Do costumes augment or detract?

[ice coverage]

I think Max Aaron would have something to say about that.

http://static.gofugyourself.com/uploads/2013/01/160072229-510x592.jpg

I love how worked up people get over the half boot look. It's half of their charm

Huh? Max simply is wearing stirrup pants for his Tron program. No over-the-boot anything.

The top right photo at this link could not be more clear:

http://figureskatingcostumes.tumblr...rons-tron-legacy-costume-at-the-2013-us#notes​

ETA, another one:

http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Max+Aaron/2013+Prudential+Figure+Skating+Championships/PRwb2ZdGXZh​

​

---

BTW, in the new TSL This and That, Dave Lease said something about Jorik's pants being cited in the Nebelhorn protocols.

Jorik did not get any deduction in points, but I do see a notation of "Costume/Prop violation" (without any specific mention of pants).

http://www.deu-event.de/results/Nebelhorn_2016/CSGER2016_Men_FS_Scores.pdf​

 

[TGee]

Jorik did not get any deduction in points, but I do see a notation of "Costume/Prop violation" (without any specific mention of pants).

http://www.deu-event.de/results/Nebelhorn_2016/CSGER2016_Men_FS_Scores.pdf​

Sigh... So much for this as a solution to keep our boys' laces from falling down No over the boot tights to keep laces in place for them. (My record is four reties on the youngest's boots in a single session.... Kurt Browning has said that he always reties his everytime he comes of the ice, even just between a warm up and his skate. I'm not encouraged)

But can someone please tell me why tight pants are so immodest for guys? And where do the norms come from? Unless we go made to measure, we find that the only training wear on offer the guys are two floppy styles from Mondor that impede training, or compression tights from the sports manufacturers. And the archive photos from the early 20th Century I've seen have gentlemen in tight legged pants and long coats...

 

[TGee]

Here are a few archival treasures from Canada's once Governor General the Earl Minto, an avid skater. .....(His next position was as the GG of India ). But he left a legacy of skating .....

http://collectionscanada.gc.ca/pam_...o+Skating+on+the+Ottawa+River.+&ecopy=a033800

https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca...ty+on+the+Ottawa+River .+&ecopy=e008311458-v6

I figure if tight lower leggings were fine for one of the vice-regal early proponents of the sport, we really need to revisit this.:roll9:

 

[plushyfan]

I believe sometimes the costumes are good,ridiculous, awful, ugly, beautiful....but in the figure skating need costumes! I do not want to see everyone in black, boringly similar costumes or in simply training jersey.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BK0iWc9Bzsr/?taken-by=natalia.evgeni_art "~ Figure skating is theater, ballet, and then only sport ~"-Plushenko

 

[TGee]

I believe sometimes the costumes are good,ridiculous, awful, ugly, beautiful....but in the figure skating need costumes! I do not want to see everyone in black, boringly similar costumes or in simply training jersey.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BK0iWc9Bzsr/?taken-by=natalia.evgeni_art "~ Figure skating is theater, ballet, and then only sport ~"-Plushenko

Thanks for adding this, and for keeping the thread going. I do agree that costuming is integral to the performance, and that performance is integral to the sport.

And thinking of the late Toller Cranston whose vision for skating had much in common with Plushenko's.

He took costuming for men to this....http://www.frogsonice.com/skateweb/articles/toller.shtml

And would have IMO seen it as a step backwards to return to this : http://storage.lfpress.com/v1/blogs...5b62aa842a18a08bf89e0e6ba.jpg?stmp=1363375593

 

[mrrice]

I think Max Aaron would have something to say about that.

http://static.gofugyourself.com/uploads/2013/01/160072229-510x592.jpg

I love how worked up people get over the half boot look. It's half of their charm

That is a great costume for Max. The length of the pants are crucial as Max is not very tall. From a judging and visual stand point, that costume makes Max, looks 6 inches taller than he really is. If he had worn white or even tan boots, it would have spoiled the line of his body. I love it! Speaking of White Boots on Men. How many times have we seen that happen, if ever?

 

[Mathman]

Speaking of White Boots on Men. How many times have we seen that happen, if ever?

White? After Labor Day?

 

[Mathman]

And thinking of the late Toller Cranston whose vision for skating had much in common with Plushenko's.

One big difference, though. Plushenko was the dominant skater of his time; Cranston was a couple of decades ahead of his time.

 

[TGee]

Cranston was a couple of decades ahead of his time.

Toller was more dominant at the time in freeskate than many realize IMO.

But in terms of being ahead, here is the theatre and ballet -- and costuming that I believe that many of our colleagues who love Plushenko's ice shows would love. The Strawberry Ice TV special.. with costuming done by then retired pairs skater and CBC designer Frances Dafoe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpbnfL0CKdM

 

[mrrice]

White? After Labor Day?

KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!

 

[iluvtodd]

I didn't see a thread for this @ GS, but there's some sad news in the skating world. Costume designer Jef Billings passed away a few days ago. There is news about it on the SOI Facebook page.

 

[Mathman]

I didn't see a thread for this @ GS, but there's some sad news in the skating world. Costume designer Jef Billings passed away a few days ago. There is news about it on the SOI Facebook page.

Thanks for posting, Iluvtodd. Sad news indeed. Mr. Billing touched many skaters and, through them, many, many fans.

