Figure skates as fashion statement

[sunjoy]

You know how most teens, especially guys, who are recreational skaters will wear hockey skates?

A slight twist on this is one youth I saw at a rink yesterday skating along with a bunch of other hot-shots in hockey skates. This guy was wearing white figure skates though. He basically reasoned that since figure skates cost more, they must "be like Jordans... Don't know why, but if they cost more they have to be better right?". I started explaining to his friend that hockey skates are actually more manouverable, and probably better for the kind of skating he does, but I guess the fact that the skates cost more, and looked different, made them a bit of a status symbol.

The skater also had a non-fashion reason for prefering the figure skates. He said he didn't like all the space inside hockey skates, and liked that figure skates fit more like shoes. Makes sense to me.

[sue123]

Hmm, that's interesting. Although I guess it depends on which skates you get, since there are some hockey skates that cost more than some figure skates. About the space thing, could it be that most skates are made for men who generally have wider feet, whereas white figure skates are made for females that generally have narrower feet than men?

[peanutskates]

White figure skates on a guy?
That doesn't look like "cool and expensive" to me.
It looks more like, "I want figure skates, but could only find cheap white ones that are meant for girls, and couldn't afford proper black ones."

I'm sorry if there are any guys here with white figure skates, but really; the only reason I can think of that a guy would get WHITE figure skates is if they were cheap and black ones were too expensive.

What a loser...

[sunjoy]

White figure skates on a guy?
That doesn't look like "cool and expensive" to me.
It looks more like, "I want figure skates, but could only find cheap white ones that are meant for girls, and couldn't afford proper black ones."

What a loser...Yeah, I had that thought too. But if you skate in Harlem, where despite Figure Skating in Harlem (http://www.figureskatinginharlem.org/), knowledge about skating isn't exactly abundant, I could see how white skates could be seen as cool.

Among skaters, though, let's not be too quick to criticize. I've read that all figure skates used to be black until Sonia Heinie revolutionized things by wearing short skirts (which she could get away with since she was young) and white skates.

The guy I'm talking about, whom I only know from the rink, doesn't seem to be a loser. He's pretty self confident, and wanted to do his own thing by buying skates that were different from the hockey skates that all his other friends have, and seems slightly sensitive but not ruled by whatever ragging he must have gotten for buying "girl-skates".

Didn't look closely at his skates, but they seemed real, not cheap vinyl ones. Not that it ought to matter damnit. Why do kids of hard working middle-class parents have to get ragged-on because they can't afford $200 Jordans?

Final thought: it'd be hella uncomfortable, but when dressing up for a Goth party, I realized that the "gothiest" footwear I had were my black leather figure skates. When they're good-and-worn-out, I might even take the blade off and try 'em out as boots, although I bet the sole will be too inflexible to make them practical. Sure would look good though, especially with a bunch of blade-nicks and other skating abuse on 'em.

[Lark]

The guy I'm talking about, whom I only know from the rink, doesn't seem to be a loser. He's pretty self confident, and wanted to do his own thing by buying skates that were different from the hockey skates that all his other friends have,


He could just be like my 17 year old nephew, Austin.

Austin was in an accident back in the summer of 2005, where he sustained third-degree burns over 50% of his body.

When Austin had a later surgery on his arm, and he had to get a cast, he picked a pink cast. Not maroon, not fuschia, but pink.

Some kids are so confident and feel so good about themselves that they do what *they* honestly want to do. His guy friends still looked at him like he was one of the coolest guys around. He is, because he believes in himself.

Calling someone a loser because they are different is lame, and is not something I expect to see on here.

[cathrl]

My little boy has white skates because he's got his sister's old ones (SP Teris with Coronation Ace blades, way better than he actually needs - but comfortable and good quality).

At least, he HAD white skates. I spray painted them black (they were very second hand, it wasn't like they were pristine beautiful white anyway :) ). I'll need to touch them up for the club competition, because it does tend to rub off in the skate bag, but they're not at all bad.

This is reasonably common for little boys round here, because there's a much smaller market in secondhand black skates. Some of them have white boots and black Lycra bootcovers.

[Moto Guzzi]

When Michael Weiss started skating, he wore his older sister Geremi's outgrown skates that had been painted black.

[peanutskates]

Calling someone a loser because they are different is lame, and is not something I expect to see on here.

I'm sorry, but it sounded like he was trying to be so cool... yet I imagine looks quite lame.

Why would a guy wear white skates? It's okay if you have black boot covers on, say, second hand skates, but BUYING white for a BOY.

I'm sorry... I just don't get it.

The pink cast thing is cool though :D

[Isk8NYC]

Peanut - some of our male board members wear white skates because they like them better. Some of our female board members wear black or purple skates for the same reason. Some people use skate tape to make checkerboard patterns on their skates. (That I want to see!) Finally, if skates you want are in short supply, you take what you can get!

To each his own, I say.
Forgive little Peanut her lapse in judgement, please.

[peanutskates]

Forgive little Peanut for her lapse in judgement

ExCUSE me?
8O

a) I'm not little
b) It's hardly a 'lapse' in judgement.

