Should ISU introduce mandatory costumes?

[Jontor]

The ISU is now considering to introduce a mandatory costume for all competitors. The reason for this is believed to be that they want the judges, and the audience, to focus more on the athletes talents and not their appearances.

How these costumes will look is not known at the moment...

And of course, this is fake news. ISU, to my knowledge, are NOT doing this.

But what do you all think? Are costumes important? For me (and you guys who know me, know this), I couldn't care less about the costumes. The only times I react is when someone has something really UGLY on. But I can't help laughing at times when we see comments like "oh, she has such a beautiful dress", "oh, he is so handsome in that suit" etc...

Do some people really only watch figure skating because of the costumes??

 

[Jeanie19]

I am one of the posters who always comments about dresses and costumes. I do not watch figure skating because of clothing, I'm the polar opposite of a clothes horse. But I do think that the costumes add or detract from a program. I do not think it should reflect in scores. Also, some skaters clearly love their attire and it might give them confidence or comfort.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

This is obviously not something that will be instituted. Costumes are part of interpretation and presentation.

And often costumes are matched to a skater's preferences, body type, etc. Some skaters love intricate, over embellished sequined hot messes and other skaters like clean simple costumes too.

Not sure which old-fashioned ISU members, whose wardrobes probably consist of 20 beige ankle-length skirts or a dozen gray over-sized suits, proposed that change... but no thanks.

 

[Jontor]

I am one of the posters who always comments about dresses and costumes. I do not watch figure skating because of clothing, I'm the polar opposite of a clothes horse. But I do think that the costumes add or detract from a program. I do not think it should reflect in scores. Also, some skaters clearly love their attire and it might give them confidence or comfort.

Don't worry about it Jeanie. I mean no disrespect. It's just that these discussions about costumes are fascinating to me.

 

[alexocfp]

ISU should bring back figures competition while they are at it and bring back black and white television. Why not also give everyone one piece of music that everyone has to skate to, a piece from the not so long ago year of 1512.

Fax in any other recommendations to their corporate offices. They just updated their machines and can now receive faxes at a staggering rate of 1 page per half an hour.

The ISU is the leader in focusing on useless nonsense instead of looking at ways to grow the sport and expand the fan base. They can’t even get something as simple as getting their events televised and are proposing things that are laughable instead.

How can I get a job over there? Seems like this is a plum job and you have a lot of free time to concoct laughable ideas.

And appearance matters in a sport like this. People like to pretend otherwise but to be a champion, you need to look and present yourself as a champion too.

 

[lariko]

The ISU is now considering to introduce a mandatory costume for all competitors. The reason for this is believed to be that they want the judges, and the audience, to focus more on the athletes talents and not their appearances.

How these costumes will look is not known at the moment...

And of course, this is fake news. ISU, to my knowledge, are NOT doing this.

But what do you all think? Are costumes important? For me (and you guys who know me, know this), I couldn't care less about the costumes. The only times I react is when someone has something really UGLY on. But I can't help laughing at times when we see comments like "oh, she has such a beautiful dress", "oh, he is so handsome in that suit" etc...

Do some people really only watch figure skating because of the costumes??

I prefer training/athletic clothes on athletes. I know some skaters enjoy glitter, and also live they are much, much sparklier, but costumes are such an expense, so hard to clean—or impossible—and not exactly the healthiest attire in the ice rink. I wouldn’t be sorry to see them go.

 

[el henry]

I watched in the day of mandatory costumes. Men in fake tuxes. All the men in fake tuxes. The same fake tuxes.

That changed, thank heavens, in part thanks to my beloved Toller.

Costumes don't make figure skating any less a "sport". Figure skating is a wonderful sport and costumes are a part of this wonderful sport. In fact.

Bring on the bling.

 

[yesterday]

I'm torn.

We all know the pros of costumes, why they are there, why they are enjoyed (or not) and how they contribute (to atmosphere and yes, also to scores I believe).

But there's two con's I'd like to throw into the rink.

(1) I know there's lots of fans attending/streaming practices where skaters come in more loose, subtle or all black training clothes and nevertheless everyone gets really excited. (speaking for singles only, pairs perhaps; dance could be different?) Are costumes missed in those hours? Or do the programs "work" in the sloppy clothes as well? Will skaters with brilliant moves and lines be able to show them regardless what they wear and the other way round?

(2) When winners get to do an encore in the gala, they often use parts of SP or FP. They don't change the costume of course and just have the gala outfit of the season to go with (most of the time) a program part of the same season. I don't think gala outfits are planned for those cases so that they will always match SP and FP as well. And usually, that encore is just wonderful and no one says "meh, it was the wrong costume".

Well, skaters don't get judged for training and encore, but just from the excited fan perspective: is it a downer to watch elite skating in no or the "wrong" costume?
And following: when fans don't see an issue, why should judges see one?

