Adult beginners and practice dresses/skirts [Archive]

Aleeta

04-20-2006, 04:24 PM

While visiting the pro-shop that I got my skates at and I mentioned something about them not possibly having skirts or dresses in my size (all the ones on the racks were TINY) and they said they did but that most adults don't really wear them unless they are testing/competing or they are very good. Is this true in general? One of the reasons that I wanted to skate (I know this sounds dumb) is to get to wear a skirt or dress, it's something that I have always wanted to wear and now that I am learning to skate I figured that at some point in the near future I would try it. Now it sounds like the very far future.....

Any thoughts? Part of me says, "who cares, if it makes me feel good while on the ice it doesn't matter" and the other part is embarassed...:oops:

Skittl1321

04-20-2006, 04:31 PM

I say skate in what you want to. However, if someone new showed up at the rink in brand new skates, a brand new dress/skirt and couldn't even waddle across the ice I might have to think it was a bit strange for an adult.

If you can keep yourself steady, then I don't think I'd even bat an eye at it. We all like to feel confident and sometimes wearing pretty clothes make us feel like pretty skaters.

I usually wear pants because I'm lazy. I have a skirt I wear on occasion, but I don't wear dresses at all. (until I compete)

doubletoe

04-20-2006, 04:34 PM

It's true that most of us wear stretch pants for practice (as do the "very good" skaters like Michelle Kwan) but I do know one or two adults who wear skirts or practice dresses just because they like them. You can find skating skirts at some dancewear stores, and several online stores sell practice dresses. You can do a search or Mondor, Capezio and Jerry's skatewear to find some online stores.

beachbabe

04-20-2006, 04:50 PM

Now before someone jumps on me...I am speaking just about my rink so not making a generalization.

If an adult shows up wearing a frilly dress and they are obviously a begginer (i.e. basic spinning, waltz jumps, basic edges) they tend to get some very strange looks. It has slowly become unnaceptable to wear dresses over the age of 12 tops, except for testing and competitions. Even high level skaters get some strange looks when they wear dresses. I sometimes can't help it myself because as soon as I see an adult skater in a dress the first thing that comes to mind is...beginner. I have yet to see an advanced adult skater wearing a dress except for doing programs for a competition.

Personally I wear under armour leggings and I am very happy with them. Have tried tops with skirts but somehow my legs feel more protected from the blade in leggings lol (even if its a mental thing), besides I am cold in tights. Most skaters wear leggings, some wear yoga pants and a few wear skirts with a jacket over (this is very different from a fulll dress), if you are doing a program and you wear dresses no1 will give you looks.

now again...this is my rink so do not get at me...I am not making generalizations about adult skaters in dresses.

doubletoe

04-20-2006, 04:59 PM

You could also consider a ballet leotard with a wrap-around skirt and skating tights. I know an adult ice dancer and an adult freestyle skater who wear these sometimes and I think they look a little more sophisticated than a skating skirt. Check out http://www.riversedgedancewear.com
The 16" wrap skirt by Watercolour is very pretty and comes in any color combination you can imagine.

climbsk8

04-20-2006, 05:22 PM

One benefit of a skating skirt is that, if you're prone to falling (me on my double salchows) and you skid across the ice, the skirt picks up the snow ... not your bloomers.

I've started wearing skirts sometimes, just because I don't like having wet underwear. :oops:

Of course, I do tend to wear out my workout clothes, and I can find pants and leggings cheaper than skating skirts. That's a drawback.

sunshinepointe

04-20-2006, 06:09 PM

Shorts and tights. I haven't done this in a while because a) it's been "chilly" in florida so I don't want to parade around wearing nothing and b) I put on some weight and my thighs aren't the most attractive thing to see. I did like wearing the shorts with the tights though because my coach could see my line better and it was as close to a skirt as I could but not actually wear one. I usually do yoga pants nowadays. I will admit though if I see anyone over the age of say, 14 or 15 wearing a skirt I expect them to be very good, or very not so good. I've yet to see anything in between so that's where my expectations come from.

And I'm TOTALLY fighting my coach on wearing a skirt at testing. They made the pants rule for a reason, and I'm a good example of that reason. She's old school and refuses to let me test in pants. Oy. :roll:

cassarilda

04-20-2006, 06:40 PM

When I started I wore 2 pairs of pants... leggings and jeans... I then went down to just leggings/dance pants once I got more comfortable and hubby wasnt happy with such bad knee bend :roll: :lol:

I am now starting to consider wearing a dress, but probably after I get my prelim test (1st test that everyone has to do here prior to going on whatever stream)... or at least leading up to it so I get used to it....

I know LOTS of skaters who wear dresses and skirts when practising... in ice dance I assume its because the skirt is longer and youve got to get used to it being there eventually!

My point :lol: is that if you want to wear a dress, why not? If it makes you feel more comfortable, check out the rink and see what other people wear, but going against the grain isnt a bad thing :)

Also, check out ebay.... they have heaps of skating dresses online and many of the sellers have different sizes :)

Rusty Blades

04-20-2006, 06:59 PM

Interesting timing since I have been thinking about when to "introdce" a skirt or skating dress.

