You’re becoming obsessed with your new hobby and you’ve been telling everyone about it!
But now, your friends and family want to support you by buying you something pole related for Christmas and aside from, “Tiny shorts please”, you’re not sure really sure where to start with helping them. Come to think of it you wouldn’t mind buying yourself a festive treat too…
Sounds like you need our Christmas Gift Guide for Polers!
Accessories (£)
Etsy comes up trumps here! From mugs, to jewellery, to artwork, you will find pole themed paraphernalia galore. Check out the talented CristiCreative whose prints we put up in the studio last week.
Want to support your local studio? Find out about their branded merchandise – a hoodie, tote-bag or keyring bearing the name and logo of your loved one’s happy place is a fab present!
At Constellations Fitness we are looking at placing our first merch order very soon – Please do let us know what you want to see!
Lessons (££)
What better way is there of supporting a pole fanatic than buying them a voucher for their studio that they can use against a workshop, 1-2-1, class block or some studio branded pole goodies?
We are now offering these at Constellations Fitness! Just head to the TeamUp store and buy your voucher of choice. You will be sent an E-Voucher that you can forward to your loved one for their special day!
Education (£)
Fully immerse yourself in everything poley with one of Spin City’s famous ‘bibles’ or a Bendy Brand guide to stretching or handstanding.
Clothing & Footwear (££)
In recent years, the selection of polewear available has grown hugely and there’s now an abundance of gorgeous stuff out there. It’s also a particularly nice gift to receive, as pole specific clothing is an expense that is sometimes hard to justify when it’s not treat time (you’re looking in the region of £60 for a full set or £90 for Pleaser boots). But where to start?
-Etsy is the place to go for smaller, independent brands – why not help a small business like PoleSkins?
–Pole Junkie stock an ever-increasing number of different brands all in one place. Not sure what to pick? Luckily they also sell vouchers.
-If like me you are trying hard to shop second hand where you can, Pole Dance Garage Sale and Depop also have lots of polewear and shoes available – just experiment with different search terms until you find what you’re after!
-Don’t be fooled – just because it doesn’t have ‘pole’ in the item name, doesn’t mean you can’t wear it for your pole lessons! I’ve had some lovely items of swimwear and underwear that I’ve worn for pole that have cost a fraction of the price of a ‘polewear’ item.
But… make sure you keep practicality in mind and work with the following tick-list:
-Wide enough gusset for you to feel comfortable!
-Flattering cut
-Works with your underwear
-Don’t have lumpy clasps that dig in if you are lying down
-Doesn’t pop open too easily!
-If you’re buying footwear, a pole specific brand such as Pleasers or Hella Heels is important as they’re designed for dancing. Start with a 6 or 7 inch before increasing in height. And remember that a boot offers more ankle support, but that sandals don’t have laces that can get caught and tend to be slightly lighter.
Equipment (£££)
You might be after a foam roller or some blocks for stretching which are widely available online.
Or – slightly bigger deal – your mum/other half/flatmate might have given the ok for you to put up your own pole at home. YAY! But there’s lots to consider first:
- Ensure you use a joist finder or other method to find the ceiling joist and choose a safe spot for you to put the dome of your pole on – if you don’t you could seriously damage your ceiling and yourself.
- Ensure there is enough clearance around the pole for you to work safely without kicking the walls/ceiling/furniture
- Ensure you choose a reputable brand such as X-Pole or Lupit. You can buy new from their websites, but you will often find used poles for sale on Facebook Marketplace, particularly within Pole Dance Garage Sale and on eBay. Stay away from cheaper, lesser-known brands.
- Erect the pole with the help of someone else and ensure you use a spirit level.
- Be prepared for the pole to leave a slight mark on the ceiling and to flatten the carpet (once the pole is removed the carpet should regain it’s bounce over time)
- Consider what you need – some poles are only static, others will have both a static and spin option.
- Outdoor poles are an option when your ceiling height or type is restrictive, but consider how often you will be able to get outside with your typical weather!
- Have you only just begun pole lessons? You might want to wait until you are feeling more confident and know you can pole safely without help before you take the plunge – remember, pole can be dangerous if you attempt moves you are not ready for without adequate instruction and a spotter. Never pole when at home alone.
What’s the best pole-related gift you’ve ever received? Have you already got your pole Christmas list written? Add your comments below!
