each state can set there own rules that will apply to their State Conventions. Most states follow the National Dress Code but there may be some variations state by state.
They can wear dress shorts but only permitted in conjunction with long roll top socks.
Shirts must be buttoned with full length sleeves. The style is completed with a bolo tie, cravat or similar small scarf tie.
Clean dress, dance shoes or boots must be of a type that will not mark or damage wooden floors.
Hats are not to be worn indoors unless it forms part of a demonstration or theme night.
Most ladies will wear a petticoat but the current National Dress Code doesn't specify this as a requirement.
Full backless-type, bare back or bare midriff dresses or blouses are not acceptable.
Ladies tops can be long or short sleeve shirts. Most common is a short sleeve blouse, covering the shoulders.
In keeping with the dress code, some ladies that only dance as a left hand dancer (the man's side), choose to dress in the men's style of full length pants and buttoned long sleeve shirt with collar.
Most ladies, even if they only dance the man's side, still prefer to wear tradition ladies outfits.
The colour of the sash is most commonly blue but not mandatory. The choice of colour can be to make it stand out from the shirt colour or pattern.
For safety, I would suggest closed toe shoes, although this is not specified in the current National Dress Code. With lots of people on the floor at conventions you can be dancing very close together and not uncommon to clip your own or each others feet.
Any jewellery worn must be of a type that can't snag and damage dancers clothing.
The Queensland Callers' Association (QCA) run the Queensland State Conventions. The QCA variation to the National Dress Code is "Neat casual dress is considered suitable for dancing on the Sunday, provided that suitable dance foot wear must be worn whilst dancing."
This suits dancers that may be starting a long drive home straight after the dance, in what they are wearing.
The older style, huge petticoats are still worn by some at conventions but the modern types with light to medium fullness are much more common.
The one on the right is designed to give lots of body but is softer and will lift into a horizontal line while twirling.
Ladies short sleeve shirts vary greatly in style and don’t need to be specially made for square dancing.
Peasant shirts are still popular although with generally less exaggerated puffy sleeves and frills of the traditional style.
The bone coloured skirt alternates with lace that can be seen through to show off the colour of the petticoat worn under it. This lace pattern matches some of the traditional shirts above, so in the same colour, could be worn as a matching set.
My favourite convention skirts are now a soft pleated type that are also easy to pack, wash and wear.