In observing the four clubs where I have skated in the three months since I started, I notice that the younger (under 20) girls all wear a practice dress (not fancy) as do the 20 to 35 year olds who are advanced skaters. (They probably work hard enough to keep warm with minimal covering!) Everyone else is in pants, except the coaches who are usually buried under about 4 layers - LOL! A very few of the young girls wear a nice skating dress (probably last year's competition dress). I have only seen a REALLY nice skating dress a day or two before someone is headed to a competition - getting used to it I expect.

I am a fair bit over-weight but plan to compete in the not too distant future (plus I still have knock-out legs at age 56! :mrgreen: ) so I am trying to figure out when and how to transition to a practice dress without looking out of place. My personal decission is to wait until I have all my edges down pat and am working on some more advanced moves (like spins, which definately look better in a dress).

I skate with stretch pants over tights and find that keeps my legs warm and dry. I usually start with 3 layers on the top and peel down to a long sleeved T-shirt when I work up a sweat.

Terri C

04-20-2006, 07:12 PM

Aleeta

04-20-2006, 07:17 PM

Thanks everyone so much for your input!

I currently have been wearing stretch pants with a pair of warmup pants on top (to solve the wet underpants from falling issue, though I am not really falling all that much...at the moment) and I am thinking about starting to maybe take off the top pair of pants and thought that it would be a whole lot more fun if I was wearing a skirt than just wearing stretch pants/tights.

I am working on my XO's along with starting Mowhawks and 3-turns, my edges aren't the cleanest yet, though my instructor commented on my nice freeleg position for front edges the other night with was very cool, and have been skating for about a month and a half, I am 29.

I think I like RustyBlades idea - when I start learning spins, I will get a skirt to try wearing then for fun occationally :). (I don't even know if I will like it, I may very well freeze!) I don't think I want to wear a dress for practice, I'll leave those for testing/competitions, but I would really like to at least see what it's like to skate with a skirt (which is probably why you see all of the beginners in skirts and then they get better and go to pants hehe).

Thanks again!

jshbo724

04-20-2006, 07:38 PM

This is what I like about my rink. Nobody cares what the heck we wear, LOL. I have 1 skirt, and I wear it maybe once every 3 or 4 weeks, LOL, but I mostly wear a fitted top, with sport pants, like adidas or nike, stuff like that. It's very comfy to skate in, and I also like wearing a leotard, and then that kind of pants over it, so that way you don't have to worry about your shirt riding up while you're running through a program, haha. There is sort of a noticable trend of what people wear here though. About age 14 and over people wear pants, maybe an occasional skirt, and anyone younger than that, almost always wears skirts or simple dresses. But no one usually takes note of what someones wearing, as we're too busy having fun, cause we have a smaller club compared to a lot of ones out there. It's awesome cause it also means cheaper ice and lessons! LOL. (sorry getting off topic, LOL)

~Jess

gt20001

04-20-2006, 07:38 PM

I too felt a little awkward starting to practice in a dress i did it a week before my first competition to get used to skating in a dress and i personally liked it better like someone else said my coach can see my lines better, i find it less restricting than pants sometimes for some of my moves like spirals and i find it keeps me cooler i tend to get really hot when i am skating. I havent gotten any funny looks that i have noticed most people at our rink wear dresses except some of the adults and even some of them do. Another rink i skate at i have seen several adults in dresses as well. Personally i prefer to skate in a dress and dont care what anyone else thinks. If it makes you comfortable then go for it.

mikawendy

04-20-2006, 09:02 PM

And I'm TOTALLY fighting my coach on wearing a skirt at testing. They made the pants rule for a reason, and I'm a good example of that reason. She's old school and refuses to let me test in pants. Oy. :roll:

You could pull a Kwan and take a test when your coach is out of town :lol: just kidding! :lol:

Raye

04-20-2006, 09:37 PM

One of the things I like best about skating, after the skating itself, and the social aspect of competitions and workshops, is the skating dresses. And because I sew, I have lots of dresses.

I have always worn a practice dress and tights, many times two pairs, thin tights underneath thicker stirrup or over-the-boot tights. If you got great legs - show them off.....

The sessions I skate on are all pretty much equally divided between skating dresses and pants/leggings.

Chico

04-20-2006, 09:58 PM

For the folks who mentioned wet undies....don't wear them. If you wear at least one pair of tights under your leggings/work out pants you don't need them. No panty line and no wet undies.

Chico

TashaKat

04-20-2006, 11:45 PM

You could also consider a ballet leotard with a wrap-around skirt and skating tights. I know an adult ice dancer and an adult freestyle skater who wear these sometimes and I think they look a little more sophisticated than a skating skirt.

That's what I used to do :) The watercolours skirts are gorgeous. I also bought myself an overlocker and made my own wrap-over skirts :) Got leopard print the lot :)

For the folks who mentioned wet undies....don't wear them. If you wear at least one pair of tights under your leggings/work out pants you don't need them. No panty line and no wet undies.

