A figure skating costume is clothing worn by a figure skater when performing. Skaters typically wear costumes that reflect the character or style of their program and music to enhance its theme. Costumes may be store-bought or custom-made and are made with stretch fabric that is frequently ornamented with rhinestones, sequins, and other decorative materials and techniques.
Early figure skaters wore clothing that were intended to keep them warm while skating on cold, often outdoors rinks. Over time, they began to wear clothes that diverged from everyday fashions and were easier to move in, and costumes have become more elaborate.
History
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, recreational skaters and amateur competitors wore typical winter clothing, though some clubs dictated members should wear specific styles of jackets to distinguish themselves from other skaters. Practical concerns related to clothing were often discussed in skating books, such as protection from the wind on outdoors rinks or ease of movement. Between 1850 and 1898, English men commonly skated in top hats and frock coats.
Tights started to become the standard wear for men in the 1890s because they showed the body line of the skater while allowing for freedom of movement; they were also considered to be safer than trousers, which a blade could catch on. Edgar Syers, writing on skating clothing for men in 1908, stated that "the choice of a suitable costume is somewhat difficult"; top hats and frock coats were no longer acceptable dress. His wife, Madge Syers, recommended for women a "narrow" skirt of of fabric and criticized the wearing of tight corsets, which prevented women from using their back muscles and made falls more dangerous. Both men and women wore hats, though when jumping became more common, decorative hats were replaced with ones that fit snugly and would not fly off.
Women began to wear shorter skirts in the 1920s and 1930s, in tandem with general fashion trends and a decrease in the age of women's skaters, for whom it was more socially acceptable to wear short dresses. Theresa Weld Blanchard wrote that a dress she had made for the 1920 Olympic Games was too revealing with a hemline below her knees, which would show her bloomers when she jumped. By the 1930s, knee-length skirts were standard, and the lighter skirts made it easier for women to jump. This trend toward shortened skirts has sometimes been attributed to Sonja Henie, but Herma Szabo, the 1924 Winter Olympic champion, had begun wearing skirts above the knee by 1923.
Maribel Vinson, in her 1938 Primer of Figure Skating, wrote that women should wear a well-fitted dress that allowed for free movement, with a full skirt, and that "this skirt is never below the kneecap". For men, she noted that trousers meant specifically for skating were available, and she recommended they practice in short knickerbockers ("never plus fours") and wear black or dark blue tights for competition. Skating magazines began to frequently describe competitors' costumes in reports from competitions and publish articles devoted to skating fashion.
Both men and women originally wore black skates. This began to change in the 1920s. Professional skater Charlotte Oelschlägel had worn white skates in her popular ice show in 1915, along with very short skirts for the time, but white skates remained wear for professionals rather than competitive amateurs. Henie is often credited with being the first to wear white boots in competition, then, after other women copied her, competing in beige skates so she would continue to stand out from her competitors. Cecil Smith, however, claimed that she was first to wear white boots in competition at the 1930 World Championships, and that Henie switched from beige to white in imitation of her. Vinson noted in 1938 that black boots were relatively rare for women. It is currently the norm for men to wear black skates and women to wear white.
Women's skirts shortened further over the next several decades, but their competitive costumes remained generally simple in form, with long sleeves and high necklines in the back. After the advent of color television, brighter colors and simple ornamentation became more popular. Dresses were typically made with normal dress patterns. In the 1940s, men stopped wearing tights in favor of tapered trousers; they competed in black-and-white suits or buttoned jackets and trousers. Skaters wore more revealing and colorful outfits in ice shows such as Ice Capades.
In the late 1950s and 1960s, some men began to wear colored suits, including ice dancers who wore suits the color of their partner's dress. After the 1962 World Championships, where ice dancers Eva Romanová and Pavel Roman both wore coral-colored costumes and won the World title, the International Skating Union (ISU) issued guidelines, though not rules, about costumes. The guidelines criticized "brief, flashy costumes better suited to a carnival or ice show" as well as the trend among men in pairs and ice dance to wear costumes that matched their partner's, including through the use of decorations like sequins. They asked skaters to wear "decent, dignified" outfits. Guidelines were also given for attire for judges (dark suits for men, and no trousers for women when possible). However, at the 1969 World Championships, most dance couples wore the same color.
In the 1970s and 80s, usage of specialists became more common among skaters. This included skating-specific costumers, allowing professional skating costume designers to make a living. Modern stretch fabrics became available in the 1970s, along with lightweight sequins and beads, and sleek, streamlined styles became trendy. Men began to adopt jumpsuits made of stretch fabrics and to wear more individualized costumes that matched their programs. Linda Fratianne, the 1977 and 1979 World champion, along with fashion trends like disco and glam rock, popularized more elaborate ornamentation on costumes for both men and women. Video technology had also advanced, allowing skaters to wear glittering costumes without creating glare on camera.