 

[ordinary person]

I believe sometimes the costumes are good,ridiculous, awful, ugly, beautiful....but in the figure skating need costumes! I do not want to see everyone in black, boringly similar costumes or in simply training jersey.

That's exactly what bothers me about skaters who don't wear skin tone tights. I love it but why do they always have to wear black on black. My god, i have had enough of these boring costumes.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XZDMXGUUg0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iiif4BgNpg

http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000.EqiJsv1qgc/t/200/I0000.EqiJsv1qgc.jpg

https://www.solna.se/ImageVaultFile...lgotsson_EM_2016_-besk-_-_Foto_Studio_Emm.jpg

 

[Arriba627]

That's exactly what bothers me about skaters who don't wear skin tone tights. I love it but why do they always have to wear black on black. My god, i have had enough of these boring costumes.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XZDMXGUUg0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iiif4BgNpg
http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get/I0000.EqiJsv1qgc/t/200/I0000.EqiJsv1qgc.jpg
https://www.solna.se/ImageVaultFile...lgotsson_EM_2016_-besk-_-_Foto_Studio_Emm.jpg

Black with black is SO boring. Probably the only thing worse is the white costumes which just seem to disappear into the ice! White seems to be very popular this year.

 

[ordinary person]

And it looks like we'll still be seeing black dresses with black tights thanks to Nicole Schott.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IzDOV_zPvk

Basically she's skating to cell block tango, so i get that she chose black. This is what bothers me, because tango outfits aren't always all black.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/a9/91/68/a99168331a12ddca4b2174438f8acd0c.jpg

If you look at the far left you can see red stockings with a black dress, so instead of looking all boring black, she could have worn red tights with her black dress.
Now that would really add to her program plus the fact how gorgeous it would look.

If only the designers responsible for costumes had a little more fashion sense. hwell:

 

[dreamsk8]

Skating dresses done right to fit the skater and the music definitely augment and add to the program:luv17:
Skating dresses done wrong are like a 1980's brides maid dress just a disaster that can hurt and detract from a program :gaah:

 

[ordinary person]

Aside from all super boring black costumes, come to think of it, i never quite considered the topic at hand which is pretty simple.

As long as there's skin color on dresses or skin colored tights, costumes will always detract from the program because they don't thoroughly protray the character in most cases.
It's like they're unfinished costumes that leaves you thinking what in god's name it's supposed to be.

Let's look at two of my fave skaters and see how easily you can add more details to the programs.

http://www.insideskating.net/wp-con...ao-Asada-Black-bird-2016-Finlandia-Trophy.jpg

She's portraying some kind of black bird. The only problem is it looks like she has got some odd looking paint on her half naked looking body. So i have heard it's a mysterious dramatic program, why not change all that exposing skin color on her dress into a dark shade of grey. That color gives a dramatic and mysterious feel just like what her program is all about. Add some grey tights and the costume's finished.


https://66.media.tumblr.com/7fda9f5d18f25a25944e9fdb5fe66924/tumblr_oeh0b79QVo1qfbp2ao1_500.png

I think Wakaba is portraying a legendary queen from Persia. If you look at how delusional, super tacky and seasonly inappropriate she looks on the ice it surely cringes me.
The answer is simple, replace all that god awful nude mesh fabric on her dress with pink including her arms. Now all you need is a pair of light purple tights mainly because it represents wisdom which is a part of her personality once again adding to the program, see?

It's like, why limit yourself to those dull obscene looking skin color tights when there's like over 30 colors to choose from right?
That's also why trying to match non skin color tights with dresses to add to the program/character you portray is genuinely fun and challenging contrary to the appaling boring skin tone where you have absolutely no idea what she's supposed to be.

Lets hope one day the fashion designers rediscover the wonderful world of colors and learn what winter sport truly means. :sarcasm:

 

[Crossover]

I didn't see a thread for this @ GS, but there's some sad news in the skating world. Costume designer Jef Billings passed away a few days ago. There is news about it on the SOI Facebook page.

Sad to hear that....I'm shocked. My condolences to to his family and friends. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/caaf...skating-costume-designer-jef-billings-dies-71

 

[ice coverage]

... Personally I think color is the most important, make-or-break feature of a costume. If it sharply contrasts the mood of the music, then I find it really distracting. I noticed this last week at Lombardia for Mirai's Winner Takes It All FP. Her dress is bright red and purple, and it doesn't match the soft music AT ALL. ...

I think Mirai's dress is a work in progress. I think she just used an old dress.

So turns out that for Mirai's Challenger free skates, she was wearing a dress that was designed as an exhibition costume.

IN has a new article today all about Mirai's new FS costume (including a photo) -- part of its series about her creative process.

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2016/10/25/207088174 (Oct 25)​

Her new FS dress is white, and she will wear it at Skate Canada.
(I hope that you esp. will like it, Nathan .)

The article focuses on her new FS dress and makes only a brief garbled mention of her new Chopin SP, but I believe Mirai is getting a new SP costume as well. Mirai was clear on social media that she wore an old dress [which she still loves] for her Challenger SPs -- not "the" dress for this season.

---

Go, Mirai :yay:.

 

[Nathan13]

Her new FS dress is white, and she will wear it at Skate Canada.
(I hope that you esp. will like it, Nathan .)

I approve! :hap57: Thank you for sharing-- this is so much better. Bring home some hardware from SC Mirai!!!