what do non-slender older skaters wear? | Golden Skate

what do non-slender older skaters wear?

treesprite

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
I felt like a separate thread was called for to address the specific needs of older skaters who no longer have nice skim figures. Do mostly all of you wear the same clingy stuff the kids wear? I feel too self conscious to do it.

I am 50yo now. I wore tights and skating skirts when I skated as a younger person, but after being away for years and returning to skating 35 pounds heavier (I am 25lbs overweight with the "middle aged woman's" belly fat) without youthful firmness, I feel like if I wear tight attire for skating I will draw too much negative attention when I am already self-conscious about not being able to fly around the ice doing all the fancy stuff that I could do as a kid.

I have been wearing regular athletic type pants that are thin fabric but fit like slacks rather than body-clinging, but it's hard to find outfits like that with the thin light fabric (generally nylon/lycra combo but not clingy). All the skating stuff I find online is made clingy for slender and sleek-bodied skaters, as if skaters are not allowed to look like average middle aged women.
 

gkelly

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
For practice, I usually wear dark leggings with shorts over them, and a t-shirt.

Sometimes a skating dress or skating skirt instead of the shorts (but I still wear a t-shirt over the practice dress, to cover the bulges).

Sometimes tights instead of leggings.

Sometimes jazz pants or yoga pants with a long t-shirt on top to pull down over my hips and belly. But the problem with those is that they're loose at the ankle and so I don't feel safe practicing backspins or loop jumps, for fear of getting my blade caught in the hem of the pants and not being able to check out. I had a few bad falls from that cause a number of years ago. Now I make sure not to practice those elements when dressed like that.
 

sarahspins

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 30, 2011
I like running pants, but they are fairly form fitting through the knee. I am not a fan of the "stuffed sausage" look so I wear body tights which helps smooth my tummy out :) I've only caught a skate in my (looser) pant legs once, and it was a weird set of circumstances, so I don't worry about it happening on a regular basis.

I am not slim, and I've decided that I simply don't care if I look "fat" on the ice, it's more important that what I wear is functional and comfortable... I've tried wearing loose fitting pants, and unless I'm just on the ice teaching LTS (where those pants are sort of the coach "dress code"), I don't like wearing them... I can feel the material moving and it's kind of unsettling feeling, plus I find that they tend to pull down and I'm constantly fiddling with the waist if I am doing anymore more than standing around.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Running tights or leggings pulled down over the back of my boots and a long tank or tee. I am working on doubles and close, tight footwork and have gotten stuck in boot cut pants before and in my laces. I don't really care whether people find it "weird" that I am wearing tight pants on the ice, I'd rather not be concerned that I am going to kill myself.
 

gkelly

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
If you're skating on a freestyle session, I think the other people on the session would find it weirder for an adult (or anyone) to be wearing street clothes on the ice.

When I skate public sessions I sometimes wear outfits that look less like workout gear, if I'm expecting to get less of a serious workout.
 

tietzd83

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 27, 2012
I don't have a clue what to wear. I spent a long time walking around the store this evening trying to find something that wouldn't look out of place. Since I don't really have a clue as to what is fashionably appropriate,I'm going to be taking that long clueless walk through another store tomorrow.:confused:
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
I understand you are a guy (if this is wrong, stop reading) so track pants and T-shirt/long sleeve work out shirt, fleece or track jacket and gloves would be just fine
 

treesprite

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
CORRECTION: I am NOT 25 lbs overweight, I'm 25 lbs heavier, which is "just" 15 lbs overweight because I was underweight.
 

Dreaswi

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 22, 2012
I am far from slender. I am a 200+ lbs skater and stand at 5'5". I wear a spanx type body suit (looks like a one piece bathing suit) it smooths out any rolls and also gives a little core muscle support. I use dance tights (no skating tights in my size). Then in the summer I wear a nylon/Lycra/spandex tank top with "booty" shorts. In the winter I wear the body suit with a form fitted short sleeve t shirt and spandex leggings. I could care less of what others skaters think about my body. It took me years to get over my "fluffy"frame but now I am proud to be a big skater and brag about it.
 
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