At Calibrate, we’ve spent more than 20 years costuming dance productions from the studio owner’s side; managing the planning, sizing, themes, budgets, storage, washing and last-minute problem solving - that’s why we created the Calibrate Costume Hire collection.
With over 10,000 costumes in stock, our curated, studio-tested range is now available to dance studios across Australia. Every costume has been selected with real dance classes, concerts and age groups in mind.
It’s a simpler, more sustainable way to costume your students — reducing waste, lowering upfront costs and giving studios access to a central costume library without the storage headache.
Whether you need costumes for one routine, a full show or a complete themed production, Calibrate makes costume hire easy, practical and studio-owner friendly.
  • SEARCH - Browse costumes by size, colour, style, theme or tag.
  • SELECT - Add the costumes you need to your cart.
  • SECURE - Pay your deposit and sign the hire agreement.
  • RECEIVE - We pick, pack and send the costumes to your studio.
  • PERFORM - Use the costumes for your concert, troupe season or show.
  • RETURN - Pack them back into the boxes, attach the return labels, and we’ll organise collection.
  • RELAX - We launder, check and restock everything for the next hire.

Frequently Asked Questions

Availability and booking

Can you help me costume my concert?
ABSOLUTELY. We are studio owners and we've done this for many, many years. all our costumes have been featured in concerts and we have some truly amazing costumiers on our staff that can work with you to costume a concert, help you pick a theme, provide suggestions and support. This is why we set up this business!

Do I need to hire a full show, or can I just get some costumes to top up what I have?
You can hire costumes for one routine, several routines, or a full show. Our filters and tags make it easy to search by theme, colour, style and size. There is no minimum order - we are here to support all dance studios be able to run their concerts.

How far in advance should I book costumes?
To make it fair for all studios, we limit the time you can book ahead to 3 months.

Are accessories included?
Yes, we do not charge extra for accessories that are included in the costume - ie headpieces, arm bands, belts, etc.

Can I reserve costumes before final student numbers are confirmed?
We suggest erring on the higher side. As long as you give us a week's notice before dispatch you can make adjustments. We usually add an extra one or two here and there to help with sizing.

You say your hire period is 3 weeks, when should I request costumes to arrive?
Your three weeks includes courier service (to and from). We suggest allowing 3 days for freight. You should have plenty of time to do fittings/rehearsal/photoshoot and performance before them being picked up to be brought back to us.  We may be able to extend for a small fee depending on other studio requirements for certain sets.

Can I book for a troupe season for competitions?
At this stage, we are not offering this service. Our hire period is 3 weeks and that's to support as many studios as possible. Also, our hiring is for closed events, not for competitions (to avoid costume duplication in competition events). 

Cost and payment

How much does it cost?
Depending on the original manufacturer, age of costume, prices will vary, starting at $19 per costume. 

And I make a profit?
We recommend you add $15 to each costume cost when hiring to your parents to cover your work putting on the show! That adds up, hiring 1000 costumes from us for a show would bring in $15,000 profit to your studio!

How much is the deposit?
Deposit is 25% - this will secure your booking in your cart.

When is the final balance due?
Balance is due before dispatch. 

How much is shipping?
We will cover the shipping to and from the studio when you meet the following minimums:

Metro - 100 costumes minimum
Regional (ie Ballarat) - 200 costumes minimum
Remote (ie Mount Isa) - 300 costumes minimum

If you do not meet these minimums, we will only charge you what we've been charged by the freight company (ie we are not making a profit on shipping). Freight usually ranges on average from $1-4 a costume).

Is laundering included in the hire fee?
There is no cost to you for laundering. However, if a costume is soiled or badly stained, please contact us for advice.

What about insurance?
Our service covers the insurance to and from your studio. However, you will need your own insurance to cover the costumes while they are in your care. We would expect all dance studios to have insurance as part of their regular business operations

Are there any extra charges?
Late returns are charged at $10 per costume, per week.

Sizing and condition

How do I know what size to choose?
Where possible we list the manufacturer and provide the sizing charts. We are also here to help for more complex sizing (such as the handmade tutus) 

Can I swap sizes if something doesn’t fit?
Yes, we will work with you to help you get what you need. We suggest talking to us if you're unsure rather than ending up with hundreds of costumes being sent back and forth. 

Are costumes hired as-is, or can they be altered?
Minor alterations (such as hemming, tacking shoulder straps etc) is permitted, but you must be removed prior to return or you may be charged a small fee for us to reset the costume. Major alterations such as unpicking seams, applying paint, glue, applique, beads, rhinestones etc is not permitted. 

What condition will the costumes arrive in?
Costumes are checked, clean and performance ready. You may need to steam some costumes depending on their material.  There may also be some small issues that may require a small spot stain removal (this is the nature of costume hiring), but we will include a kit for studios on request.

Freight and returns

What happens after our concert?
We strongly advise you collect ALL costumes in the theatre after the performance (we all know how long costumes take to return when they're in the parents' hands!). You don't want parents making you late to return the costumes! 

How do I return the costumes?
Return labels will be emailed to you. After your show, pack the costumes back into the original boxes, print and attach the return labels to the outside of the box, and contact Calibrate so we can arrange courier collection.

Do I need to wash the costumes before returning them?
No, we will handle the laundering! However, if a costume has been soiled, please let us know. Please return in a plastic bag separate to the other costumes.

How long do I have to return costumes after the show?
Your 3 week hire period includes freight. Please allow 3 business days for pickup and shipment back to us in Melbourne.

What happens if a courier pickup is missed?
Contact us immediately if you've missed the courier pickup so we can arrange another time.

Can I collect costumes directly if I’m local?
Absolutely! Our warehouse is in Malvern East.

What if the costumes are returned outside the 3 week period?
We are also studio owners, so we understand things happen. Let us know how you're going - if it's only a day or two late that's okay, or if you need to hire longer, let us know.

The only issue will be if another studio is waiting on that set of costumes - as long as you keep us in the loop, we can support your hire and the next studio hire. For that set that needs to be laundered and out to the next studio, we may need to get you to send the set overnight express. 

Damaged/Lost Costumes

What happens if a costume is damaged or lost during our hire?
Damaged costumes (that are repairable) will incur the cost of repair.

Lost costumes, or costumes damaged beyond repair will be charged at replacement cost. We are studio owners too, so we will be fair and reasonable when responding to issues. 

What is fair wear and tear?
Costumes have a limited life, and we work hard to make sure costumes are in a good state, as they are being hired by your families. We understand that sometimes a costume will come back with a mark, or makeup stain on a garment.

We understand this as studio owners, and as long as we can launder and reset the costume, there's no problem (but we also ask studios hiring from us to understand these are not brand new costumes out of the bag) - but we are constantly buying new sets and retiring older sets to keep our inventory tip top!