(discuss. )

 

[gsk8]

Bling!!!

And yes, would love to see "figures"

 

[el henry]

..., but just from the excited fan perspective: is it a downer to watch elite skating in no or the "wrong" costume?
And following: when fans don't see an issue, why should judges see one?

(discuss. )

1. Yes it is a downer to see a costume that is wrong, incorrect, or not fitting the program. In most cases the skater can't help it, so I don't hold it against them,

but how much better it would be with the right costume!

2. Practice is practice, and competition is competition. I don't want to see a skater in competition in practice clothes unless they have no choice.

In fact, I have seen skaters in summer competitions compete in practice clothes. For me is distracting, I wonder what their costumes are.


So I think fans (at least this one) do see an issue.

 

[lariko]

With the increasing interest in health of athletes though, having women in a cold building wearing what are basically uncomfortable swimsuits that expose them unnecessarily adds to both health risks (they train in a comfortable attire that has appropriate properties keeping them comfortable, dry and warm) and mental health, because having to go under bright lights and scrutiny in a swimsuit unnecessarily… sorry, during my time, girls fought to wear long pants for PE classes instead of obligatory shorts for a very specific reason. Easy to guess which. Yes, body suits are now allowed to women, but pressure and scores that prefer Princess, Swimsuit Edition looks… Like, seriously, swimsuits is not what anyone in their right mind would reach for to go skating, even indoors.

Also, some fans go down on skaters for wearing gloves. Gloves! Every time I went to a skating event, my hands were so dry, they were bleeding by day two. And those guys spend hours per day in dry/cold of the artificial ice, not to mention fall all the times.

There are reasons safety helmets can’t be implemented, but appropriate athletic attire? I mean, h nobody in their right mind would ask a speed skater or a hockey player to strip to their undies and go into the rink.

Mandating appropriate athletic attire would probably go farther than any other measure to protect health and well-being of the athletes.

 

[Jontor]

I'm torn.

We all know the pros of costumes, why they are there, why they are enjoyed (or not) and how they contribute (to atmosphere and yes, also to scores I believe).

But there's two con's I'd like to throw into the rink.

(1) I know there's lots of fans attending/streaming practices where skaters come in more loose, subtle or all black training clothes and nevertheless everyone gets really excited. (speaking for singles only, pairs perhaps; dance could be different?) Are costumes missed in those hours? Or do the programs "work" in the sloppy clothes as well? Will skaters with brilliant moves and lines be able to show them regardless what they wear and the other way round?

(2) When winners get to do an encore in the gala, they often use parts of SP or FP. They don't change the costume of course and just have the gala outfit of the season to go with (most of the time) a program part of the same season. I don't think gala outfits are planned for those cases so that they will always match SP and FP as well. And usually, that encore is just wonderful and no one says "meh, it was the wrong costume".

Well, skaters don't get judged for training and encore, but just from the excited fan perspective: is it a downer to watch elite skating in no or the "wrong" costume?
And following: when fans don't see an issue, why should judges see one?

(discuss. )

1) I do enjoy watching practices, the performance for me is in the moves, not the clothes. The only thing about practices is that you rarely/never see the whole program.

2) I never watch galas. Why would I? There is no competition involved, and most skaters do their simplest work. Super boring to me.
But you got me thinking. Galas are there to show something isn't it? And as the skaters don't do their usual technical stuff, perhaps the point of galas is just to show off the costumes? Is the gala what figure skating is really about?
Hmmm...

 

[Jontor]

1. Yes it is a downer to see a costume that is wrong, incorrect, or not fitting the program. In most cases the skater can't help it, so I don't hold it against them,

but how much better it would be with the right costume!

2. Practice is practice, and competition is competition. I don't want to see a skater in competition in practice clothes unless they have no choice.

In fact, I have seen skaters in summer competitions compete in practice clothes. For me is distracting, I wonder what their costumes are.


So I think fans (at least this one) do see an issue.

1. I never think that. For me the issue is 100% the music. In 999/1000 the music choice is wrong. It is so rare that I find that the music reflects the program (or vice versa) so the only program I can recall that I really loved from later seasons is Maria Talalaikina's 'Maleficent' program. I thought that was brilliant. And Maria could have done it in a chicken suit, I wouldn't have noticed.
It has to be said though, I don't follow pairs and dance, so I only have women/men perspectives.

2. Disagree. I just don't see the distraction. Hmm...maybe I'm blind??

 

[lariko]

But you got me thinking. Galas are there to show something isn't it? And as the skaters don't do their usual technical stuff, perhaps the point of galas is just to show off the costumes? Is the gala what figure skating is really about?

