from the GC Singles and Pairs committee Requests for Action

2. SSR 19.03 – Clothing and Skate Blades, page 164

MOVE to revise SSR 19.03 by the addition of the following sentence at the end of SSR 19.03:

Notwithstanding the above, ladies competing in adult competitions may wear trousers if they so choose.

Rationale: This proposal is offered to address concerns that there are some adult ladies who do not feel comfortable at this point in their lives appearing in a skating skirt or dress, but would still like to participate in adult competitions. Yes, they could tack a piece of skirt-like fabric to their trousers or wear heavy leg warmers under a long skirt to technically conform to the present rule, but why not let them be comfortable?

Financial Impact: None

Gee I wonder why a lady would be more comfortable in pants? Could it be because she can't get off her tush to be bothered to look more presentable? I think so!

I ONLY practice in pants. I abhor dresses. Well, not abhor, but really dislike. I only wear them for tests and competitions. That said, I would never wear pants to compete or test. As much as I dislike dresses, it's part of the entire competition presentation package.
I'm surprised that's even an issue that's going to be raised!! Kinda annoying....they can't fix the MIF structure, but they can worry about women wearing pants!

I don't understand why you choose to be denigrating towards others. There is no reason at all why pants appropriate to the program would not be presentable.

Trolling, perhaps, Peaches?

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The MIF structure is complicated and not a simple thing to fix, whereas women have been complaining about the requirement to wear skirts and dresses for many years and the fix is truly simple. All of the pathetic excuses for requiring women to wear pants have become rather tiresome. To women over 50, this is a basic women's rights issue.

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What comp. was I watching the other day where Fumie was wearing pants? (with a skirt over....). Worlds? I'm thinking it was Debbie Thomas who was wearing a one piece catsuit sort of outfit that started the whole rule about this?

^Yes, the skirt rule came in after Debbi and her unitard, in '88 as I recall.

Fumie wore pants with the skirt over for her Paint it Black program, the only place I actually saw the program was at the Grand Prix Final. In fact, here's a piccy...



Courtesy of the USFSA, but linked from my webspace... couldn't find it on their site anymore, so can't point to the exact page it came from.

Personally, I feel the above is a viable option. I don't think many people realize that pants show just as much as a skirt... often more in some cases. I'd prefer not to see unitards myself, at least a skirt gives a chance that I won't always be having to look at someones wedgie. Emmanuel and others have proven that they show off quite a lot on many occasions.

Perhaps though, the issue isn't modesty (although some may feel that it is), but just the basic right to choose... not only personal choice, but to suit the program.

I totally understand that in this day and age, a woman should have a right to choose... but I also have a right to an opinion that pants look icky.

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Known as IrishDancerAndSkater/Azlynn at FSW

AHEM!!!!

Well, I like JAZZ PANTS b/c they're 1) comfy, 2) warm, and 3) it shows off my NICE SKATER'S BUTT!!! Plus, I like the dual purpose of being able to go to the gym right afterwards in it w/o getting funny stares. Most skating dresses I see are either 1) too young for me, 2) too OLD for me or 3) looks beautiful, but it's too EXPENSIVE!!! Skating dress may look fine for some, but skating dresses just AREN'T my style!!! I refuse to wear them unless I have to (for tests and competitions.) And frankly, I wouldn't mind it if they change the rules!!! It's about time!!!

Fumie Suguri managed to get around the rules because the rules says that you are supposed to wear a dress and the highest the skirt can be is hip level. It says NOTHING about wearing pants underneath. (It just looks kinda weird.) I know of a synch competition where the theme of the team were marching soldiers. The synch team had to adjust their costumes so that the top were skirts. (Except for the one guy that was on the team...)

And as you can see, except for the white skates, it STILL gives Fumie a beautiful line!!! (Now we got to see if she willl switch to BLACK figure skates!!! YEAH! We REALLY got to "paint it BLACK!!!" ALL of it!!!)

There IS a rule about wearing unitard (what Debbie Thomas was wearing) though.

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Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

I think pants often look very nice and at times can look beter than a dress. It all depends on how things are put together.