We weren't allowed anyway, some people wore thongs (g strings) but I ended up having to readjust them all the time. You don't need undies with proper dance/skate tights anyway.

doubletoe

04-20-2006, 11:46 PM

Your comment about wearing a skirt once you start working on spins brings back memories. . . I told myself I could start wearing a skirt once I started landing the loop jump, and when I did, I went out and bought 3 skating skirts, LOL! They are stuffed somewhere in the bottom of my closet now. . . hmm. . . ;)

SkatingOnClouds

04-21-2006, 03:14 AM

I think the clothes are an added attraction for skating. As a returning adult, I am itching to get into a skirt. Most of the skaters at our rink who do jumps and spins wear a skirt or dress for club practices, and either skirt or dress, or leggings at public sessions.

My main barrier to wearing a skirt is that I am fat. Leggings aren't a good look, but a skirt is even worse. I can sew, and could easily make skirts or dresses my size once I work out a pattern. But I keep holding off until I lose more weight.

The more people wear skirts and dresses, the more people will wear skirts and dresses. Go for it.

VegasGirl

04-21-2006, 05:44 AM

If you want to wear a dress wear one!
I started skating wearing leggings or pants but then had to switch to a dress for competition. After that I've never worn pants again. I feel much more comfortable wearing dresses even when I'm in the minority at Golden Skate here. I did find though that other women followed once they saw someone making the start. :)

Good source for nice less expensive dresses is Ebay.

Skate@Delaware

04-21-2006, 06:39 AM

It runs all across the board at my rink-pants, shorts, skirts, dresses, etc. for both girls AND adults, although the adults do lean towards pants (the very beginner adults wear jeans). Except occasionally the advanced adults wear dresses just for fun.

However, I like to wear pants when I'm working on difficult elements (things I'm more likely to fall on) because it gives me more protection: 2 pair tights plus pants vs. 2 pair tights and a skimpy dress.

I got into the practice of wearing a dress for ice dance class because it helped make me feel more graceful, and in the weeks before a competition, I would wear my competition dress (or dresses I was trying out to see how they felt).

I just think you should wear whatever you want! I do!

TashaKat

04-21-2006, 06:55 AM

My main barrier to wearing a skirt is that I am fat. Leggings aren't a good look, but a skirt is even worse. I can sew, and could easily make skirts or dresses my size once I work out a pattern. But I keep holding off until I lose more weight.

Dark tights or a catsuit with a chiffon skirt on top can be very slimming :) Better than leggings 8O

Schmeck

04-21-2006, 08:24 AM

I feel more like a 'real skater' (as daughter's coach says ;) ) when I wear my practice dress or skirt. Most skaters here wear skirts/dresses for lessons, every age and skating level. Of course, I wear leggings/warm-up pants on public ice.

LoopLoop

04-21-2006, 08:28 AM

So much of what people wear to practice depends on the particular rink... for example, at my rink almost everyone wears skirts/dresses, from the pre-pre girls up to the senior ladies, with very few exceptions. The days I wear leggings I stand out!

twinkle

04-21-2006, 09:22 AM

Some days (when it's COLD) I'll wear leggings and a turtleneck, some days a practice dress.
I have been having a hard time finding leggings lately, as I do not care for a flared hem- worried about catching the blade in my pants and falling!

I have the opposite problem - where do you find the leggings with the flared bottom? I have been wearing workout trousers or a skirt over black leggings, but I prefer to wear more fitted trousers.
I had one really good pair but they have a hole in them :cry:

skatingdoris

04-21-2006, 09:53 AM

I have the opposite problem - where do you find the leggings with the flared bottom? I have been wearing workout trousers or a skirt over black leggings, but I prefer to wear more fitted trousers.
I had one really good pair but they have a hole in them :cry:

can't possibly see how you have this problem :o! every so called sports shop you go in these days has nothing but flared bottom yoga pants :roll: if i want to get proper leggings i have to order them of a dance shop website as its the only place i've ever seen them.

as for my two cents on skirts - i have one that i got for testing which i really like but have yet to wear as i'm not brave enough!!:oops: (every adult at our rink wears trousers)

Skittl1321

04-21-2006, 10:04 AM

can't possibly see how you have this problem :o! every so called sports shop you go in these days has nothing but flared bottom yoga pants :roll: if i want to get proper leggings i have to order them of a dance shop website as its the only place i've ever seen them.

Where are you finding these pants? Every place I have looked in for the past 3 months has had nothing but capri yoga pants (with a flare)! Even the jersey material track pants are crop pants now. Why does no one make full length pants anymore?

(On a side note, I love crop pants for working out, so I guess I get it. But they look weird with a skating boot)

skatingdoris

04-21-2006, 10:17 AM

Where are you finding these pants? Every place I have looked in for the past 3 months has had nothing but capri yoga pants (with a flare)! Even the jersey material track pants are crop pants now. Why does no one make full length pants anymore?

