Crystal Skate

If figure skating were a job you had to apply for, the ideal candidate would have to be more than just a skater. They'd have to also fulfill all the following requirements: talent, creativity, hard work, flair and an eye for detail. On their CV, under skills, they'd probably put: great taste in music, masterful presentation skills, ability to choose a great costume, lots of charisma and, yes, of course, outstanding skating skills. Anyone lacking one of these attributes would not even be called for an interview. In the real world though, there is no such thing as an ideal figure skater, which is why we end up with bits and pieces of perfection spread all over the place rather than concentrated in one athlete. The best programme, the best costume, the best choreography, the best music choice, the best jumps, the best spins, the best presentation, etc. cannot all be found in one place. That's why it is no surprise that the best costume worn this season by a man in the free s...

Scott Moir was once asked what the atmosphere was like in the men's locker rooms. He replied that there is a camaraderie between the boys most of the time which springs from them making fun of each other's costumes. Even though Scott could only speak for the ice dancers, it's not hard to imagine that single skaters are also having a laugh at their opponents' (and their own) outfits. Most men, as a rule, don't give as much importance to fashion as women do. So you can imagine that with no partner fussing about what they are going to wear, most male skaters don't stress too much over their costumes. A lot of them settle for a plain jumpsuit or a black tie attire - something comfortable that makes them look decent. There are certain themes though for which 'decent' doesn't do it. That's when things get interesting. Can't you just picture some of them cringe at themselves in the mirror? Soundtracks, musicals and operas are usually the genres ...

What makes figure skating such an interesting sport is that it allows athletes to express themselves through the music they skate to. Whether they're rebels or dashing gentlemen, classy ladies or cheeky girls, all skaters share a bit of their personalities or at least their tastes in music each time they skate. This makes figure skating more diverse than any other sport in the world, and that shines through in the costumes. The free skate (or long programme) is the most important part of the competition. Each skater wants to bring out their best and most impressive skills in the free skate. The costumes are a big part of that, especially in the ladies' competition, where skaters are expected to look impeccable. As far as the ladies' free skate goes, this season has been very good to fashion. From Kanako Murakami's suggestive  Phantom of the Opera costume to Ashley Wagner's perfect copy of the famous red dress worn by Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge , we were not d...

In 1902, a Londoner decided to enter the figure skating World Championships, thus becoming the first professional female figure skater and prompting the ISU to create a separate discipline for women. Her name was Madge Syers and she competed wearing ankle-long skirts, cotton shirts and hats. I wonder what she'd say if she saw some of today's costumes... Madge was able to wear heavy, layered outfits because she didn't perform a lot of elements, but as figure skating took flight and the women's discipline became more difficult, female skaters had to gradually lose fabric to be able to perform. Nowadays, there is a science to how the ladies' costumes are made. They have to be aerodynamic, in other words to allow air to flow easily so that they can move freely and jump. That doesn't mean they cannot be absolutely gorgeous though. The ladies have complete freedom to choose the themes of both their routines, which means that they can wear whatever they want. T...