Skating Costumes | Golden Skate

Skating Costumes

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
Here is a thread for discussion about skating costumes. :cool:
Please share pics/clips of costumes you love...and love to hate ;)

Since I am no expert on fashion I thought this clip with Peggy Fleming talking about the evolution of skating dresses would be a good way to get started.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfBzV4zoJ4M

and here is a good one with Vera Wang talking about the costumes she created for Nancy K.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-gTH-RDYJQ
 
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janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009

I like the costumes you selected too.

Here is one I like: Alissa's "Sabrina" dress. A little different but just perfect for her and the program.

http://www.figureskatersonline.com/alissaczisny/photos/nats07/4.html

http://www.figureskatersonline.com/alissaczisny/photos/nats07/7.html
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
I think it's important to see the costume in the context of the program they were used for before declaring it good or bad.

There are a couple of really extreme costumes this year, both due to the fact that the people involved are performing circus programs.

Zhiganshina / Gaszi SD (check out his socks!) But given it's circus, I quite like these, and the costume worked better in motion than you would think.

http://photography.ice-dance.com/2010-11/2010Nebelhorn/SD/10Neb-SD-1189-ZG-LC.jpg.php

Alena Leonova SP (check out the ping pong ball corsage and the odd way the sleeves and gloves fit together) This on the other hand does nothing for me.
http://photo.fsonline.ru/main.php?g2_itemId=28445

These costumes remind me of the old saying that there is no such thing as bad publicity-anything that gets your name in front of the public is a good thing.

Costumes that disturb me more than these are often ones that people rave about as tasteful, but have some tiny thing odd about them IMO, or which behave strangely in motion:
For example, Tessa Virtue's Mahler FD dress. The way the bodice was cut & workmanshiip at the top of the bodice always bothered me as a bit off. I expected Tim Gunn to come out and critique it, calling on the designer to fix it, and make it work. Otherwise, it was a great costume that flattered her and moved well, but the asymetrical bodice cut looked very odd at several angles and tended to pouch up in action (photo 2)
http://www.ambassadors.net/images/tessa_virtue_scott_moir2.jpg
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/sports/photos/2008/10/22/virtue-moir584.jpg

I also have never liked Nancy Kerrigan's much praised Olympic gold Vera Wang.
http://0.tqn.com/d/womenshistory/1/0/J/a/2/nancy-kerrigan-1216669_10.jpg

I don't like how low the armpits are cut, and the fabric, while wildly expensive, didn't seem to me to show well at usual arena viewing distance.
http://0.tqn.com/d/womenshistory/1/0/V/a/2/nancy-kerrigan-1224987_10.jpg
Where it could just as well have been dotted swiss rather than little golden plaques. IMO, it was an over expensive boring, costume.

What did I like?
Well, I agree about Meryl's GW CD dress! It was fabulous and fit her and the waltz beautifully. It also moved well.

Jayne Torvill's paso doble dress was a masterpiece:
http://0.tqn.com/d/figureskating/1/0/V/K/-/-/torvilldeanpaso.jpg
The way the batwing sleeves worked in motion truly added to the dance, and to the intended impression that he was a matador and she was the cape.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaJtKHeis_g

Kat Witt did a very similar dress, and it worked well for her too;
 
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seniorita

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
I must be the only one who likes the clown costumes, even the shocks!!!!
thanx for the thread opening jntfan!
I was hoping to start from here!:biggrin:
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Hooray! A splendid, inspired thread. I can't look at all the videos right now because I'm at work, but I can't wait to have a fabric pig-out when I get home.

Even without seeing it to refresh my memory, I can vote yes for Torvill's paso doble dress. It was gorgeous, I agree.

I loved Michelle's dark burgundy dress for Song of the Black Swan. She looks terrific in dark, rich colors.

Costumes that echo street clothes are often my favorites. The trend of guys skating in jeans (generally for pro or exhibition programs) pleases me—for example, Underhill and Martini in several of their Landover programs. Costumes like those do what Gene Kelly tried to do with his dancing--bring it out of the elevated, highbrow realm into the streets. Not that skating always has to be that way, but it's a nice extra dimension. Two of the best "street clothes" his/hers combinations were the Duchesnays' outfits for "Missing" and the casual attire worn by Sale/Pelletier for "Love Story."
 