(On a side note, I love crop pants for working out, so I guess I get it. But they look weird with a skating boot)

:lol: i have actually seen some of the LTS 13/14ish year olds wearing these capri pants while skating, every time i see thhis it makes me laugh :halo:

i don't know where you live and what shops you have but in england places like JJB sports and JD sports seem to have nothing but full length yoga pants. The cropped sports trousers don't seem to be as prevalent at the mo:?: (tis maybe just me not noticing)

Mrs Redboots

04-21-2006, 10:20 AM

I prefer wearing trousers or leggings (warmer, and you don't look an idiot when you're out of the rink so don't have to take something to change into if you plan to go shopping on the way home or if you're going home on public transport), but usually wear a skirt if Husband is around, which he usually is. This is because we have a lift in our free dance and I learnt the hard way that it's easier for both of us if I'm wearing tights, which won't move round my leg if grabbed, rather than trousers, which will!

Here, nobody gives a hoot what you wear, and you'll see everything from shorts over tights through to practice-dresses. I suppose the majority of people wear leggings or trousers of some kind, except the dancers who do tend to wear skirts/practice-dresses.

But it's not important, except that Dance Club like you to wear a skirt, which is one reason I hardly ever go, as you get a bit cold hanging about while higher-level dances are being done.

BatikatII

04-21-2006, 10:53 AM

I did start wearing a dress to practice in as lots of adults at my rink wear them (adn in fact it's the better skaters amongst the adults who regularly wear dresses here) but have reverted to stretchy trousers as I find dresses a hassle to change into and I am lazy (however i do agree i feel more like a real skater when i do wear a dress).

My best buy as far as fitted stretchy trousers goes have to be the kids black school trousers from Tesco (UK). The age 14 ones fit me just fine and they were only £6! full length, stretchy, slight flare at the bottom but not much.

Daughter found several pairs of stretch jersey type trousers in TK MaXX from about £12 (adult sizes)

flying~camel

04-21-2006, 11:06 AM

I usually wear yoga pants during my weekday practices because they are quicker and easier to change into after work. But, if I skate on the weekends (and it's not too cold outside), I'll sometimes wear a practice dress or skirt.

Almost all of the adults in my club wear dresses or skirts from time to time and we even ordered matching practice dresses for all us. :P

doubletoe

04-21-2006, 12:43 PM

I have the opposite problem - where do you find the leggings with the flared bottom? I have been wearing workout trousers or a skirt over black leggings, but I prefer to wear more fitted trousers.
I had one really good pair but they have a hole in them :cry:

Adidas makes good ones and they're around $50. If you can afford a little more and want leggings/pants that are snug all the way down and go over your boots, you can get them from Seku:
http://www.sekuskatewear.com/seperates.html

blue111moon

04-21-2006, 01:21 PM

I don't think it matters much what you wear as long as you're comfortable in it, but one thing I do think some skaters need to consider are the people who are in the rink before and after your session and the kind of attention you may attract from them.

A couple years ago we had a very pretty teenager skating on club ice who showed up wearing very small, very tight spandex shorts (I think she said they were part of a swimsuit) and a sports bra. The hockey guys coming in for their practice had a wonderful time ogling her and she couldn't understand why the boys all had to come out of the locker rooms and stand at the boards every time she skated.

jenlyon60

04-21-2006, 02:07 PM

In the fall/winter, REI has stretch microfleece leggings for sale, believe they were $65 or so this past season. They're designed for cold weather running but work great for skating, and seem to last well, unless you fall on your backside and catch them on a ridge of ice, but that could be a side effect of anything similar. (The worse part about that fall was that I skated halfway back to the barrier before my coach told me I might want to make sure I pulled my T-shirt down as far as it would go over my backside.)

badaxel

04-21-2006, 02:57 PM

jazzpants

04-21-2006, 03:48 PM

I found yoga pants at Old Navy that have a good flared hem. They are just enough to cover the laces of the boots, but not so much that I worry about catching my blade. Also, they are fairly warm and are thick enough to avoid the dreaded "wet undies" issue previously discussed on this thread. I have three or four pairs and I wear them all the time. (The yoga pants, not the wet undies:lol: )I own about two pairs of those Old Navy Yoga Pants (http://www.oldnavy.com/browse/product.do?cid=9545&pid=200707) that you have, both in different colors. (Old Navy blue and greyish purple.) :mrgreen:

I'm actually looking for new ones, but they only come in black now and I have PLENTY of black pants now. (These Danskin pants (http://store.danskin.com/women-dance-supplex-8894.html) are perfect for dealing with the "wet undies" problem too... but I'm still eyeing for some in different colors other than BLACK though.)

As for skates getting caught in laces, I found that if I wear trouser socks and roll the top of the sock out OVER the laces, it keeps the laces neatly in place too. :mrgreen:

slusher

04-21-2006, 04:53 PM

Public ice : black pants. I made them so can't point you to a shopping site. They're 4 way stretch fleece that's smooth on one side. Jerry's used to make dresses with it and I got the end of a roll. However, any sort of aerobic/yoga legging over tights would give the same warmth.