It's my opinion that skaters should wear skates of a colour that more or less matches their outfit
So unless this guy was wearing a white outfit..

anyway, end of. I have a different opinion to you and it's probably not going to change. Please try to avoid patronising me.

[Isk8NYC]

What a loser...

Ah yes, it's not fun when someone calls YOU a name, or refers to YOU condescendingly, but it's okay if you're the caller, huh?

[peanutskates]

ok, I'm not even going to pretend or try and mellow my beliefs down. *I* think that this boy is a loser because he thinks that white skates make him look cool. not because he wears white skates.

No, it's not OK to call people names. But making judgements about people based on their appearance and putting them into groups such as 'loser' 'chav' 'emo' etc is NEVER going to stop. it's a natural human reaction. You're doing it too, NYC - you've put me into the 'lapse in judgement' 'young' and 'misguided' categories. OK? so please can we just stop this now?

I will not be posting on this thread anymore - PM me if you really wish to put forward your opinion

[Isk8NYC]

You know how most teens, especially guys, who are recreational skaters will wear hockey skates?

A slight twist on this is one youth I saw at a rink yesterday skating along with a bunch of other hot-shots in hockey skates. This guy was wearing white figure skates though. He basically reasoned that since figure skates cost more, they must "be like Jordans... Don't know why, but if they cost more they have to be better right?". I started explaining to his friend that hockey skates are actually more manouverable, and probably better for the kind of skating he does, but I guess the fact that the skates cost more, and looked different, made them a bit of a status symbol.

The skater also had a non-fashion reason for prefering the figure skates. He said he didn't like all the space inside hockey skates, and liked that figure skates fit more like shoes. Makes sense to me.

Considering this was in NYC, I wonder if part of the "cool factor" was that he lifted them from a figure skater at another rink?

[sunjoy]

Considering this was in NYC, I wonder if part of the "cool factor" was that he lifted them from a figure skater at another rink?Why are you missing a pair? And do you have really-large teenage-boy feet? :P

Speaking of theft, I've had three pairs of skate-guards stolen so far, at public outdoor rinks. OK one of them was probably a mistake, since they'd left another black pair behind.

Imagine my surprise when I skated the early morning freestyle at Wollman. Maybe 10 adults total, and everyone left their bags lying around, without using the lockers. Talk about an oasis of serenity in the midst of the city! :)

[loveskating]

People in NYC just normally like to make statements that challenge the assumptions of rigid and very uncreative people, like that white skates are for girls, black skates are for boys.

Who decided that? And why must everyone go along with it? No reason at all! And why is such a thing even remotely consequential?

Actually thinking about something and challenging rigid assumptions seems a lot more creative and fun to most New Yorkers than just memorizing a bunch of rules. Maybe its because NYC is such a melting pot city?

[Isk8NYC]

I don't think Kevin Callahan (SF Board Member) is from NYC, but he's the first male skater I ever heard of using white skates. I did meet an adult skater in NYC who was born a male but dresses as a female. S/he wore white skates.

There is at least one female coach that I know who has black boots with black blades inset with a diamond. Very snazzy looking! (She's from NJ.)

The "boosted skates" theory is definitely the native "New Yawker" in me coming out, huh?

NYC's more of a stew pot. Lots of different things go in, mix around, but still retain some of their identity.

I was more impressed that the kid was wearing figure skates, regardless of color. That's the more unusual side for me - very few parents in this area let their sons do figure skating. Most of the skating parents I know push for recreational skating or hockey. When I discuss the next classes, many mothers will say "Well, I don't want him to do hockey. As long as he can skate, that's enough."

I still want to see checkerboard skates. LOL

[cathrl]

I still want to see checkerboard skates. LOL

Checkerboard skates - now that would be way cool.

Wishing I'd thought of that before I sprayed my son's, now - I could have done it with masking tape, and it wouldn't have shown so much as the plain black does when bits rub off.

Soooo tempted to have a go with mine, since they're not exactly new and beautiful any more, and I always wear over-the-boot tights to compete anyway. Hmmm. I wonder what other colours you can get that leather spray paint in? 8-)

[mintypoppet]

Soooo tempted to have a go with mine, since they're not exactly new and beautiful any more, and I always wear over-the-boot tights to compete anyway. Hmmm. I wonder what other colours you can get that leather spray paint in? 8-)

Now I'm imagining skates to match your red and gold dress :lol:

[Derek]

When I started skating, last year, in hockey boots (my son reckoned they would give this old man more ankle support !) I bought some pink laces off one of the female stewards, and people in the public sessions thought it really smart, that this old bloke (!!!) had such style ... :D

I have black risports now, they don't seem so much fun ...

[slusher]

From the heart of hockey land (outdoor rinks, hearty male bonding over certain brands of coffee).....pink hockey tape on your stick is the latest "in" thing for boys. And pink laces in your hockey skates. Also having snow white running shoes is "in", which is quite difficult in slushy parking lots.

At one time there was a white hockey skate. It was for female ringette players. I know someone who still skates in hers.

