What to consider when designing a figure skating competition outfit

Make sure the outfit matches the music – when designing or purchasing a new figure skating outfit, the single most important thing to consider is it matches the music.

Is your music from a movie, play or television show? Does that movie or show have a main character or theme you can use ideas from? The outfit should enhance the program and help your audience understand the music. If your skater gets on the ice and the audience knows what they’re skating to before the music comes on, you have done your job.

Maybe your skating to fast happy music, consider a prominent design with bright colors. If your music is from soft and elegant, consider incorporating lace or chiffon fabric or a long flowy skirt.

Color - Color is important and should also have aspects of the music. Most of you have probably seen someone skate to Pink Panther wearing a pink dress, Walking on Sunshine with a yellow dress, or Annie with a red dress.

Style – Things to consider in the style of the dress.

Neckline
Long , short or no sleeves
Skirt- What style of skirt do you want, a ruffle skirt, or a flat skirt(my personal favorite, I think it flatters most figures.)? Do you want to include slits on the skirt? Will the skirt be long or short?

Fit - The outfit should be very fitted. Have you skater practice in it before a competition. If this isn’t possible have him or her try it on in the house and walk though their program. Make sure the outfit fits in all the right places and isn’t moving around. Do the panties fit right? Are they riding up and giving your skater a snuggie? If you have a low neckline or cut out back, did it stay where you wanted it to? If you have long sleeves did they ride up or stay in place?

Don’t go overboard – Whatever you do, don’t do to much. Tinkerbell is popular this year, I see one at every competition. Many of the dresses are really cute, most include a mint green color, pink and some gold accents. It’s a little over the top to add huge fairy wings and a wand, unless it’s an artistic program. It takes away from the program. If I’m too busy watching the huge fairy wings flop around and wondering what they are going to do next and not focusing on the actual skating elements, its too much . The costume should never distract your audience from the actual skating.

Let your skater be part of the design or choice. If you are drawing the costume, draw it together. Or let your skater draw some designs and see if you can incorporate any of their ideas into the design. If your buying a dress online ask your skaters opinions. After all, they are the one wearing the dress and should feel 100% comfortable in the dress. The last thing you want is your skater worrying about how much they dislike their costume or re-adjusting it every 30 seconds.

I was at a competition recently and right in the middle of the program the skater grabbed her chest and pulled up the neckline of the dress. The dress obviously didn’t fit right and the skater wasn’t comfortable in it. When she got off the ice she was in tears. Not because she skated poorly but because she was so embarrassed. For the next hour this is what everyone talked about. I didn’t hear anyone talk about her skating at all. This is not what you want.

Have you ever designed a skating outfit? What types of things did you consider? What went right, what went wrong? Do you have any recommendations that I missed?

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Hey, Ice Coach. I have a question. What if no one will know the music that my skater is skating to? Should I keep with the music's theme or should I just pick a cute dress off the rack? In other words, if it's from, say a French movie, I shouldn't feel obligated to outfit the skater in some French-looking outfit, right? If no one will recognize the music as French, I should be able to buy that cute, used, cheap dress, right? Or not?
icecoach

Yes 100% correct. You don't have to be able to identify the music by the outfit, sometimes this is impossible. In other cases it will enhance the performance. As long as its all in good taste.
sk8rmomp

IceCoach,
What about if the music is recognizable, but the skater would like to create something from it other than the stereotypical story. Would it detract and possibly not score well since the judges know what the story should be about? I'm not talking about blatantly wearing Flamenco style clothing for an Mozart Concerto, but for example, maybe a sound track for a movie that uses Spanish influence style of music, but not being the main character of the movie and acting out what happens in the script.

One better example might be the theme from Gettysburg, but not having to be dressed as a soldier, keeping the mood of the piece, but just expressing the feelings that the music evokes?

Or is it better not to choose a piece that is known for a specific storyline if you don't want to be the movie character?
TIA
icecoach

There is a presentation mark and how well you relate to your music overall is definately part of this score. I don't think you need to be the main character, but it does help if the judges understand where your trying to go with the program.

This is not an apples to apples comparison but it gets the point across-take Joannie Rochette's programs from this years Olympics. Her story didn't have anything to do with music but EVERYONE knew the story about her mother. Joannie skated with her heart and when you watched her skate you knew why she was skating, she pulled you in the program and you felt like you were apart of it, you felt like you were there, and if your like me you were balling your eyes out. If you can create a feeling, a story, a theme, something the judges can relate to and understand, (and you do it well) it can definately add to the performance scores.

I personally skated to music from Gettysburg when I was younger (love that soundtrack, it was my favorite program) and was definately not dressed like a soldier. There are ways to still get across the “theme” of your program without actually being dressed like the main character.
eternal rink parent

I think there are a lot of things to consider aside from the music alone. One of the major item is the skater's presentation style. If a skater is more athletic in her presence on the ice, an athletic dress is the best choice. If the skater is more theatrical, you can get away with more of a costume. Sometimes I see skaters competing in these really theatrical costumes when their presentation isn't all that expressive. I think that when this happens, it makes the skater look like she is trying to be someone that she isn't. With that said, you can still make an athletic dress complement the music.

I also like to see surprising/alternate color combinations. When I am at an event and I see what seems like hundreds of red and black Spanish dresses, I tend to get bored (even when watching Nationals!). It is always a breath of fresh air to see more creative/original colors used especially for commonly-used music.

I have a few questions: Do you have any advice for selecting/designing outfits that are fresh and original? If you are having something made, to what extent should you trust your dressmaker's instincts/expertise? At what age/level should skaters be allowed start getting involved in the design process?
icecoach

Very good points!

Do you have any advice for selecting/designing outfits that are fresh and original? Anything you design yourself will be original. As far as fresh, I would use bright colors. But thats just my opinion. Bright colors are so uplifting, and its almost summer so perfect time to think about incorporating them.

If you are having something made, to what extent should you trust your dressmaker's instincts/expertise? You would need to have multiple converstations with them over the phone,or in person- not email. Things can get lost in email. Make sure to be clear what you are looking for and that you are both on the same page. If you don't really know what your looking for ask to see pictures of other work they have done. Then you can take bits and pieces of things you like and make one dress.

At what age/level should skaters be allowed start getting involved in the design process? I think your skater should always have some opinion. They are the ones that have to wear the dress and feel comfortable in it. Even if they are young, and all they care about is sparkles, then give them sparkles. It makes them feel like their opinion matters, and lets them have a connection to the dress. As they get older and can really design a dress on their own, let them draw it out and work together with your coach on different designs. You never know what they can come up with, and the more original idea, the better the dress!
tammy

How refreshing! Thank you for the input.
Mandi Renee

I saw this movie (Ice Princess) And the way that I seen the movement and the figure skating costumes it matched the music just perfect and that’s what inspired me to be a figure skater even though in the movie the coach was on her ass telling her what to do but that’s not it a coach is to make sure you skate with your heart don’t think what other people are saying when you skate just skate to win or just try your best at it.
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This is a very sensitive costume. I never knew that this will require extra effort to what garments should be used for a better performance.