Club ice: Mostly I wear a skirt. I had a bad experience on a test day with a fluffy skirt, I kept looking at it in admiration and didn't keep my head up, so I wear a skirt so that I'm used to it. On cold days, up to 3 pairs of tights.

NCSkater02

04-21-2006, 08:17 PM

I started wearing dresses after I'd been skating for about a year. I feel like if I'm dressed for the role, I do better. I feel like a skater--and the brain is half the battle for me.

My coach prefers me in a dress--she can see my lines better. And, after three years in them, I just don't feel right in pants. I'm wearing them right now because I just got a tattoo on my thigh, and was told not to wear them for at least a week, and boy does it feel weird.

Chico

04-21-2006, 09:54 PM

I get my black Danskin tights at the dance shop. I did buy several dance skirts this way too. I actually have ditched them for the most part of late as they bug me. Personally I like black tights because I don't want to worry about my skirt twisting about or falling off. I have lost my skirt a few times and have been teased about stripping on the ice. =-0!

TashaKat,

Thongs may look good to my husband but they get on my nerves. Besides, like you mentioned their not needed. So seriously, why bother?!

Chico

Sk8pdx

04-22-2006, 01:22 AM

I own about two pairs of those Old Navy Yoga Pants (http://www.oldnavy.com/browse/product.do?cid=9545&pid=200707) that you have, both in different colors. (Old Navy blue and greyish purple.)

Thanks Jazzpants for the links. I have been looking forever for some like the Old Navy pants. 8-)

I wear tights under yoga pants (full length, not cropped) during public sessions. I sometimes go back and forth wearing pants or a practice skirt w 2 pair of tights (1 footed for the inside of my skate, 1 pair over the boot).for freestyle or skating club sessions.

Skating in a practice skirt or dress is a lot different than skating in pants. I feel like there is much more mobility and freedom of movement in a skirt.

I remember my first competition. It was the first time I had skated without gloves. I never realized how gloves could feel like such a security blanket. So occasionally I will also practice without gloves on.

My vote is to wear what you want to wear regardless of what someone else may think. It is your hobby (obsession) you get to decide.

SkatingOnClouds

04-22-2006, 03:20 AM

I had 3 pairs of flared leg yoga pants, and have taken them in to make them straight legs.

It wasn't a problem until I started working on backspins and keeping my free leg crossed over for jumps like loops and flips.

Practising backspins, as I was coming out of the spin the back of the free leg blade caught in the leg of the skating leg pants. This not only caused me to fall as I couldn't get the blade out, but also ripped the pants. This happened twice, the third time the pants didn't get ripped.

I've learned my lesson, no more flares for me.

nerd_on_ice

04-22-2006, 09:06 AM

I feel like if I'm dressed for the role, I do better. I feel like a skater--and the brain is half the battle for me.
I found this was true for me as well. I wear tights & a skirt (black cotton jersey with attached briefs, awesome) for lessons, which is a pain sometimes because the rink is nearly always freezing cold.

I agree that choice of clothes seems to vary by rink. At my rink, nearly everyone who is serious enough to have her own skates wears a skirt/dress, regardless of age or proficiency.

cecealias

04-22-2006, 11:39 AM

I like the look of the Seku pants and dresses but i'm wondering if anyone here has actually tried them and skated in them?

What are your opinions? Is it worth the price tag?

Adidas makes good ones and they're around $50. If you can afford a little more and want leggings/pants that are snug all the way down and go over your boots, you can get them from Seku:
http://www.sekuskatewear.com/seperates.html

VegasGirl

04-22-2006, 12:42 PM

Oh wow, just browsed through that site and no the Seku stuff is just too expensive for my taste, especially concidering it's just practice wear... no way!

SkatingOnClouds

04-23-2006, 03:10 AM

I decided to heed my own advice, to go for it. Today I made myself a 1/2skirt that I can wear over leggings, just for practices.

I used some cotton lycra left over from making the leggings to make the panties, which I then cut and inserted a black spiderweb lace full circle+ skirt. Made it a bit longer than my old one, which I used as a pattern, and it looks okay.

I think I will make myself more. Life is too short to worry about what people think of you for wearing a skirt.

flippet

04-23-2006, 11:53 AM

Where are you finding these pants? Every place I have looked in for the past 3 months has had nothing but capri yoga pants (with a flare)! Even the jersey material track pants are crop pants now. Why does no one make full length pants anymore?

I don't know about this season, but a couple of years ago, I got some nice full-length yoga pants at Target, only a slight flare. (A larger flare looks dumb on me, as I'm so short.) I've been happy with Target's selection in general. You may have to hunt for the less popular kinds (read: full-length), but they usually do have at least a couple of the items that I consider bare-bones basics.

sk8er1964

04-23-2006, 03:40 PM

My main barrier to wearing a skirt is that I am fat. Leggings aren't a good look, but a skirt is even worse. I can sew, and could easily make skirts or dresses my size once I work out a pattern. But I keep holding off until I lose more weight.

