The trouble with white boots is you can't wear them after Labor Day.

As much as we all like to say that we adult skaters are only in it for the fun, that's only a partial truth for many people. Those of us who choose to compete obviously care to some extent what people (judges, spectators, our fellow competitors) think about us. We craft programs that are designed to show off our good points, minimize our bad points, and still challenge us. We select costumes that we hope will make us look and feel good. So it's not that we're just out on the ice for 2:10, tooling around having fun. We're serious about what we do on the ice. Based on Kevin's previous posts, I'd assume he's fairly serious about adult competition.

If I'm a fairly new competitor, the last thing I want to do is distract the judges so that they focus on my feet and not on my brilliant smile or fabulous upper body carriage or whatever else may be one of my strong points. Perhaps I should let you all in on my Sekret Weapon -- big rhinestone earrings. I wear them to draw the judges' eyes upward and away from my feet! Note per the theme of this thread: this only works for WOMEN. haha

Personally, I'd rather make a statement with my skating than with my attire, but everyone is different. And besides, just wearing something different on the ice isn't guarenteed to pi** off the judges anyway. If you're a good skater, you'll still get decent scores. In my experience, most of the people who've been all fired up to "express themselves" on the ice wind up with low placement for a whole different set of reasons!

LOL!!

The second saleswoman said her non-competition boots are real cheetah skin.

And God help us all of Chavs get on the ice.

This is all definitely true. However, the issue isn't self-expression in an intentional, conscious way. It really is that I don't like black. I don't even own a pair of black shoes. I have maybe three black t-shirts. Most of my wardrobe is colored or white. I guess I really didn't realize this would be that much of a big deal. Although I do admit, telling me I can or cannot do something based solely on my sex, especially in a sport like Figure Skating where I get enough flack from non-skaters because I'm male, really, really urks me. It's a sure-fire way to make sure I have a really good reason before I don't whatever I'm being told I can't do.

And I am serious, which is why if Tim says "Black boots," I'll do black boots. At their core boots and blades are tools to achieve a goal. Which means I'm going to use, as others have said, the best tools available. I wouldn't ask for a hammer in pink. I'd just want it to work right. Same with my skates. I just want them to work right.

khmm.... now I start seeing the point in keeping at least just a little bit of tradition.... probably because my cat's name is Cheetah

But I would still go for whatever colour my heart pleases (and if it's Burberry check - well, blame my parents and neighbourhood!) and just use OBT or boot covers that match the pants for competitions (well, it's a special occasion after all). Competition ice time is 1:30'-4:00' x 5-6 times a year, pratice time is 5-15 hours a week, so your boots will be your most worn piece of footwear (unless you're someone like me who wears the same pair of black trainers everywhere, from gym to office parties), and you need to be comfortable in them, not just physically, but mentaly too.

Personally I wouldn't pick anything other than white/beige/tan for myself - but it's only because I think that white/beige/tan is more "stylish", but I sure understand people who find it boring and go for orange. Well, there's always a downside of being non-conventional - you have to work harder to prove that you are not a joke - but this is a trade-off one always has to make, not only in skating.

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My other car is a Zamboni

Totally OT for a second, but I'm sure that's not true. Cheetahs are an endangered species. There's a boot maker (Harlick?) that makes "furry" boots, my friend had zebra "fur", but it's not real zebra. Maybe it's something like cowhide dyed to have different animal patterns.

Well said TashaKat, I couldnt have put it better myself.

Cheers
Random Woman

I thought the same, but no, she said, they're real. She either lying, breaking the law, or there's some explanation.

My guess would be "misinformed."

Okay, had my lesson with Tim earlier today and he said I'd better stick to black. Although he agrees with me in principle, and considers the tradition stupid, he also agrees that there's no reason for me to antagonize the judges over boot color. As one earlier poster said, this is not the battle that needs to be fought.

On another note, all we worked on was basics because he's worried about the boots I have. He wants to go into salcows, loops and toe loops but not until I get my SP Teri's. The boots I have now are just too weak in the ankle. Did get waltz jumps and a simple two legged spin in, however. In general a good practice, even if I didn't have the right equipment to use it to its full potential.

Kevin, have you thought about getting brown boots? Not tan but dark brown so they still look like black from far away but aren't.

I'd agree with your coach that for competition it is better to stick with the traditional. White in particular is so associated with ladies skating in people's minds that it just looks odd to see a guy skate in white boots (although I think I have seen major competitions where the man's costume was predominantly white and the boots were covered to match - for some reason if they are obviously boot covers in white or a pale colour it doesnt' have the same effect as if they were actual white boots, (because the boots underneath could still be black I guess ).

You can think of competitions like job interviews. What you wear may not be anything like your normal attire and have no bearing at all on your skills to do the job but most people would dress in an 'appropriate' outfit for an interview to make a good impression. So it's the same for competitions - if it helps and avoids distracting the judges from their job (i.e. seeing how well you skate) that has to be good.

Anyway if you want people to talk about how well you skated rather than about your boots then get black. Then make yourself some boot covers for training in - they are incredibly easy to make if you have access to a sewing machine. The easiest material to use is Lycra in any colour but you can also buy white Lycra and colour it using transfer paints (they dont affect the 'handle' of the material like fabric paints do.)

I've made boot covers in all colours including some made to look like kid's flowery patterned roller skates and also in materials like satin lining material to match a show costume. It's not quite so easy in a non-stretch fabric but it can be done - you just have to allow a little more room so you can get it over the boot.

You dont even need a pattern - just lay your boot on the material, fold the material around the heel end to enclose it and pin together around the front, following the line of the boot. Allow a bit of material top and bottom to fold over for a casing for elastic - or can stretch stitch elastic directly to the fabric if you dont like making casings and threading through. Can be close pinned if using Lycra but allow some ease at the front if using non-stretch stuff. My patented method at this point is simply to grab the scissors and cut out the shape while still on the boot and then sew approximately on the pinned line, or tack the material in place first to give you a sewing line to follow (or before cutting out!). It doesnt' matter if it's not very accurate as it's hard to tell from a distance especially when you are moving!

Happy skating!

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'skating is not just a sport - it is an obsession'

Every one has a different sense of style. Sometimes it goes outside the norms. Eh....my opinion is that if your serious, about competing, go with something other than white.

Me? I think brown suede would be cool. Right now I have black suede.

Jon

My coach had this back in 2002 with gold bling-bling MK Gold Star blades too! (Then again, he had the skating skills to go with the bling.)

You know, I totally forgot the other option, though it would take more time and you would have to do this ahead of time... why not get SK8Tape to cover up the skates black when competition time is near and then take it off after the competition? (Said coach also Sk8taped his teaching boots white to do his Kwan interpretative program...)

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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!!!