I don't think it's got anything to do with not being bothered to look presentable. For some people, probably especially older women, they would find it very uncomfortable to wear a skating dress, especially if they're required to do things like spirals. For some too, a skating dress might not flatter them and if they don't feel so good or comfortable, they won't perform as well. I personally don't see why the rules can't be relaxed a bit - several skaters have shown that unitards or trousers can look great, and can even fit the music/theme better than a dress.

Examples:

Sarah Hughes

Fumie Suguri

Irina Slutskaya

Irina Slutskaya again

Katarina Witt

For all of those, I think the costumes really worked and didn't detract from the presentation one bit - in fact they added. And I for one would much prefer the option of wearing trousers or a unitard if I was doing moves like this:

Irina again

(And that's nothing to do with laziness.)

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"It’s never too late to skate at any age." - Alexei Mishin.

I guess the elite ladies who have worn pants for exhibitions couldn't get off their tushes to look more presentable, right?

I think that if pants fit the tone of your program, you should be able to wear them. I think that women should be allowed that costuming option, just as men should be allowed to wear a skirt if it fits their program (Braveheart anyone?).

If you don't want to wear pants, don't. But if I were doing a program where I was a spy or a catburglar or something, I think I'd look like a dork in a skirt, regardless of the shape of my bum.

Scarcely. Many adults are extraordinarily self-conscious, and feel that in a skirt that is a good foot shorter than they would dream of wearing in the street, they are a figure of fun - even though they actually look extremely nice.

Having said that, when they can finally be persuaded out of trousers and into a skirt, especially a dance skirt, many women discover that they "feel" more like skaters, and their skating improves dramatically to match. This happened to two members of our dance club - we have a (not strictly enforced) dress code that women tend to wear skirts, and so these beginner dancers bought one each. They both felt very self-conscious the first time they wore them, but now prefer them!

I personally would prefer not to relax that particular rule, but I can sympathise with those who would like to.

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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!

This just another case of the adults getting more than standard track skaters. I mean, whats wrong with a skirt? If it really bothers someone, maybe they shouldnt skate. Personally, I dont think it really looks like its "right" for competition, and I debate how well it looks in practice. Lets value tradition and class a little more.

Getting more than standard track skaters? It's hardly a huge concession, doesn't cost anything and if it encourages more people into the sport what's the problem? I can't believe the animosity being shown over this I completely disagree with your assertion that "If it really bothers someone, maybe they shouldnt skate", that is so narrow minded. As somebody else pointed out that many "us" adults are extraordinarily self-conscious, we know that we're not as slim and firm as we used to be and if skating in pants gets us out there what's the problem?

Many of our 'kid' skaters don't wear skirts for practise, I don't think that they look any the less classy. Rather a simple and elegant top and pants than a frou frou, illusion fabric fest!

I perhaps should add at this juncture that I prefer to wear a skirt/dress but I'm not about to put down those that do.

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The best whisper is a click

I can't say I have strong feelings about this either way since I have no plans to test or compete. I find the whole class, taste, appearance argument to be pretty humorous though because elite skaters demontrate pretty regularly that you don't need pants to have a totally tasteless costume.

Anyway, isn't the ISU also going to be considering eliminating the skirt rule? I could have sworn I read that somewhere...

Hi all:

I don't personally have any trouble with the existing rule, nor with any revision to allow pants. However, as someone who makes/designs skating dresses, I can definitely say that most commercially (mass) produced skating dresses are not designed for a typical adult figure. Among other things, skirts are usually too short, briefs are too brief and the rise is too short, and there is little accommodation for a more generous bust. Most adult women, particularly those of us who have had children, have a bit of a "pot", which also doesn't look good in the typical skating dress. Personally, I can see why a great many adult women complain or outright refuse to wear a dress other than for testing.

Even if one goes the route of buying a pattern and making one's own dress, for the most part you will find that the full body girth is too short for most adult figures, where one has to accommodate for bust, pot and perhaps a generous tush to boot. So, unless you are skilled at modifying patters (or willing to sacrifice fabric and learn by trial and error), you still are not going to get a flattering dress.

The designer's of dresses for elite adults a) charge a large sum of money b) have clients with less mature figures. Producers of mass-market skating dresses design for the masses, which is predominantly young girls.

Hopefully as the marketplace becomes more aware of the buying power of the typical adult skater, there will be more flattering product from which to choose.