The more people wear skirts and dresses, the more people will wear skirts and dresses. Go for it.

I'm also overweight, and I much prefer the look of tights, a skirt and turtleneck to skate in. Can't wear the leggings -- ugh to that look -- and the only other pants I have to skate in are rather baggy. Coach can't see my lines. So, I skate in a custom made black skirt, Mondor tights, and a tucked in t-shirt under a loose turtleneck. Definitely as covered as I would be in shorts and a top.

Glad to read that you've decided to go for it.

VegasGirl

04-23-2006, 05:14 PM

SDFanatic

04-23-2006, 08:18 PM

Around my local, I would say 50/50, it doesn't seem to matter if one is new to skating, or has been at it for some time, or if one is thin, or not so thin.

Seems to be a matter of personal choice.

Good for you in going for it.

Steven

luna_skater

04-23-2006, 08:48 PM

When I wear pants, I skate in black lululemon "Boogie" pants. They are pricey; lulu pants range from about $79-100. However, I've had them for three years and those things are TOUGH. I got kicked in the leg once by someone who landed very close to me. The other girl's blade sliced right through my skin, and the two pairs of tights I had on UNDER the pants...but not a scratch on the pants. Go figure!

Aleeta

04-24-2006, 01:33 AM

I got a pattern and decided to make myself a skirt yesterday. I did it out of just cruddy fabric (some ugly gold/yellow stretch crushed velvet) to check the pattern since I was modifying it heavily. I found that the yoke on top came out so that my tummy stuck out perfectly on top of the skirt....ugh! I can definately understand not wearing a skirt if it looks like that! But I am pretty sure that I can move the skirt, lengthen it a little and it will nicely do the opposite...hide my tummy :).

Looking online at some of the skirts there, I really liked the one that Quad Club makes, it's more even around the bottom, it looks longer and the skirt is attached higher than some of the other ones.

I'm using the Green Pepper pattern and using the bottom part of the skating dress pattern, it seems to be decent at least.

jeujeulovesme

04-24-2006, 03:29 PM

I wear a basic practice skirt with a t-shirt (with an undershirt underneath) half the time, and shorts and a t-shirt the other half. I started wearing shorts because it allows me to walk out of the rink and into a store to do errands on my way home without having to change. Either way I also have a sweater overtop that I take off after warming up. I don't like wearing pants to practice in. One is that I get too hot, and two is that they just feel in the way and bulky.

Most adult skaters (the older ones) in my city who focus on ice dance wear skirts more, while those on just basic skating or freeskate wear more pants. The more beginner they are, the more they're just in pants. I think it also has to do with being self-conscious. Freeskaters, once they've mastered the first few jumps, start wearing skirts more. I am a freeskater who also do compulsory dances.

No one wears dresses except for competitions, except the kiddie skaters whose parents don't mind spending the money or who easily swap dresses with other kiddies. I never even considered wearing dresses for practice because of the extra costs and the inconvenience of having to change.

Jeujeulovesme

skatingdoris

04-24-2006, 03:50 PM

well i finally took the 'plunge' on saturday and skated in a skirt for the first time, was very cold at first 8O but i soon got used to it and warmed up and actually felt good and ladylike etc etc.

because of this i wore the skirt on sunday aswell only this time i felt like a complete turnip :!: :lol:

there were numerous advanced skaters on the ice all practicing their triples and fancy footwork and all wearing trousers, and to top it all off i was having a terrible skating day (lost my spins + my loop, flip has apparently gone back on holiday) so i kinda felt a bit overerdressed/like i was trying to hard?

so beginers in trousers Vs skirts :?: who knows, i'm still none the wiser and i do tend to care what people think of me to much :giveup:

skatingdoris

PattyP

04-24-2006, 03:59 PM

Practising backspins, as I was coming out of the spin the back of the free leg blade caught in the leg of the skating leg pants. This not only caused me to fall as I couldn't get the blade out, but also ripped the pants. This happened twice, the third time the pants didn't get ripped.

I've learned my lesson, no more flares for me.

I too gave up my flared pants after I got my blade caught coming out of an axel. I fell with my legs tangled and jammed the back of the blade into my shin...OUCH! I wear pants that are made for running in cold weather. They are usually snug all the way to the ankle. Or I skate in a practice dress with a t-shirt over it.

Be careful skating in yoga pants!

crayonskater

04-24-2006, 04:03 PM

At my rink, everyone apart from the little kids skates in trousers. I wear capris (yeah, they look dorky with skates, but my calf muscles are nice, at least) or running tights most of the time.

cecealias

04-24-2006, 10:23 PM

I too gave up my flared pants after I got my blade caught coming out of an axel. I fell with my legs tangled and jammed the back of the blade into my shin...OUCH! I wear pants that are made for running in cold weather. They are usually snug all the way to the ankle. Or I skate in a practice dress with a t-shirt over it.

Be careful skating in yoga pants!

