Golddiggers Boutique · The Locker Room
Store It Right. Wear It Longer.
How to store your dance outfits so they last: what to fold, what to hang, how to protect rhinestones, and the one mistake that ruins everything in the bag.
Rhinestones snag, spandex stretches out, vinyl cracks, and one damp bodysuit zipped in a bag overnight can ruin everything next to it. Most outfits don't die on stage. They die in the bag, the locker, and the closet. After years of running an inventory room full of rhinestones, spandex, and vinyl, here's what actually keeps exotic dancewear looking new.
The short version: empty your bag the same night, wash or air out everything you wore, and let it dry completely. Then loosely fold your spandex, lay your rhinestones flat, keep vinyl away from heat, and keep every set's top and thong together. Never store anything damp.
Start Here
It starts after the shift.
The worst thing you can do to an outfit is leave it balled up in your dance bag until your next shift. Sweat, body spray, and a closed bag are how you get the smell that never comes out, fabric that breaks down, and rhinestones that dull.
Every night, before bed:
- Empty the bag. Everything you wore comes out, even the pieces you only had on for an hour.
- Wash or air it out. Hand wash in cool water with a gentle detergent. Our full wash guide covers every fabric.
- Lay it flat to dry. Not on a hanger, not over the shower rod by the straps. Flat on a towel.
- Let it dry all the way. Damp spots in the lining or under the rhinestones are where the smell starts.
Carry a breathable laundry bag for worn pieces. A mesh laundry bag lets sweaty pieces air out on the way home instead of sitting sealed up, and it keeps them away from your clean outfits. Our dance bag checklist has the rest of what belongs in there.
The Big Rule
Fold it loosely. Don't hang it.
Almost everything stretchy should be folded loosely, not hung. A hanger pulls on thin straps all day, and over time they stretch out and never snap back. A loose fold doesn't leave hard creases and keeps each piece in one spot. Whatever you do, don't pack it down tight.
- Fold loosely: spandex and lycra sets, bodysuits, slingshots, micros, fishnet, and mesh.
- Lay flat: anything covered in rhinestones or crystals, and anything heavy.
- Hang: only light dresses, robes, and jackets, on a padded hanger. If a dress is heavy with rhinestones, fold it flat instead so the weight doesn't stretch it.
Fabric by Fabric
Store it by what it's made of.
Different fabrics fail in different ways, so they need different spots.
| Fabric | How to store it | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Rhinestones and crystals | Flat, in its own bag or wrapped in a soft cloth. Nothing heavy on top. | Stones snagging lace, mesh, and fishnet. Check for loose stones before you put it away. |
| Spandex and lycra | Loosely folded, in a drawer or bin, away from heat. | Hanging by the straps. Heat breaks down the stretch. |
| Lace | Loosely folded or flat, away from anything with hooks or stones. | Snags from rhinestones, hooks, and velcro. |
| Vinyl and pleather | Flat, or folded loosely with no hard creases. Keep it out of a hot car. | Hard creases crack it. Heat makes it sticky, and vinyl can stick to itself. |
| Holographic and metallic | Loosely folded with a soft cloth or tissue between the layers. | Rubbing against rough fabric scuffs the finish. |
| Velvet and faux fur | Loose, with room to breathe. Shake it out before you wear it. | Getting crushed flat under heavier pieces. |
| Fishnet and mesh | Loosely folded, in its own bag. | Catching on rhinestones and jewelry. |
Loose stone? Fix it before it goes in the drawer. A dab of E6000 and a night to dry saves you from finding a bald spot right before your next shift. Keep the rhinestone outfits out of a hot car, too. Heat softens the glue that holds the stones on.
Boutique Tricks
Organize it like a boutique.
A stockroom only works if you can find everything fast. Your closet is the same.
- Keep every set together. Top and thong in the same bag, every time. Half a set is how you end up buying the same thing twice.
- Sort by type. Sets in one bin, bodysuits in another, dresses and costumes in their own. Clear bins let you see everything without digging.