Bluebonnet

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 18, 2010

seniorita

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
seniorita, if you'll look, I quite like Z&G's, so I like 2 of 3 clown costumes :)

And I suppose another place to start is

http://www.artofskating.com/khxc/me...-Walker-Skating-on-Duddin-Print-C10082695.jpg

the costume that Boitano's 1988 SP costume was based on.

Then it is two of us :) Z&G costume is what I meant, cant wait to see this program in video :) I used to like the flashy ice dance costumes before they became too elegant..dont ask me why, I just loved that the costumes couldnt be worn anywhere else, now Tessa's dress are wonderful but is something we could wear on a dinner!

I had not watched the sp of Boitano until some days ago, I was always watching the lp and it was very nice, like he was skating in pride and prejudice :love:, so this is a costume of 1800s?
 

janetfan

Match Penalty
Joined
May 15, 2009
I'm no expert on costumes, but it's fun. So here you go (There are a lot of gaps need to be filled):

Men's costumes years in progress (or regress;)):


Alexei Urmanov
http://www.leigh-i-am.com/Keri99/299keri37.jpg

Johnny Weir
http://jeffwise.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/johnny-weir.jpg

I'm too boring to appreciate Urmanov and Weir's costumes in general. I prefer Boitano, Yagudin, and last year's Abbott.


The Urmanov costume ranks up there with the silliest I have ever seen. :laugh:

I am not clever enough to appreciate all the effort Johnny puts into his costumes either. Perhaps they are good but my taste is nothing at all like Johnny's taste.

How about this one:

http://sonjahenie.net/shg16.jpg

or this :eek:

http://nimg.sulekha.com/sports/thumbnailfull/miki-ando-2009-11-7-7-40-38.jpg
 
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colleen o'neill

Medalist
Joined
Nov 3, 2006
:scowl: As for Miki's Cleopatra costume , I don't think anyone had an objection to the colours..It was an accomplishment - too naked and too busy all at once .

Here's one of my favourites from last year :http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/Q_H8SGcEmbC/NHK+Trophy+Day+2/qzKfIJZXWU1/Ashley+Wagner
Here we have lots of embellishment , but because there are not a lot of colours and they blend in , you get the feeling of sumptuousness without being overwhelmed. It has the exotic flavour of Orientalism without being brazen , or degenerating into burlesque. The shape of the dress on the body is simple and never distracts from what the skater is doing..and a beautiful cut on the skirt with just the right amount of fabric. Loved the hair ornament..

So many of Alissa Czisny's costumes have made my good list. Loved the Sabrina costume, and this one..http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=...ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:12,s:18&biw=1024&bih=587

And yes, this one..http://sports.rightpundits.com/?p=1503..including the chartreuse accents.:biggrin:

I'll have to come back re : why I can't applaud Z/G..And as to Mathman's post ,while I don't think we will go back to those days, many , many of the costumes we see would be fine for a show, or exhibition, but really don't belong in a competition .
 
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Layfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
I also have never liked Nancy Kerrigan's much praised Olympic gold Vera Wang.
http://0.tqn.com/d/womenshistory/1/0...1216669_10.jpg

I don't like how low the armpits are cut, and the fabric, while wildly expensive, didn't seem to me to show well at usual arena viewing distance.
http://0.tqn.com/d/womenshistory/1/0...1224987_10.jpg
Where it could just as well have been dotted swiss rather than little golden plaques. IMO, it was an over expensive boring, costume.

I agree. I have never been able to bring myself to love either of Nancy's 1994 Olympic costumes. Even though they are often praised for their elegant simplicity they have always seemed overworked to me, overly thought out. I now that I've seen that clip that Janetfan provided, I can see that they WERE excessively thought out. But I can appreciate both dresses for their role in figure skating fashion history. They ushered in the idea of understated, "evening wear" look that is so popular today.

I think Vera Wang perfected her art with Michelle Kwan. There are so many great Michelle Kwan costumes. They were all simple but glamorous at the same time - and SOOOO flattering. Someone mentioned the Black Swan dress - the color! It says "simplicity" and "royalty" at the same time. That is one of my favorites, although my all-time fave has to be her 2004 nationals costume.


It might even be my favorite figure skating costume ever. I thought it was a bit of a masterpiece. I mean, I want to go out and get a cocktail dress with that exact top! And color.