Ditto on that one!! I used to wear jazzpants or stretch flares all the time to the rink. Bad news, bad news. I was lucky that i only ended up tearing the bottom of a pant leg instead of seriously injuring myself then coming out of a backspin.

To this day, I wear over the boot tights or footless tights pulled over the laces and hooked over the heel (my laces are really long) and a practice dress. It's just safer and I'm more aware of where my legs are when I wear that. Plus if i wear a butt pad, it's nicely disguised under the skirt instead of sticking out in a pair of pants.

Jazzpants beware!! lol.

Mrs Redboots

04-25-2006, 05:42 AM

One of the advantages of boot covers is that you can tuck the bottom of your trousers/pants/whatever you call them where you live into them, so you don't risk catching your blades!

Rusty Blades

04-25-2006, 08:05 AM

I too gave up my flared pants after I got my blade caught coming out of an axel. I fell with my legs tangled . . .

You are extremely lucky! It was a similar situation that took me off the ice when I was 18 and kept me off the ice with knee problems for over 15 years. I was skating in jeans, got "tangled" in the air, and slid into the boards knees-first. (I wore jeans because they stood up to abuse - the bad part is they don't cut or tear easily!) For most of my adult life, either knee would just "go out" on me without warning.

Here it is 36 years later and I have finally started skating again. I skate in stretch pants now (no flared leg!) and will move to a dress A.S.A.P. eventhough I will probably never be able to do an axel again.

Leda

04-25-2006, 08:33 AM

wow reading this board is helping me with my fear of wearing a skirt to practice! usually I just wear a jacket and some sports pants but sometimes my blade catches in my pants doing crossovers.:frus: I have tights and my own skates and my friends want to go to a dance store to get a skirt. At first I was apprehensive but now I want to go! 8O thanks for all your advise!

doubletoe

04-25-2006, 01:29 PM

icedancer2

04-25-2006, 01:51 PM

Thanks you guys -- I always used to wear a skirt -- after all, I'm an ice-dancer -- and then this winter I started wearing sports pants (Champion -- nice lean legs with zippers so that they fit around the top of your boots just right! I just felt safer and warmer in them --

So today I pulled out my skirt and wore it -- it felt good and I felt freer and more like a "figure skater" -- yea!!

Never fear the skirt. I like the Capezio wrap skirts -- just the right weight and length for this old gal.:)

AndreaUK

04-25-2006, 03:55 PM

beachbabe

04-25-2006, 04:01 PM

I guess I have been very lucky. I have a number of little holes in my 2 pairs of flared stretch pants, but the blade has never caught on them in such a way that it held onto them and took me down. . . Maybe it's the heavy, dense material (Adidas uses some sort of heavy microfiber, not a cotton-lycra blend). I wonder if male figure skaters ever have this problem, since they have to skate in pants all the time, and they are always flared. Does it completely solve the problem to have them attached to the skates with velcro bands, or whatever they use?

I think the men wear stirrup pants and its jsut not obvious because they are not tight to the leg, but the velcro stop them from catching on the blade.

Sometimes I iprovise this myself a bit by wearing fotted tights and beige stirrup tights over that. Then you just wear some of those sofee shorts over that and a long tank. It looks cute, no hassle from a skirt and the stirrups dont tear as much as over-the-boot.

Marianne

04-25-2006, 09:27 PM

I've just joined the forum and I am a real beginner! I have been on the ice less than 2 months, but I skate now 4-5 times a week and I have a coach. I love it! But, alas, I am one of those poor souls who is still working on my clockwise crossovers, edging and backward strokes! I wear yoga pants and leggings, but am considering tights and a 16" skirt (I also am learning ice dancing with a club on Sundays). I agree with everyone's comments about how a skirt or dress appears on a beginning skater and yet it seems similar to wearing tennis whites or golf clothes... The teens at the two rinks I train at wear skirts and yoga style pants. I am in Westchester County, NY.

Raye

04-26-2006, 06:00 PM

Im an adult beginner too and I would love to wear the dresses, unfortunately I dont have the confidence in myself or the shape of my legs yet to uncover them so I will be sticking to stretch pants for the time being. When i go on to learn spins, hopefully I will have slimmed and toned a little and then I will wear a dress

Andrea

40lbs ago I still wore a practice dress!! If you want to wear a dress, then just do it. Skating IS a great way to lose the weight and keep it off.... voice of experience here.

tothepointe

04-26-2006, 11:06 PM

If I looked good in one I'd probably wear a skirt or dress but since I dont I just wear leggings or polarfleece pants

Zoomana

04-27-2006, 10:06 PM

I'm 5'8" and am an adult skater (started at 28).

I wore a skirt when I was a size 12, 155-pound beginner (though I saved the skirt for the goal of back crossovers/not because of my figure but because I was trying to motivate myself to dare to go backwards!).

I wore a skirt years later when I was anorexic, size 4, and weighed 118 pounds and was getting better skating-wise (most of my single jumps, beginng decent spins).

I wear a skirt now at a happy-medium size 8 and weighing 140 pounds and adult silver level (all the basic jumps and spins, dreaming of axels and doubles and making not-so-bad attempts)(though I passed pre-bronze at my highest due to Stage Fright!).

