Frequently Asked Questions

Why choose Szizzle Designs?

We’ll bet you’ve Googled ‘competition suits’ quite a bit since you decided to take the plunge into competing! We know it’s overwhelming to choose a bikini designer, especially when a lot of women don’t know much about how bikinis are made or what to look for beyond “oooohhhh look at that sparkle!” Check out our Features page to see to what lengths we’ve gone for continuing education, materials sourcing, and our commitment to providing excellent customer service.

How early should I order a stage suit?

For women’s suits, a good rule of thumb is 8-12 weeks before your show, though it’s never too early to begin the design process! Men’s trunks can be 4-8 weeks before your show. The sooner you can book your spot on our calendar the better, especially when we’re coordinating remote fittings.

WHEN WILL I GET MY STAGE SUIT?

We currently schedule our work by our client’s show dates. This means we prioritize work by show date and not by order date. Of course, we do not want you to stress! We aim to get you your suit well in advance of your show so there is time to address any potential issues. If you want/need your suit much earlier than your show, please let us know so we can make arrangements to meet that deadline instead of your show. Communication is key!

How will I know how much weight I’ll lose?

It really depends on your body shape, how much body fat you have to start with, and how long your prep is. If you plan to drop a lot of weight, talk to us about getting a posing practice suit: not only will this fit you throughout your prep, but it also serves as a base for us to discuss how your stage suit should fit. We’ll make sure that your suit fits your body where it’s at on show day, not to some ideal weight. This means we can finalize the fit closer to show day as necessary. It’s important to us that you feel comfortable and secure.

Where are you located?

Our studio is in Binghamton, NY. We see clients in-person if you’d like to schedule a fitting and design consultation. If you’re located too far away for a fitting, we can schedule a phone conversation to talk about our remote design process.

Do you Ship outside of the United States?

We currently do not work with clients outside of the U.S. This has simply from a fitting perspective and also to keep costs down for the client. If there is adequate time allowed for shipping and fittings we can make exceptions: contact us to discuss your needs.

How Do I order?

Fill-out the form on our Contact Us page, or send a message to the following:

We ask that you review and submit the Service Contract before we begin work on your custom order.

How does the Design Process Work?

Schedule an in-person design consultation and fitting at our studio. We have fitting suits available in various cuts to use as a reference as we discuss your ideal pattern. Use our Contact Us page for scheduling.
Review and submit the Service Contract.
Invoiced via PayPal. Client shall pay the deposit before we begin work on your suit. We also accept payment via cash, check or credit card (Square) for our local clients.
We’ll create your base, un-crystalled suit and schedule your next fitting.
At your base suit fitting, we’ll check the fit prior to crystalling.
We make alterations (if needed) and bling your suit!
Receive photos of your finished bikini and schedule your pick-up. We can mail your suit if preferred.
At pick-up (or prior to mailing), you’ll pay the balance in-full (if not already paid on the invoice). If needed, your connectors will be sewn-in-place while you wait.

How does the Remote Design Process Work?

Phone Consultation. Use our Contact Us page for scheduling.
Review and submit the Service Contract.
Invoiced via PayPal. Client shall pay 50% minimum on the invoice for us to begin ordering materials.
Send Photos and Measurements.
Choose Fabric, Connectors and/or Crystal design. We can send digital or physical fabric swatches.
We’ll create your base, un-crystalled suit and mail it to you for your fitting.
Send us front and back photos of you in your base suit, along with any questions or comments on the fit.
Mail us back the base suit for alterations (if needed) and crystalling.
Receive photos of your finished bikini.
Ensure the balance is paid on your invoice. Once it’s paid-in-full, we’ll ship your finished suit to you!

Do you sell Ready-made or pre-owned suits?

No, we currently do not carry an inventory of suits. All of our products are custom made to-order and guaranteed to fit you like a glove.

Can you alter a bikini made by another designer?

No. We’re not a tailoring business nor will we alter suits that have not been made by us. We recommend going back to the original designer for assistance or letting us create a new suit for you.

Can you duplicate another designer’s suit cut or design?

If you prefer the exact fit or rhinestone design of another suit designer, we recommend letting them create your suit. I’m a designer, artist, and small business owner, and I respect the work of other designers. We can certainly reference photos of other suits you like as an inspiration for your suit: we can make a “franken-suit” from your many ideas!

How should I care for my suit?

Remember that your stage suit is a work of art and can be fragile - especially if you have connectors. While we use the strongest glue, professional sewing techniques, and have sourced the best quality connectors available, we recommend caring for you suit like jewelry! Avoid pulling directing on or twisting the connectors: this means completely un-tying the straps whenever dressing/undressing, and utilizing the clasps next to the hip connectors. When adjusting, pull on the fabric instead of the connectors. Store your suit in the protective hard case (included with your bikini!) instead of throwing it into your suitcase where it can be squished.

