I just wanted to add to this discussion to say that it is perfectly easy and acceptable to do social ice-dance in jeans.

Well, maybe not acceptable per se but definitely doable. One of my favorite ice-dance partners was a guy who would come to a daytime ice-dance session in his jeans and work shirt -- he was a carpenter and would come and ice-dance on his lunch hour. Not the least bit gay, and a very good dancer!

And I skated with a guy today at my rink who was wearing jeans and hockey skates and that was great too (yes, he can do all of the dances up through Golds and Internationals in hockey skates!)

I had a coach who was an elite skater and he showed up in jeans all of the time... perfectly good skating there, let me tell you!!

I've worn jeans and don't really feel the difference -- they may be a bit heavy and I wouldn't choose to wear them all of the time, but they are okay if you are just going to the rink between jobs or whatever and that just happens to be what you were wearing that day!

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Is Portland the only city with it's own ice-dance website? http://www.pdxicedance.net/

Well, as long as the jeans are not the "painted on sooooo tight" kind they should be ok. If they are and you fall, well you are taking a risk in splitting them. And they do get wet and stay wet....

I sew and make pants in stretchy gabardine which is like a dress slack fabric, but the heavyweight type. It looks nice, stretches with you, but does not 'hug the body' like leggings or tights.... you could see of a local seamstress could make some for you (ask the ice dancers about their costumes).

Track pants are ideal, because you can get the various weights. Some rinks are warm; others really are meat lockers. Also, you could wear layers of track pants, with the outer being the kind that zip off.

We have several guys wear jeans and some wear track pants. But, we don't have that many guys and none on freestyle (we don't have a dress code other than-you must wear clothes ).

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

I'll sometimes wear stretch jeans depending on the session and what I'm doing. "Skating out" requires knee bend (and the ability to sweat!) so no jeans there, but if I'm practising footwork on a night session with friends then the jeans seem to work. Mind you, I'm not sure how you could skate in non-stretch jeans...

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I agree 100% This can only be a good thing, IMHO. And I don't think skating pants look feminine, though I'm curious what exactly you're calling "skating pants" as that could mean several things I think. I wear my skating attire out in public fairly often and don't hear any negative commentary.

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Casey Allen Shobe | http://casey.shobe.info
"What matters is not experience per se but 'effortful study'."
"At first, dreams seem impossible, then improbable, and eventually inevitable" ~ Christopher Reeve

I understand that many male ice-skaters learn not to skate in boxer shorts PDQ - usually after they do their first really deep crossovers or cross-rolls! One man I know who has skated for years found doing a lap of continuous cross-rolls rather - er - challenging in that respect!

As for dancing in jeans - I couldn't. Not flexible enough - I struggle with extension as it is. Ordinary cotton trousers, yes - and especially this summer's crops, if I can't be bothered, or haven't time to change, but not denim. Too heavy, too restricting.

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

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Lycra

Anyway I exclusively wear jeans when I skate. In fact I specifically save them for skatting days, and this is coming from someone who NEVER wore denim before. I've never had a problem, and I actually rather liike the fact that their heavier. It softens falls a bit. As for them getting wet, It's never been an issue. I mean ice-snow does soak through, but when I'm done skating all of my clothes are wet from all of the perspiration.

As long as they're fitted correctly I a can do anything. The only trouble is that I have to either pull them up or wear a belt when I do biellmans, but spirals, shoot the ducks, jump landings, and lunges are all fine. Admittedly there is one thging I don't like, and that is that I get the best fit from southpoles, which is a namebrand. And I abhor namebrands.

So that's one (and probably the only it seems) vote for jeans. I actually couldn't imagine switching to a lighter and better fitting material.

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I am not regret.

Hello rf3ray. I would say it depends on whether it's a casual/social skate session or a training session. I've noticed that most of the sessions at my rink are training sessions. The skaters are wearing tights or sweats. During the public sessions the skaters are wearing jeans. Many of them are visitors, but some of them are experienced skaters. In terms of function over form, I would say tights have a slight edge over jeans, and bare skin has an edge over tights. There's a reason you don't see world-class sprinters in full tights at race time. Even tights become restrictive at a certain level. Of course, ice skating is a colder environment. I wouldn't buy the thicker cotton sweats, but I notice women at my rink wearing them. I suspect they wear them for fashion. The problem with cotton wear is wet spots. They REALLY show up when you fall on your rear more so than denim. I also wear sweats, but they are waterproof. The ones that have buttons down the length of the leg are nice because you can pull them off quickly and skate in tights if you need to. I agree with the other posters that mentioned the tight leggings that partially cling to the leg. Usually, men wear them in black or blue for running, but some leggings have a strap for skating. They look pretty sharp.

Now, if you're going for social style, jeans are a pretty safe bet. I would go baggy, boot cut, or loose-fit. The wetness from falling on my rear in jeans is usually a problem for me when I walk outside and the snow melts. If you like jeans and want to avoid that problem then just wear some swim trunks. I must admit the ice tears up your jeans when you fall consistently. The people who talked about restrictive tightness were probably talking about traditional cut jeans like 501's. Women usually wear their jeans much tighter than men. For them, it would be a problem to move around freely. I've noticed men's jeans are also going back to the tight fit.

