Modesty or pretty? Skating apparel for adult skaters

[blue111moon]

A lot of the dresses you see at Adult Nationals - especially those on non-petite bodies are custom made.  Mine are because even when I was skin-and-bones, I am too long-waisted for stock dresses.  Now that I'm "well-fleshed" and well into the upper age levels, I have no choice but to go to a dressmaker. 

Also keep in mind that the dresses you see at Adult Nationals are not typical of the ones you'll see on skaters at smaller, local competitions at the lower levels.  Adult Nationals is A Big Deal for American adult skaters;  people tend to go all-out there.   But there are a lot of people who don't go to Adult Nationals and who still compete quite happily in other events where the dress code is a little less Oscar Runway.

[accordion]

Was at the rink recently and saw the beginning of a test session for skaters with more advanced skills. Interestingly a number were in plain leggings and longsleeved tops. A few were in pretty dresses, but not over the top with decoration/sequins.

I overheard one skater saying that she had few events to wear her dress so it was certainly ON tonight. 

[Neverdull44]

Here I am in my new dress from Ebay. It's an Adult Large and fits me fine.  It might be a tad long in the torso, and if I lose my hoped for 10 pounds, it might have to be altered down.

I am nervous just to post a picture, much less go out there on the ice in it!   When we were young, we didn't worry about the dress. But, now that I'm "old" in my 40's, choosing a dress is harder then the program.

[slcbelle]

Here I am in my new dress from Ebay.

Excellent!  I'm so glad it fits.  Looks beautiful!  How do you like the workmanship?

[jjane45]

I am nervous just to post a picture, much less go out there on the ice in it!   

You look gorgeous, what are you talking about!

[4711]

you look splendid!

At least your sports wear has the potential to make you look really pretty.
Try a Gi...there is just no way you ever look shapely in those baggy Asian pajamas! 

Go out there and knock'em dead!

[Live2Sk8]

Neverdull, that dress looks wonderful on you!  It's so pretty - love the cut of the skirt and the way the embellishments enhance the dress.  You also look so happy - just get on the ice and keep that smile and don't worry what anyone else thinks - and anyway, most likely they'll be thinking how great you look.

[sarahspins]

Was at the rink recently and saw the beginning of a test session for skaters with more advanced skills. Interestingly a number were in plain leggings and longsleeved tops. A few were in pretty dresses, but not over the top with decoration/sequins.

Here, moves are typically dressed down, freeskate and dance is dressed up.  Also, the younger the skater though, the more likely they are to wear a dress for a moves test.  That's part of why I didn't wear mine for my test - the skaters testing Senior, Novice, and Intermediate before me were all wearing leggings except for one girl who was maybe 11 or 12.  I decided I'd be more comfortable (and confident!) wearing what I wear all the time for practice.

[jjane45]

Here, moves are typically dressed down, freeskate and dance is dressed up. 

ditto this. dance is tricky though, I wear plain black but I could totally see spicier dresses for higher level dances especially tango.

[supra]

So what are guys supposed to wear for tests or competitions? I'm assuming sweatpants and the tshirt you were wearing the day before with hot sauce stains on it is a no go, right? But seriously, what is proper to wear for a guy? Anything we can do to be particularly cool looking?

Trying to find the name of him now, but he was competing at this year's US Nationals, and I think he wore like a normal looking sweater. I liked his program a lot. He didn't place too well as he had no quad, but he imo was the best skater out there. Anyone remember this guy?

And wow, I spent a ton of time looking for this guy and came across an FSUniverse thread. Wow. Certainly a nice forum there... "WTF SHE PLACED 6TH AT NATIONALS AND HAS LIKE 23% BODYFAT SHE'S FAT AND NEVER GONNA DO ANYTHING WITH HER LIFE, HAHAHA, SHE SHOULD HANG IT UP AND QUIT RIGHT NOW." 

So the moral today is I now know whatever I wear some 40 year old lady doesn't actually skate on an internet forum will hate it. Nice.