[AW1]

On the pink thing for guys. According to my husband, a guy who wears pink is not afraid of his sexuality ;) and it doesn't make him gay.

[Isk8NYC]

On the pink thing for guys. According to my husband, a guy who wears pink is not afraid of his sexuality ;) and it doesn't make him gay.
My BIL always used to paint his tools pink. Partly for easy ID, partly because fewer men borrowed them from his toolbox.

I agree with your DH. It's just a color.

[Sessy]

I dunno but I know a lot of girls around here prefer black roller figure skates! That fashion doesn't seem to have spread to ice figure skates though, curiously.

Myself, I'd like black figure skates but I'm taking into account the reselleability of figure skates so I'm probably not gonna get em black.

[mikawendy]

My BIL always used to paint his tools pink. Partly for easy ID, partly because fewer men borrowed them from his toolbox.

I agree with your DH. It's just a color.

So maybe if I paint ice skates all over my tools, my husband will remember to bring them back? He uses them in his furniture business, which is fine, but often they don't make their way back to the tool box. The tools were a gift from my father, and he used an engraver on each tool so that it would be identifiable as mine. I think he was thinking in case a neighbor were to borrow them :lol: :lol:

Sessy--do the girls wearing the black roller figure skates wear stripy knee high socks with them? I have a friend who does roller derby (so she wears black roller speed skates). She and her teammates have all sorts of funky stripy knee high socks to wear over their knee guards. In addition to looking cool, she says the socks help protect the leg skin from getting floor burn during a fall.

[Mercedeslove]

"I want figure skates, but could only find cheap white ones that are meant for girls, and couldn't afford proper black ones."




Maybe he couldn't afford the proper black ones. A lot of people can't He shouldn't have to be criticised (sp) because of it. It's not his fault.

As long as the skates he has now make him happy, as does skating itself. Shouldn't that be the only thing that matters.

That's like saying so and so is a loser because they can''t afford the Jeans at Macy's and have to get them at Wal*Mart

Don't judge a book by it's cover.

[jazzpants]

I'm sorry, but it sounded like he was trying to be so cool... yet I imagine looks quite lame.

Why would a guy wear white skates? It's okay if you have black boot covers on, say, second hand skates, but BUYING white for a BOY.
Well, I think THIS MALE SKATER (http://peanutskates.spaces.live.com/?_c11_PhotoAlbum_spaHandler=TWljcm9zb2Z0LlNwYWNlcy 5XZWIuUGFydHMuUGhvdG9BbGJ1bS5GdWxsTW9kZUNvbnRyb2xs ZXI%24&_c11_PhotoAlbum_spaFolderID=cns!10AB4140611919D!11 6&_c11_PhotoAlbum_startingImageIndex=6&_c11_PhotoAlbum_commentsExpand=0&_c11_PhotoAlbum_addCommentExpand=0&_c11_PhotoAlbum_addCommentFocus=0&_c=PhotoAlbum) looked nice with white skates!!! (Okay, he's really wearing white boot covers but the intented image is of him wear white figure skates. 8-) And yes, it's interesting that I found it on your website.)

Peanut - some of our male board members wear white skates because they like them better. Some of our female board members wear black or purple skates for the same reason. Some people use skate tape to make checkerboard patterns on their skates. (That I want to see!) Finally, if skates you want are in short supply, you take what you can get!And for the record...ISk8NYC was referring to ME when she mentioned female skaters who have black and purple skates. (Yes, my current pairs are purple skates and my former pairs are black.) And so far I have a LOT of compliments about my skates. ;) I originally choose black b/c it doesn't show scuff marks as much and I used to wear a lot of dark color clothes. *I* think wear white skates with my darker clothes clashes!!!

I now wear more blues, greys and purples clothes in addition to my darker clothes. PURPLE is my favorite color... and it does go with my blues,greys and purple clothing. It makes sense for me to match my boots with my clothes, no?

Getting off my "fashion statement" soapbox now...

[Sessy]

Maybe I should get black skates too... light colors never looked good on me, I'm even using black instead of skin-coloured tights, so... My quad rollers are black.

[Sessy]

Sessy--do the girls wearing the black roller figure skates wear stripy knee high socks with them? I have a friend who does roller derby (so she wears black roller speed skates). She and her teammates have all sorts of funky stripy knee high socks to wear over their knee guards. In addition to looking cool, she says the socks help protect the leg skin from getting floor burn during a fall.


No, usually they wear all black, practice wicca and have a lot of eyeliner on, why? :lol:



As for tools, a store called the Large in the Netherlands actually sells equipment pre-made in pink. :)

[bootcovers]

I, too, wear black skates. Although the only time anyone sees them is when I am changing into our out of them (they're always under boot covers).

When I watch skating on TV, I find the white boots of the women often clash with their elaborate costumes. If they were dancing, they would not be wearing white shoes with most of those outfits. At least the ice dancers' tan boots blend better. (Don't get me started on the awful "cankle" look of the flesh-colored over-the-boot tights. Even white skates are better than that.)