From the 1970s to the 1990s, men's costumes were frequently made in bright or pastel colors, and they were embellished. Men's costumes of this period often resembled attire from dance or acrobatic performances. Black was also a popular color for all costumes. In the 1980s, men's costumes generally had shirts and trousers made from the same color fabric, and for women's costumes, designers began to use nude fabric that gave the impression of bare skin.In the 1987–1988 season, Olympic champion Katarina Witt wore a showgirl-style costume with a few feathers for a skirt. Later in the season, after criticism that her attire was too revealing, she added more feathers to further cover her hips. Debi Thomas, her strongest rival, wore a black unitard with no skirt. Ice dancer Paul Duchesnay wore a costume with no sleeves. After the season ended, in the summer of 1988, the ISU banned similar costumes to these, ruling that women were required to wear a skirt, designating areas of the body that were required to be covered on men and women, and discouraging all skaters from wearing highly decorated costumes. Judges could deduct from a skater's artistic mark for costumes that they thought were in violation of the new rules; Philippe Candeloro was given such a deduction at the 1992 World Championships for wearing a sleeveless costume.
Ice dancers in the late 1980s through early 1990s sometimes experimented with costumes such as unitards that were later forbidden by the rules. In the 1990s, some women began to wear tights that covered the boot to create a continuous line between the legs and feet, and women's costumes often used somewhat simpler designs. The ISU banned men from wearing tights in 1994.
In the early 2000s, ice dancers trended toward flowing costumes, loose hair, and especially for women, costumes relying heavily on nude mesh fabric. Beginning in 2004, women in singles and pair skating were again allowed to wear trousers or unitards, though dresses remain the norm due to longstanding tradition. In June 2022, the ISU removed the requirement for women in ice dance to wear skirts as well.
Design
ISU regulations state that costumes worn in competition "must be modest, dignified and appropriate for athletic competition – not garish or theatrical in design" and that "the clothing must not give the effect of excessive nudity inappropriate for the discipline." A one-point deduction can be taken if the majority of the judging panel agrees the costume does not follow these guidelines; however, such deductions are rare. Any decorations must be firmly attached, and a one-point penalty is incurred if part of the costume falls on the ice. Skaters wearing dresses are not required to wear tights, but they are common to help the skater stay warm and protect their legs if they fall. Synchronized skating teams may wear a mix of dresses and costumes with trousers.
Costumes must be sturdy enough to not come apart during a program, be visually pleasing to both a live audience and in photos, and fit the skater well without causing any distractions. Elastic and velcro may be used to keep long sleeves or trousers fixed in place. Beads or rhinestones must be securely fastened, as they present a danger if they fall on the ice.
The design of the costume reflects the character or the musical theme of the performance. John Misha Petkevich said that for costumes, "Harmony with the music, choreography, and dramatic intent of the program is all-important" and that it was a part of artistic presentation that "cannot be overemphasized". Designers achieve this in various ways; for example, velvet or satin may be used to emulate a ball gown, while a costume for a program set to folk music may reflect the traditional clothing of the area.
Costumes may be designed to highlight particular kinds of movements the skater uses during the program through techniques such as using contrasting fabrics or the positioning of decorative elements. Skirts, which often provide little coverage while the skater is in motion, as well as loose shirts, can draw the attention of viewers by moving in the air during the performance.
Other considerations include the weight and durability of the material and how warm the costume is. Kristi Yamaguchi wanted to wear a velvet costume for the first time during her professional career, as the fabric was too hot and heavy for her to wear while competing, but different skaters have different preferences, with some preferring thicker fabrics. Women ice dancers tend to wear longer skirts because they do not perform jumps, where long skirts could slow rotation in the air. Conversely, costumes for pair skaters and ice dancers cannot use fabrics that make lifting difficult or dangerous due to being too slippery, and care must be taken to avoid decorations that could cut their partner or become caught.
Costumes may be decorated in various ways, with one common ornament being rhinestones. Thousands may be used on a single costume, each of which needs to be glued on individually; larger stones are also sewn on. Crystals can add noticeable weight, and some skaters may decide on a costume with fewer rhinestones so it can be lighter. Other decorative techniques include painting or airbrushing and printing 3D decorations onto the fabric. Both members of a pair or dance team will often wear costumes that match in fabric and decorative elements.Skaters often collaborate with a costume designer to decide how the costume should look; other members of a skater's team, such as a coach or choreographer, may be involved as well. For high-level skaters, costumes from a professional designer cost thousands of dollars, making them a considerable expense, though in some cases, a family member creates the costume. They generally take between 70 and 100 hours to sew and decorate.