My thought processes about running have changed over the last couple years. While I am still “serious” about my running, I don’t mind having a little fun with the process and wearing a crazy funky outfit or costume. I have found that a fun outfit not only makes me run faster happy but it also makes other people smile. So bring on those sparkle skirts! Team Sparkle has one of my favorite accessories. At $25 with free shipping, I can dress up almost any outfit for any occasion.
I’ve also come to realize that the more friends I peer pressure encourage to dress up, the more jaw dropping the reaction of other runners fun I have at the race.
Recently, I’ve even branched out to add funky socks. Every holiday, Target has festive socks for $5. That’s where I normally go for the socks to complete my outfit.
This week things got really crazy when I decide to run in a tutu for the Monster Dash. Come on, all the cool kids are doing it, right? Maybe not, but I am, and so are 16 of my closest friends. 🙂 So we recently had a Tutu Making Party to create these fabulous tutus. Ordering the tulle and elastic by bulk, we managed to keep the cost to $5. Wow, that’s a cheap costume and we certainly won’t talk about what a HUGE PITA it was to cut all that tulle from its 100 yard rolls.
Now, the tutu making process was SUPER easy. I followed the very scientific approach previously used by Kelly to make these babies:
Tutu Making:
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Elastic – Fit it around your waist, stitch or double knot ends together
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Tulle – Two 25 yard rolls needed for 1 tutu
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Cut in strips of desired length
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Tie tulle around elastic using double knots
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For ease of assembly, put the elastic band around a chair
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So easy that anyone a child could handle the task!
This was easy & super fun! Trust me. If we can knock these things out while drinking corona having fun, you can do it too. Try it and then send me photos! Look for 17 black & white tutus on the Monster Dash Chicago course!
If you would like a more “technical” outfit, try RunningSkirts.com or SkirtSports for amazing skirts that are cute and work well for running long or short distances.
Have you tried dressing up for a race?
** Happy Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz ** amanda@tootallfritz.com
TooTallFritz 
I always love reading your blog posts Amanda. Keep up the good work.
OK…ya loosing me TTF…but I understand most of your blog are ladies! Ain’t no way a “tutu” fun in my plans to run in. I did see some lady in one of those skirts that I thought had to be a “sparkle skirt” be she didn’t respond to me and probably just too myoptic on the group she was with. I have to admit it is cool how you and most of the ladies make fun out of running! I only wonder if those really fast women do similar…at least once in awhile. Some of those I see look oh-so serious and just speed-up when I get close. LOL! Have fun…you only got one life to do that!
I have those same Christmas socks. On Christmas Eve morning last year, we were in St. Thomas, I ran to the beach dressed in red shorts, Christmas socks and a Santa hat (that was so hot!) People on the beach took pictures of me and cheered. It was like my own little Christmas race! I do 1-2 races a year in costume, usually 5Ks. I don’t think I could deal with all the extra junk hanging on me for anything longer. Oh… and last year, I made tutus the same way, for part of a zombie costume.
I’ve worn the Sparkle Skirt for longer races but nothing else. The socks not being tech fabric are better suited for fun runs. I wore the shamrock ones for the Shamrock Shuffle 8K and that was too much. I was boiling hot but apparently I’m in the minority. I’m not big on compression socks either unless its really cold.
I seriously cannot wait to see all the photos of those Frankenstein Brides coming through!! Haha Awesome!!!
I’m glad they turned out so cute!