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWQSoIEAxns


Yuna, Sasha and Alissa have all worn other favorites of mine.

I LOVED Yuna's James Bond costume. She just looked so COOL in it. It managed to be different and simple at the same time. And, again, I want the cocktail dress version :cool:

It might be my second-favorite costume ever.

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w0Vra-Z6jo

Here are my other favorites:

3. Sasha:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI-cbt1u1uc
I guess 2004 was a good year for costumes. :) I like how this is simple, yet so bold. And unforgettable, just like the performance.
4. Alissa:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KsUNC4cMb8
And it might be one of my favorite nationals LP ever, too.
5. Alissa:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq8knstUZls
I was bummed she changed this one for nationals. I just love the mid-length sleeves and the curved, low-cut back. It's very distinctive and it really fits the music. I thought her costumes at nationals this year were lovely but on the expected side.
 

seniorita

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
Best 80s costume is Cousins disco-costume:cool:

Miki's cleopatra dresses were a failure, they were uninspired, she used the most common image that people have of cleopatra , it was like a B movie wardrobe, I only sort of liked the first gold/brown one she used in cor.
Sasha's best dresses are this yellow Malaguena, her Rachmaninof dress from 2003 and her Dark eyes dress is one my favs ever, I also liked her romeo and juliet from nationals and swan costume. What about Shizuka's swan costume?:biggrin:
I always loved Michelle's dresses that looked more athletic and simple and although I dont like no sleeves in general, they suited her.

This Button picture is amazing, how did he skate with all these clothes?and his boots are different! Is this the image of ISU for athletic costume?

I m always examining the girls around late 80s early 90s , what Witt and Thomas were wearing, and Yamakuchi and Harding and Ito, are so strange to me, they have these tiny skirts and tight bodysuits on the top, I dont know how they were breathing!
 

Layfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Best 80s costume is Cousins disco-costume:cool:

Miki's cleopatra dresses were a failure, they were uninspired, she used the most common image that people have of cleopatra , it was like a B movie wardrobe, I only sort of liked the first gold/brown one she used in cor.
Sasha's best dresses are this yellow Malaguena, her Rachmaninof dress from 2003 and her Dark eyes dress is one my favs ever, I also liked her romeo and juliet from nationals and swan costume. What about Shizuka's swan costume?:biggrin:
I always loved Michelle's dresses that looked more athletic and simple and although I dont like no sleeves in general, they suited her.

This Button picture is amazing, how did he skate with all these clothes?and his boots are different! Is this the image of ISU for athletic costume?

I m always examining the girls around late 80s early 90s , what Witt and Thomas were wearing, and Yamakuchi and Harding and Ito, are so strange to me, they have these tiny skirts and tight bodysuits on the top, I dont know how they were breathing!

I have to say... right on for everything:biggrin:

ITA for the late 80 and early 90s, although to be fair, that was one of the worst fashion eras in the real world too...
One of my least favorite costumes ever has to be Thomas' Carmen costume. BO-RING. And it was a bad contrast to Witt's exuberant one. I sort of like Witt's costume in the same weird way as I like Oksana's Baiul's 94 Swan SP one. They are bold in how literal they are. I mean, they are real costumes. You really have to have the skating to match those dresses - and I think they both did. It's hard to imagine many skaters who wouldn't be drowned out by those costumes but Oksana and Kat owned them.

OTH, that fluffy pink thing Oksana wore for her LP is one of all time most awful eye sores ever to move across the ice.
 

seniorita

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
Worst thing in Oksana's was not the dress but the hair, cant describe the feeling:unsure:

I found this in FB from Flemming, very elegant picture, I just noticed the hair that doesnt move :cool:

Also Surya's costumes were Ughhh..they showed her athletic body but were bizare..
I love all the ice dance costumes i ve seen from 80s -90s and the men of the couple usually were wearing the big sleeves a la Urmanov with the button on the neck:biggrin:
But this is my fav in the 2000s before I lost contact with icedance, and her hair:love:
 

seniorita

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
how dare you :disagree: the zebrah that watches snow for the first time???:eek: This is one my best costumes ever, it is different from all the classy blacks and sequined purples and it is fairy and innocent and orange and blue. :love:And nobody could pull it off other than Lambiel, it is magical! I wanted to adopt the costume (and Stephane):p
 
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