We do NOT recommend practicing posing in your stage suit. Handling and sweating in it excessively may increase the chance of damage. Practice in a regular bikini, or ask about our posing practice suits so you can pose in the same stage cut.

To prolong the life of your suit, be sure to gently clean it post-show. Sweat and tanner can speed up corrosion or staining, but fortunately they’re both easy to clean! Simple fill your bathroom sink with cold water and a gentle detergent (ie: Woolite), and swish your suit in the water: you’ll see the tanner come loose immediately. Rinse with cold water, and repeat the process as-necessary. Hang or lay flat to dry completely before storage. You can also brighten the connectors with denture cleaner and a soft toothbrush.

Help! My connector broke before my show!

Every connector is inspected for flaws before it is packaged and shipped or delivered. We cannot stress enough that you must be careful when handling your connectors. We realize that damage occurs inadvertently, so please contact us immediately if anything is broken on your new suit before show day. We’ll do our best to make arrangements for repair or replacement.

how can I get the suit of my dreams on a budget?

While our base suit costs are set, we can work with your budget on the extras. Fortunately there is a huge variety of fabrics that are sparkly on their own, and we can come up with rhinestone and color designs that can maximize the sparkle effect. You can always upgrade your suit in the future as well: we can add or change connectors, and add extra rhinestones to your existing Szizzle Designs bikini to have it look like a brand new suit!

what payment methods do you accept? Do you offer a payment plan?

Yes. The following deposits are required before we begin work on your suit:

Men’s suits: 100% (paid in-full)
Women’s posing practice suits and summer bikinis: 100% (paid in-full)
Women’s stage suits: 50% deposit on the full cost

The deposit is non-refundable as we use the cost to cover materials and labor required to make your suit. Any discounts will be applied toward your balance. The balance on your suit shall be paid in-full prior to picking up your suit, or before the finished suit is mailed to you.

We accept payment via PayPal and credit card (Square). Cash or check will be accepted in-person only. If you’d like to make payments on the balance, we will send you a PayPal invoice on which you can pay on your schedule!

How will my bikini be shipped?

Suits will be shipped via USPS Priority Mail. You’ll be provided with a tracking number, and suits generally take 2-3 days to arrive. Your package will be fully-insured and properly protected.

How shall I return the base suit for crystalLing?

It is your responsibility to mail the base suit back in a timely manner to ensure meeting your schedule requirements. Package the suit securely to avoid damage to the connectors, and we recommend insuring the package as well. We are not responsible for replacing a lost or damaged suit for free. Return the suit to our business’ mailing address:

Jayme Szili
Szizzle Designs
408 Arthur Ave.
Johnson City, NY 13790

Do you offer discounts or have sales?

Yes! We offer the following discounts on our suits:

Referral Discounts: Receive discounts on your bikini for every referral who becomes a client. They add-up, so you could potentially earn a free suit!
Loyalty Discounts: Receive $50 off a women’s stage or poser suit, and $10 off a men’s suit, just for being a loyal client!
Prep-2-Stage: Purchase a two-piece posing practice suit + a stage suit and receive $50 off the total.
Novice-2-Pro: Receive a discount on a second pair of bottoms for your stage suit. This could be a pair with more or less coverage to appease different federation requirements, or simply a spare pair!
Bikini-2-Figure: Do you have that special physique that does well crossing-over in both figure and bikini? Or do you want to switch divisions and save money versus buying a separate suit? We offer a great price on our interchangeable bikinis by utilizing the same top with two separate bottoms. This includes a bikini bottom, a figure bottom, and swappable straps.

Do you have a Re-SALE POLIcy or Buy-Back Option?

Yes. Because all of our suits are custom-fit to the client, we reserve the exclusive right to buy-back your suit before you try to re-sell it to another person (third party). This policy protects our mission of providing a perfectly-fit suit to our clients and prevents fit issues on the third party. Contact us to discuss our buy-back program, payment or credit options, and buy-back value.

do you sponsor shows?

Yes, we love to help promote bodybuilding events! In fact, Jayme and her husband Charles promote their own annual event in Johnson City, NY. We can provide promotional materials to shows all over the country, and table displays based on location and schedule. If you’re a show promoter and would like information about how we can help provide your athletes with a great experience, see our Sponsorship Information page.

do you sponsor athletes?

Yes, we do sponsor athletes. As a small business, we are only able to offer sponsorships on a very limited basis and therefore not on a set schedule. If we see an athlete that we feel represents our brand we will approach them to discuss an opportunity. As we grow we hope to open-up this opportunity to more athletes! You may apply for a sponsorship using the form link on our Sponsorship Information page.