December 15, 2013

5 Faux Pas To Avoid When Choosing Your Skating Dress

Today I wanted to write a little something related to dresses (and men's costumes) because it's an important subject, and seems to be one that my readers and other's in the skating blogosphere have seen as a central theme on my blog. In the run up to Christmas, with everything sparkling around us, you may be inspired to start thinking about your next skating costume (or just throw copious amounts of glitter over yourself -- both are equally acceptable in my opinion!), so here's a list of 5 faux pas (that's French for "mis-step" literally, i.e. something to avoid doing, ooh la la!) for when you're either choosing or designing your next skating outfit!


#1 Inappropriate Costumes 
Oh you know what I mean! You've seen them before at competitions, I'm sure. Little girls dressed in bustiers, anyone? Definitely keep away from anything that is not age-appropriate, especially at club or regional levels. The older more conventional judges really frown upon this type of thing.

#2 Getting the wrong size
When in doubt between two sizes, or when in-between two sizes, buy a size up (if you're not falling out of it, obviously). Especially true for kids who seems to be constantly growing, if you want to get the season out of an outfit, then make sure there's some wiggle room. The worst thing which is overseen in many ladie' costumes is not getting the bottom of the leotard part of the dress (that covers your butt!) big enough. The result? Too much buttock, not enough fabric. This type of thing can even lead to penalties for inappropriate dress if it goes too far. Take a leaf out of Michelle Kwan or Ashley Wagner's books, and get your leotards to fit right the way over your tush - looks so much more elegant, and saves you some serious wedgies!

#3 Don't skimp! Change tactics to fit your budget instead!
Does your outfit call for a burst of crystals that will set your back a couple o' hundred dollars? Can't afford it? Then don't settle for a sparse scattering of crystals - change tactics! Switch your Swarovskis out for holographic sequins for example (which can be bought for very little, see my post on embellishment for the low-down), and retain the WOW effect for a fraction of the cost.

#4 Wrong Body Stocking Colour
I'm sure you've seen it before. A pale skater wearing that shiny orange tinted body stocking in parts of the dress that are supposed to be her skin (like fake long arms, or the bust area). Please, please, avoid this. It looks cheap, and amateur, even if your dress was neither of those things. And today with the access we have to the internet and fabric collections from all over the globe, there's no reason not to get a body stocking that matches your skin, if not perfectly, then closely. Getting this right will make the whole outfit look more expensive than it is.

#5 "Clear" Straps
You know those "clear" bra straps that came out in the noughties, and all the teenagers (including me) wore them because they were cool and invisible? Yeah well, guess what? They're not invisible. They are possibly more visible and definitely more ugly than a beautifully coloured strap. If your outfit needs to be "strapless" or strapless-looking, opt for body stocking in a tone that matches your skin perfectly (see #4). Those see-thru plastic straps press against your skin, turning it white, and the plastic shines under the area lights. I have made this mistake, and I'm trying to save you the pain of looking back on those photos and thinking "why?!". Trust me.

Is there something you absolutely hate to see in skating costumes? Or did you commit a heinous costume crime that you'll never repeat because you've learned your lesson? Tell us all about it on social media or below in a comment!

Until next time, look sharp on the ice!
Gigi
XOXO
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4 comments

  1. These are really good, thanks for sharing!

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  2. I was at my first computation and I saw this girl. She was probably 8 or 9 and her song and outfit were so horridness I thought I was going to die. The song was a little girl song and it was cute, But not for a computation. The outfit she wore was a black leotard and had a neon lime green and neon hot pink skirt made out of toll. She had a black head band with the neon lime green and neon hot pink toll on it thats sticking straight up and covering her face. The skirt was too short. The whole outfit just was not good at all. And if her outfit was different maybe it would have been better with the music she was skating to. But the outfit was not right for her age and for what she was going and for the song.

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  3. I also suggest limiting the costume color scheme to at least two or three colors; any more and it will look too cobbled together.

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  4. Hi. I am an adult skater looking for a competition dress. My problem is that all photos of dresses have relatively flat chested models. While I tend to wear a two in adult clothing on the bottom I am 5'4, short wasted and have D sized breasts. What style would you recommend for my body type.

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