Skaters Selling Their Old Costumes On The Internet

[CaroLiza_fan]

Is it just me, or does anybody else feel uncomfortable with this?

A skater, who I will not name here, has posted on her Facebook page that she is selling her SP dress from this season on eBay.

Now, I know you are not allowed to post website addresses on this part of the forum. And, given my uneasy feelings about this, I wouldn't want to post a direct link publically anyway.

But, I will just tell you that the item number is ***** . If you want to look it up, you can work out the address yourself from that.

I am not too sure about skaters selling their old dresses on the internet. Like, who knows what sort of weirdos might bid on it?!

Of course, the eventual buyer might turn out to be a collector of skating memorabilia, or a dress museum, or something innocent like that.

But I know if I were that skater, I would not feel comfortable with the thought that my dress might end up in the hands of somebody that found it kinky...

CaroLiza_fan

 

[gsk8]

A skater, who I will not name here

But you did name them by posting the id # which I just edited out. I really don't understand the purpose of this post.

 

[sunnystars]

With the price of new figure skating dresses these days being over hundreds of dollar, I can see why not. Maybe the future buyers will consider redesigning the dress into something more appropriate if they are planning to use it for figure skating. I'm sure the seller would at least dry clean it before giving them out and give the future buyers possible redesigns for the dress.

LOL, I think you're just thinking too much of the...irk-y things that might happen.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

But you did name them by posting the id # which I just edited out. I really don't understand the purpose of this post.

Ah, I didn't notice the skater was using their own name as their eBay username. I always have the sidebar displayed on my browser, so that part of the page is cut off, and I hardly ever bother scrolling over.

I had deliberately made sure the skater's name was not anywhere in the description or the title before I included the item ID in my original post. It never even crossed my mind to check the seller's username.

I'm so sorry. If I had realised, I would have been more discreet.


The purpose of the post was to let fans know that this is going on. I have no idea how much figure skating costumes cost. So, although I am uneasy about who might buy it, I am still curious to see what it goes for!

And I provided the item ID in case anybody else was curious to know what it went for, but didn't want to ask in the thread.


This was supposed to be a discussion about what people's thoughts were about skaters selling their costumes.

Is it a wise thing to sell them somewhere open like the internet? Should they be sold instead through specialised skating suppliers?

Should they be sold at all? Do skaters feel sentimental about their costumes? Or, if the skaters don't want them taking up space, should their old costumes be put on display in collections?

And, would a skater buy and use a costume that had been used already by another skater? Even if their programme was very different, would they feel like they were being compared to the original owner?


The story in the original post was just supposed to spark the discussion. I was going to drop these questions in as the the thread went along. Personally, I don't really like it when the original poster of a thread asks a whole pile of questions at the start, as the thread dries up quicker.

So, with this in mind, this thread probably would have been better in "The Edge" or, more likely, "Le Cafe". But since it was about things being for sale, I put it in the "For Sale" forum!

Perhaps I was thinking too literally in that regard...

Hope this clears things up

CaroLiza_fan

 

[sunnystars]

To competing skaters here in GS, I would like to read your opinion as well! Btw, how do you guys take care of your costumes?

 

[karne]

Is it a wise thing to sell them somewhere open like the internet? Should they be sold instead through specialised skating suppliers?

Should they be sold at all? Do skaters feel sentimental about their costumes? Or, if the skaters don't want them taking up space, should their old costumes be put on display in collections?

And, would a skater buy and use a costume that had been used already by another skater? Even if their programme was very different, would they feel like they were being compared to the original owner?

Oh dear, CaroLiza_fan. I can tell by these questions that you definitely, definitely do not skate or compete yourself.

Skating dresses are VERY expensive. Often, prohibitively so. I make my own; I have one store bought dress that was nothing fancy and brand new it was $140. If a skater is buying a new dress for each program I have absolutely no problem with them reselling their dresses - it's a great way to not only put some of that money towards the new dress, but also gives a skater who may not be able to afford a brand-new dress an opportunity to get a nice one. Nobody cares that it's been worn before!

I can see a skater who has strong feelings about a particular costume might hold onto it - maybe they won a special event or a national title or something in it. But otherwise, I'm 100% in support of reselling. I know there's several dresses at my rink that are resold dresses. The kids love them, the parents love that they didn't spend a fortune, and the dress gets used for its intended purpose once again.

As to putting them on display, let's ask a blunt and brutal question: who the hell would go and see it? You and me. The people here. But not Joe Blow from the public, not unless it was a super huge name skater who had serious fame going on.

Skaters like Gracie, Jason, Evgeni and co have the money, backing etc to keep costumes and not resell. (I think there was a big exhibition of Plushy's costumes last year for his 30th birthday - I'm pretty sure they were all there!). But a skater still at a high level but not quite with the success or making a name for themselves has to think about the monetary side of things. They simply would not be able to afford the new dresses without reselling, and I imagine there are other skaters always grateful to pick it up.

Ebay is fine if that's the skater's choice. Most skate shops sell on commission, which reduces the money the skater gets for the dress.

As to sunny_stars' question, mine are all made of lycra and the stones are held on with a washable glue, so I just chuck them in the washing machine. I've only lost a tiny number of stones that way (which is why I keep spares). Then I air-dry them. If I had a really nice dress I would get it professionally cleaned.