I actually always try to watch Galas, because in a gala, skaters can chose music that doesn’t have to be good for competition program or liked by the judges. So, it’s more what they actually like. Some of them, like Aliev, do improv. Plus, well, celebrating is uplifting for the soul. Sometimes gala is a promise of a come-back. As a writer, I am a hunter for emotions, so I harvest a lot at each figure skating competition, beginning to end.

 

[Flying Feijoa]

I think a bad costume is more distracting than practice gear. That said, I do appreciate some really nice costumes (usually the simpler well-cut kind that highlights their lines).

 

[Joe Mendoza]

Should ISU introduce mandatory costumes? No.​

 

[anonymoose_au]

Aww heck no.

I'm just watching a replay of Koshiro in an utterly adorable Charlie Chaplin-inspired costume with braces/suspenders.

I may be persuaded if bow ties where made mandatory however seriously though, costumes add so much fun and interest.

 

[shyne]

I'm also torn. Figure skating is already an expansive sport. Skaters don't need to spend thousands (or even more) on two costumes that will last one season. But so many young kids are drawn to the sport because of the pretty costumes. And as a speculator, it's much more pleasing to see skaters in them.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

I prefer training/athletic clothes on athletes. I know some skaters enjoy glitter, and also live they are much, much sparklier, but costumes are such an expense, so hard to clean—or impossible—and not exactly the healthiest attire in the ice rink. I wouldn’t be sorry to see them go.

Are you suggesting skaters having no costumes at all?

To quote my good friend @elektra blue:

Not everybody is as body confident as Matteo Guarise.

But, in all seriousness, I do agree with the points you make. Figure skating costumes nowadays are ridiculously expensive, and it makes it prohibitive for people from a less well off background to get into the sport. So I would be all for doing something that would bring down the costs and make the sport more accessible to get into.

Having everybody wearing the type of bodysuits that they do in Speed Skating would kill off a lot of the appeal of the sport for spectators. So, perhaps find some way to have costumes that are pretty, but affordable.

Why have specialist costumes at all? What's wrong with just wearing clothes that can be bought on the High Street? There are plenty of pretty dresses that can be bought for a fraction of the price of a specialist figure skating dress. And the same is the case with shirts / t-shirts and trousers for the guys.

That would just leave the skates themselves and the coaching as the main costs. Although figure skating would still be expensive to take up compared to other sports, at least the costs would be more manageable than if you were having to fork out for one or two specialist costumes every year or two.

CaroLiza_fan

 

[yume]

With the increasing interest in health of athletes though, having women in a cold building wearing what are basically uncomfortable swimsuits that expose them unnecessarily adds to both health risks (they train in a comfortable attire that has appropriate properties keeping them comfortable, dry and warm) and mental health, because having to go under bright lights and scrutiny in a swimsuit unnecessarily… sorry, during my time, girls fought to wear long pants for PE classes instead of obligatory shorts for a very specific reason. Easy to guess which. Yes, body suits are now allowed to women, but pressure and scores that prefer Princess, Swimsuit Edition looks… Like, seriously, swimsuits is not what anyone in their right mind would reach for to go skating, even indoors.

Also, some fans go down on skaters for wearing gloves. Gloves! Every time I went to a skating event, my hands were so dry, they were bleeding by day two. And those guys spend hours per day in dry/cold of the artificial ice, not to mention fall all the times.

There are reasons safety helmets can’t be implemented, but appropriate athletic attire? I mean, h nobody in their right mind would ask a speed skater or a hockey player to strip to their undies and go into the rink.

Mandating appropriate athletic attire would probably go farther than any other measure to protect health and well-being of the athletes.

I prefer training/athletic clothes on athletes. I know some skaters enjoy glitter, and also live they are much, much sparklier, but costumes are such an expense, so hard to clean—or impossible—and not exactly the healthiest attire in the ice rink. I wouldn’t be sorry to see them go.

As an huge fan of costumes and creativity in general, i don't share your opinion but i like the reasoning. Sometimes, costumes are just too much or not enough.
I saw a pic of Loena on my instagram feed and i seriously wondered if it was an actual costume that she wore at a competition or if she was advertising the new collection of Savage x Fenty. Or Lisa McKinnon's heavy full of strass costumes. I'm sure some if them fall on ice.
I like training gears, brands training gears. They look comfortable and pretty. I think some skaters looked better in those Nike/Adidas training gears than in most of costumes they wore but i still prefer costumes.
The costume is part of the program. It should reflect the music, the theme. I would be ok with it being a part of the composition score if some skaters had not to use the old costumes of their training mates because of lack of money.
I believe some programs are more remembered partly because of the costume. If Yuna had won olympic gold in an ugly dress, i think Gershwin would be less iconic (some would call it a dull program imo if it wasn't for the technical excellence and the olys). So many skaters copy that dress. Which reinforce the iconic image of that program.