Did you ask about skate dress because you want to impress the ladies? You can have that rugged dress/urban-fab look by creasing your jeans and then adding a blue long sleeve dress shirt. Don't tuck the shirt in. Dark dress pants look pretty nice on ice as well...just make sure you don't fall. Add a nice sweater to that (charlie brown style), comb your hair, have a hot mug of cocoa in your hand, and you're ready to stun the ladies. I could be wrong, but I just don't see a guy hitting on a "brownie" girl in some tights or a one-piece body suit without scaring her off. Even if she does think you're "cute", it's too intimidating. From my limited experience, approaching a woman that knows how to skate versus one that doesn't is different. In some of the skate sessions the social aspect prevails because the rink is crowded and the more advanced moves are too dangerous in that setting. Also, many cities have seasonal public outdoor rinks and those are primarily social events.

Oh yeah. I would quite often wear my skating stuff home--I might be in a dress, or just the tights with a pair of exercise shorts over them and a t-shirt, but I had no qualms about walking into the gas station or grocery store in whatever I had on. So what if people stared? I'm a skater, I'm too d*mn lazy to change, and it's not like it matters what the gas station attendant thinks, anyway. Besides...he got used to it.

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I've gotten used to the odd looks I get when I stop somewhere in my skate dresses. (Bear in mind I'm 42 and still overweight)

Should have seen me this morning--I got off ice at 8:00 and had to be at work by 9:00--and it's at least 30 minutes away. It takes me 15 minutes to take my skates off and dry them. I just tucked my skirt into my denim shorts and went to work that way. The only other skater was laughing at me. Got a couple of funny looks from my coworkers. (I'm an OR nurse, so I change into scrubs at work--with my schedule being so tight this week, I saw no reason to change twice)

I get hit on when I go out of the rink in skating dresses. So I don't anymore. Last time it happened though, it made my day because I was in line at a Starbucks and this really "gangster" lookin' guy with tattoos and sunglasses and spikey gel-ed hair came up to me and was like "so uh....you a figure skater?" And I was like...."yeah" and he starts showing off and trying to tell me all the jumps he knows- and he actually KNEW the names.

Oh, it made my day. I don't like the attention though, so I just make it a point to change before I go out now.

I'm actually over in trading post asking about jean/denim stretch fabric for a typical mini skirt (but as a skating wearable mini) for an exhibition program...

not fond of the lycra only type-and tried to revamp a regular one with no real luck for a young teen...

So what's wrong with warmup pants, like runners wear (track suit type pants, like another poster said)? Definitely not clingy or "gay" but you can move in them.

I agree that it's hard to see your line, or if a leg is straight in not only jeans, but any bulky clothing. Wear what you're comfy, safe and successful in. Give skating pants or warm up pants a try and see how you like them. Let your coach and yourself see all that work you're doing.

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I reckon that you should wear whatever works for you. I mean, if you wear jeans and you find it works, then stick with them. If it doesn't work, then wear something else.

Didn't realize this thread was from last year. Could anyone who knows of pseudo-denim fabric please respond to Litigator's thread on the Trading Post?

Thanks.

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don't wear jeans- it will jsut lead to an accident: here 's a site with lots of diferent mens skating pants:


http://www.skate-mart.com/catalog/mens4.shtml


go buy some!! lol

YES!!! I was doing an exhibition one time and had to perform to this gawd aweful song from the 80's "Tainted Love", and was not aware that I picked a tight jean-pants. I could not jump in the warmup not even a waltz jump b/c it was so tight.

During the performances I managed to do a lutz, loop, and a flip.. But never again!!!

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Tim David's Website

I skate in jeans occasionally, but it tends to be if for some reason I don't have time to change rather than because it's a preference.

My jeans are comfortable and have an element of lycra in them, so to be honest movement isn't too much of a problem. However I prefer to wear my skating clothes (ie a tracksuit), because I don't worry so much about falling sweating, or falling over and getting wet, or ruining it, etc

S xxx

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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

My husband skates in these...gets them from Walmart or Sears and has no problem with appearing "gay"...because I'm usually at the rink when he is there (although I'm there more than he is).

Um, I get hit on by guys at the rink, when I'm not there with my husband (and once when I was with him ) and I wasn't wearing my skating dress, just my normal pants/t-shirt stuff. They usually are not dressed as nice as your description, and are always wearing hockey skates....and showing off (these are grown guys!). But I can skate faster than them so I'm ok.
ps-they don't scare me! I actually think it's funny, especially when I outskate them.....

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

I stoppred skating in jeans when I switched from hockey skates to figure skates. I still skate in jeans occassionaly, but I find them constricting.

I use pants by Sport Hill made specifically for cross country skiing. They work fine for figure skating too! Our arena is very cold in the winter, and these pants are great!

I own two models, one that is less insulated (for this time of yeat) and the other for the colder weather.

http://www.sporthill.com/

I live in a town where nordic skiing is a big deal. The local nordic shop usually has blow-out sales once a year & it makes these pants more affordable.

Let me see if I can dig up a picture to post. Ahh, here we go. http://www.sendpix.com/albums/06091606/nlo3i1bavg/ Notice I have blanked out the lovely CFP for fear of my health being compromised. She was dressed in a novelty outfit (I wonder at what rate of wearing occurance that this type of clothing becomes a non-novelty and "normal"?). I will re-post with the complete picture if I am given permission.

my pairs partner wore jeans for our show program. he didnt complain
we did Double twist, throw double lutz, lasso lift, hand to hand lift.


so he needs too bend.. i guess it depends on the type of material in the jeans

Well, I got to the point where I just dont give a $%*&! I wear my Asics running tights when I skate because they are comfortable, I dont have to worry about tripping on the cuff or my blade getting caught in them. Yes they are tight but I work hard to stay in shape at the gym as well as on the ice so I dont care!

I only skate at one adult public session per week, the other three to four are freestyle so again...Who Cares!

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