- Keep colors apart. Darks and brights can bleed onto each other, especially if anything is even a little damp. And if one outfit has two colors on it, like red and black, fold a light sheet of white, acid-free tissue paper into it so the colors never touch each other. White so there's no dye to bleed, and acid-free so it won't yellow your fabric.
- Label the bags. A piece of tape and a marker on each zip bag makes packing for a shift take two minutes.
- Keep a photo list on your phone. A quick picture of every outfit you own makes planning the week easy, and it stops you from rebuying what's already in the drawer.
The locker is not storage. A locker is fine for your backup heels and an emergency set, but don't leave worn outfits in there overnight. No air plus sweat is exactly what you're trying to avoid.
Halloween and Holidays
Seasonal pieces: pack it for next year.
Halloween costumes and holiday sets only come out once a year, so store them so they're ready the second you need them.
- Wash it and dry it all the way first. A costume put away sweaty is a costume you throw out next October.
- Keep every piece in one bag. The set, the headband, the gloves, the prop. Label it with what it is.
- Pleather and vinyl costumes lie flat. Folding them hard for a whole year leaves cracks.
No costume at all this year? You probably already own one. Here are 17 Halloween looks built from sets already in your bag.
New In
Worth protecting: the Smoked collection.
Our new Smoked pieces are handmade in a pink, blue, and purple smoke print, in spandex and lycra with no lining. Fold them loosely, wash them in cool water, and keep them out of the heat, and they'll look this good for a long time.
Smoked Eva Slingshot-Bodysuit Crisscross straps Shop it → 
Smoked Carson Bodysuit Tie front, deep cutout Shop it → 
Smoked Vanezza Slingshot-Bodysuit Silver o-ring Shop it → 
Smoked Maggie Tiny 'Kini Tie-side Shop it → 
Smoked Jada Set O-ring hardware Shop it → 
Smoked Drea 'Kini Halter with o-ring Shop it → FAQ
Storage questions, answered.
How do you store dance outfits?
Wash or air them out after every shift, let them dry completely, then loosely fold spandex and lycra pieces and lay rhinestone pieces flat. Keep each set's top and thong together, sort by type in drawers or clear bins, and keep everything away from heat and sun. Never store anything damp.
Should I hang or fold my bodysuits?
Fold them loosely. Hanging pulls on the straps and stretches them out over time, and packing them down tight leaves hard creases. The only things worth hanging are light dresses, robes, and jackets on a padded hanger.
How do I store rhinestone outfits so the stones don't fall off?
Lay them flat in their own bag or wrapped in a soft cloth, with nothing heavy on top. Check for loose stones before you put them away and reattach them with E6000. Keep rhinestone pieces away from lace, mesh, and fishnet so they don't snag each other.
How do I keep my dance outfits from smelling?
Take them out of your bag the same night, wash or air them out, and let them dry all the way before you store them. The smell comes from sweat sitting in a closed bag, so the faster an outfit gets air, the better.
Can I leave my outfits in my locker?
Your backup heels and a clean emergency set, yes. Worn outfits, no. A locker has no airflow, so anything sweaty left in there overnight starts to smell and break down.
How do I store vinyl or pleather costumes?
Lay them flat or fold them loosely with no hard creases, and keep them out of hot cars and direct sun. Hard creases crack vinyl, and heat makes it sticky. Give each vinyl piece its own bag so it doesn't stick to other pieces.
How should I store my Halloween costume after Halloween?
Wash it, dry it completely, and pack every piece, including props and accessories, in one labeled bag. Lay pleather and vinyl costumes flat so they don't crack before next October.
How do I keep sets from getting separated?
Store the top and thong together in the same zip bag every time, and label the bag. It takes ten seconds and stops you from rebuying something you already own.
Golddiggers Boutique
Your outfits are tools. Store them like it.
Empty the bag, dry it all the way, fold the stretchy stuff loosely, and give the rhinestones their own space. Ten minutes after a shift keeps your favorite pieces working for years. Questions about a specific piece? Send us a message.
Wear the gold. Hit the goal. Leave paid.