[granita]

I rather liked Dmitri Soloviev's casual-looking cable knit sweater this year! http://binaryapi.ap.org/56b9b01e84774b67999e324e648dbd6c/512x.jpg But that's only going to work for a certainly kind of dance and in close up photos, I think it's actually some kind of lightweight wicking yarn, rather than a real woolly jumper.

For practice I mostly wear running/cycling kit, which gives me plenty of bright colours. I assume kids or adults in full-on sparkly frocks on patch are having a pre-event dress rehearsal and it's always lovely to see them (but if they just like wearing sequins at 6am then more power to them!)

[blue111moon]

There are thousands of posters at FSU and comments like that one are not common, but yes, the climate is different there.  Comments on weight are discouraged.  But I don't think adult skaters have anything to worry about; adult skating is barely a blip on FSU's radar. 

As for what guys wear to test, what I've seen is mostly black dress or skating pants and a trim-fitting sweater or turtleneck.  No sweat pants, no jeans. 

I thinkit's important to remember that the judges need to be able to see body line and position and that whatever you wear should not be a distraction or a hazard. 

[Neverdull44]

Amen, Blue Moon.

I really hate it when people pick on the weight of figure skaters, so I will not be going to that forum.  So few young skaters are ever going to make regionals or nationals.  That's not and shouldn't be the point of figure skating.  My rink has a well known male champion who coaches.  I've watched him skate, and I swear he has 'super fast twitch' muscles like a sprinter.  I really think it takes spring and fast twitch muscles to make it to that level.  For the rest, what they learn in skating is going to give them a great education; preparation, failure, success, acceptance of your own limits.  There are millions of men who golf, and a few Tiger Woods.  That's how skating is.

When I was a kid, I was the skinniest kid in high school.  I always weighed my grade; 40 pounds in 4th grade, 50's in 5th grade . . . up to the 10th grade when I stopped any and all weight gain for many years.  I was put in a Children's Hospital when I was in the 3rd grade, as I had stopped growing.  I was normal, just super skinny.  Whatever I wore, literrally hung on me.   To put it bluntly, I looked like a skating preying mantis.  And, I could eat everything and anything not gain weight.   Now, I do watch what I eat.  I focus on healthy and foods I like.  Now, I have to up my exercise to at least an hour of skating and focus on 1500 calories a day to lose weight.  I think we are programmed to be a certain weight, especially if we are already figure skating which burns alot of calories.

Men skating.  I absolutely would rather watch male skaters.  They JUMP so much higher and farther, I think it would be amazing to fly like them.  Wear slacks and a  button down shirt, that allows movement, I guess? 

[AgnesNitt]

Men's test clothes.

I was at a public session back in 2007 or 8 and there was an african american man in figure skates, skating with a young boy (his son I assume). The man was wearing loose black slacks, and a royal blue sweater over a white collared  shirt. Compared to everyone else on the ice in sweats or shorts and cheap Ts, he looked classy and elegant. Of all the thousands of people on public, he's the only one I remember looking like he was ready to test.

So, want to look nice in a test? I don't think you can go wrong with black slacks of a appropriate stretchiness, and a royal blue sweater or some royal blue pullover thats close to form fitting. Black shirt, black pants, that's dull. Blue shirt, black pants enough color to be appealing without so much color to be WTF?

Royal blue looks good on almost everyone of every shade of skin or ethnicity.  So can't go wrong.

Also, don't forget to ask a male coach or skater at the rink if dance belts are necessary. 

[4711]

It's never wrong to have your dress reflect the respect you (ought to) have for the judges.

In this case of course also formfitting enough to show off your moves.
(I don't think it necessarily has to be navy, but a nice conservative color, and given that ice is generally bright, something darker to contrast)

@Supra I have ventured into FSU...I found myself really blessed and incredibly lucky that I found this forum first!
You guys are incredibly nice and endure my inaptness!