Just my .02

-- sheilagh

Thank you... from one of the middle-aged (yes I finally admitted it....) women with big boobs who skate. Even if I were as thin as I probably should be, I would

a. Have big boobs
b. Have generous curves (both my sister and I tend to be members of the "tiny waist/big hips" group... stock skating dresses aren't designed for that body...at least not the ones I've found
c. Have a tummy

Most stock skating dresses don't work well for any woman with a cup size (American measurements here) larger than a "B". Next, most stock skating dresses don't have the skirt seam line falling at a location that is flattering for a woman with a bit of a tummy. Finally, the skirts of most stock skating dresses are not flattering, cut-wise/fullness-wise, to women with a bit of a tummy.

And don't tell me to go find another form of exercise.

Yes, for practice, those of us who are "well-endowed" could wear a jogbra, but....not all of us want to have a uniboob by wearing a heavy-compression exercise bra.

Maybe they shouldn't skate? I completely disagree with that statement. Why should anybody be told that they either have to wear a short skirt in front of lots of people, which may be unflattering, very uncomfortable, and fly up, or they should quit the sport they love altogether? Ridiculous, IMO. Skating is not dependent on a skirt. Like in the pictures I posted (not to mention costumes like Debi Thomas's SP in 88 and Natalia Mishkutenok's LPs in 92 and 94), several elite skaters have competed in a unitard or trousers, and in every single one, their costume fit the programme and the music and the theme, probably a lot better than a skirt would have, and didn't negatively affect their skating in any way. Some of you personally may not really like the appearance of costumes with trousers, but that's no reason to assume that anyone who wants the choice is either lazy, presentation-free, or doesn't value tradition or class.

What is wrong with an elegant costume like this?

Especially when you compare it to some of the dresses that are allowed, such as this...

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"It’s never too late to skate at any age." - Alexei Mishin.

Plus I find most exercise bras simply aren't supportive enough - you should see me doing bunny hops in the changing rooms when trying on new bras.....

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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!

gee didnt we just do this topic about adults and weight already

I would much rather have my kids watch skating for skating, and not to see a boob sticking out.more elegent for someone to wear something that fits than something that is meant for a teen ager.

Here is a link to one of the exercise bras that Title 9 Sports carries. Serious compression...

The Last Resort Bra

I did find a nice medium support exercise bra by Moving Comfort...

Moving Comfort Mesh Bra

Doesn't work for high bounce/impact activities, but is definitely more comfortable for daily activities than a lot of others I've tried (I recently discovered I'm apparently allergic to whatever some of the bra manufacturers use for making underwires... but this one appears to be on the "safe" list.)

Yep... and it's already working on being almost as polarizing.

Personally, I normally wear loose leggings to skate in, since I'm usually in a mad dash from the rink to work after I get done. And it's a lot nicer to walk into my office building (which offers a better place to change than the rink) in fleece pants than a skating skirt.

Well said ..... and thanks for the first photo, I'd forgotten how hot Gwendal is ..... sigh ..... oh to practise 'that' lift with him ...........

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The best whisper is a click

x 1000 Who cares what it looks like? It's about the choice. Mullet hairstyles look bad, but people are allowed to choose them.

I personally prefer dresses/skirts. Although I am overweight, I have a petite frame and I like how dresses look on me. Plus I don't have to worry about tucking a shirt into pants which IMHO is really unflattering.

I didn't used to like dresses so much, in fact all through high school I wore colored stirrup tights and a matching skirt. This look was really popular back then - hot pink stirrup tights with a swatch of flowered material on one shin, then matching double-layered skirt (bottom flowers, top solid pink) and solid-colored turtleneck. Along with hauling around your patch scribe... Now nude tights and a solid colored dress are more in fashion.

However... I have had days where I want to burn all the dresses I own and wear nothing but pants, pants, pants. I could completely understand the upset if one were of that mindset all the time, but were forced into wearing dresses for tests or competitions. It would upset and frustrate me too.

Like I used to say to my mother who forced me into dresses to go to church, why does God care if I have material between my legs or not? With so many more revealing dresses, why do pants matter so much? I think most skaters would choose dresses anyways.

At last, a reason to be happy that I'm flat chested! Bounce? What's that?

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