I wear a skirt because I skate better with free-moving, tight-covered legs, as opposed to skating in bulk (I skate at the local municipal rinks in bulky clothes because it's FREEZING! and I skate worse with all that bulk/my body feels blocked). My coach can see my bad habits better in sleeker lines too. I feel better!

At my rink the adults wear whatever makes them happy. Sweat pants, sparkles, in between. People are catty no matter what you wear. So wear what you want. If you're a nice person, hopefully that will shine through.

I like GK Elite dresses because they actually fit someone my height, with a long torso, with eek! actual cleavage! (and, contrary to popular belief, some people can lose weight everywhere but THERE!)

As to blades getting caught in loose pants...I remember the bloody tights of backspin learning curve. There is no escape even in a dress and tights!

I wore sweatpants last winter to save time between the gym and my skating lesson. I was not used to loose clothes, and my pants now have a nice hole in them as I was going into a forward mushroom spin and I missed!

I admire people who skate beginner and dress nice, and people who are technically huge and wear "non-skater" clothes. To me, anyone at the rink who has positive energy and good vibes is a great skater!

Rusty Blades

04-28-2006, 04:47 PM

Just for the heck of it, I asked my coach if there was a specific reason why the "mature" women here all seem to wear pants and if there was any particular acceptable "dress code" in this part of the country (southern Manitoba) - since I didn't grow up here, I wouldn't know.

She said it is really "wear what you are comfortable with" and nobody pays much attention. She said many of the older women wear pants to keep their legs warm, which makes sense since our unheated arenas can be pretty cold in the winter when it's been -25C outside for a week!

Your's truly happens to be one of those rare women who's almost never cold unless it's -20 with a wind. When I am skating, I usually have the opposite problem and work up a "glow" (Grandma said women never "sweat" :roll: ) So, after this thread and since I was out of the office this afternoon and came into some unexpected money, I went by the store and picked up a nice wrap-around in sheer black and a nice burgundy coloured velvet body shirt to go with my black one. I might be old but I've still got the legs for it :mrgreen:

Raye

04-28-2006, 06:09 PM

Rusty Blades

04-28-2006, 06:33 PM

The outfit sounds lovely. And since you can sew, you can make yourself a dress or two for a fraction of the cost of buying them. And for us somewhat more generous sized women, the stretch velvet is quite forgiving and flattering.... you go girl! :bow:

"Make"??? Lawrdy woman I hardly have time to SLEEP! 8O

The velvet is nice but it doesn't photograph well, at least not with flash

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c64/northernjane1974/Skate02t.jpg

(Still have skater's legs and swimer's shoulders!)

Mrs Redboots

04-29-2006, 03:53 AM

The velvet is nice but it doesn't photograph well, at least not with flash

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c64/northernjane1974/Skate02t.jpg

(Still have skater's legs and swimer's shoulders!)You look great, Dianne!

Raye

04-29-2006, 09:22 PM

Totally agree! Dianne, You look great, love the colour.

NCSkater02

04-30-2006, 06:49 AM

cleavage! (and, contrary to popular belief, some people can lose weight everywhere but THERE!)

AMEN Sista! I started losing weight about a year after I started skating--at least that's when it showed up on the scale--but none there. In fact, I got bigger. I wound up getting a reduction, and it was the best thing I've ever done for myself.

Rusty Blades

04-30-2006, 12:41 PM

actual cleavage!

What's "cleavage" ? 8O

sk8er1964

04-30-2006, 12:53 PM

AMEN Sista! I started losing weight about a year after I started skating--at least that's when it showed up on the scale--but none there. In fact, I got bigger. I wound up getting a reduction, and it was the best thing I've ever done for myself.

You know, I've thought of that but heard it is very painful and has a long recovery time. Is it?

samba

04-30-2006, 02:15 PM

What's "cleavage" ? 8O

It's one of those things I don't have but I guess too much would be rather a nuisance in free skating, so who cares, my man was always a leg man anyway so I'm keeping your photo tucked well away, dont want drool all over the keyboard!!:lol: :lol:

AW1

04-30-2006, 07:06 PM

What's "cleavage" ? 8O
Dianne, since I wasn't sure if your question was for real or in jest here is the answer...

Cleavage : The hollow between a woman's breasts, especially as revealed by a low neckline

Rusty Blades

04-30-2006, 07:10 PM

Cleavage : The hollow between a woman's breasts, especially as revealed by a low neckline

I have heard of it. Never had to deal with it. :?? Probably just as well since I am top-heavy anyway - LOL!!

Rusty Blades

04-30-2006, 07:12 PM

It's one of those things I don't have but I guess too much would be rather a nuisance in free skating, so who cares, my man was always a leg man anyway so I'm keeping your photo tucked well away, dont want drool all over the keyboard!!:lol: :lol:

Considering most of the serious skaters I know have impressive legs, I think that's common. Who but a figure skater has thighs that could crush a bus 8O 8O 8O