Figure Skating Fashion Minute: ISU Grand Prix Final 2011-2012--Ice Dancing Costume Changes!

Costume Changin' Ice Dancers...

Backless Cha Cha Queen, or...

Violet Sequined Princess? Canada's Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir and her change of costumes--which one is better? Read on...

The Top Three Ice Dancing Teams: (Left to right) Canada's Virtue and Moir (Silver), Davis and White from the USA (Gold) and Pechalat and Bourzat of France (with their Bronze medals)--ISU Grand Prix Final Pavillon de la Jeunesse Quebec City, Quebec Canada

Alright Figure Skating Fans, we've come (finally) to my last "Figure Skating Fashion Two Cents" posting for last weekend's ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. I'm sure those non-figure skating fans reading my blog were thinking "What Is With All the Figure Skating Fashion posts??" Well, kids I LOVE the sport and LOVE the costumes even more...so there! But you can breathe a sigh of relief: this is the last one--well until the next Figure Skating event (most of the National Championships are next month--in 2012--so get ready for more!!).

Let's get to the Costume Changes for these Two Ice Dancing Teams. I begin with...

Virtue and Moir of Canada: They were the favorites to win--especially on "home turf" at this 2011-2012 Grand Prix Final held in Quebec City. They garnered a very close 2nd place (Scott fell on the Short Program and well, that was "it"). Now, in terms of their costumes, I was very surprised to see a costume change for Tessa.

For their "Hip Hip Chin Chin", "Temptation" and "Mujer Latina" Latin-inspired number, she wore this backless sequined fringed mini "flapper dress" in a gorgeous degrade' pink that went from light to dark. It was GORGEOUS! Love the backless silhouette and that one silver crystal strap. The style was sassy, saucy and very "Miss Republica Dominicana" in its design. Take that style to the floor and huney, you've got a Miss Universe Runner Up...if not the Winner!

This Royal Blue-and-Silver sequined dress above is what she last wore at Trophee Eric Bompard in Paris last month. I liked this then. It was elegant, very "Dancing With The Stars" cookie-cutter Dance Number Fab (and nothing wrong with that). But it did miss the "Hot Latina" edge. And I think the new pink number, brought that. I, for one, was happy for the change. It definitely was a change for the better..or shall I say, for the Sassier! What do you guys think? Pink or Royal Blue: Which do you prefer?

Shibutani Costume Change:

Shibutani and Shibutani of the USA: Brother and sister Ice Dancing team, Alex and Maia Shibutani skated well in Canada at the Grand Prix Final, getting a respectable fifth place overall. I absolute love these two; their skating, their fun enthusiasm, their passionate grasp of the Latin Dance...Speaking of the Latin Dance, for the Short Dance number, there was a Costume Change--well, more like a Costume Improvement. For the Grand Prix Final, Maia's one-shoulder black with "fringed" sequined got a "freshening up": fuchsia hem binding. Compare the "new" costume at the Grand Prix Final above with...

This one here which she wore at the 2011-2012 NHK Trophy in Sapporo Japan in early November. Same costume but without the pink addition. I think this was a good change. I liked the one-shoulder all black number but it did need a "pop" of color. Especially since Alex was also in all-black. Sometimes, the little changes make all the difference--costume-wise.

For their Free Dance, however, they did a full-on Costume Change--both Maia and Alex. This above is what they wore to the last Grand Prix competition in Japan. I LOVED it! They skate to a Big Band Medley including "In The Mood", "Moonlight Serenade" and "Chattanooga Choo Choo". Their outfits were SPOT ON as I said HERE. But they decided to "stir it up":

And completely changed their costumes. Alex ditched his argyle sweater vest ensemble for peach and white collared shirt with suspender look. And Maia went for a multicolored neon orange with purple trim dress with cascading crystal details. Although I love the addition of color, I just don't think it was necessary in this program. They were fine with their original "Free Dance" costumes.

He looks like a Black Jack Dealer and she belongs in the Latin Short Dance. Something seems a bit disjointed--costume-wise. I still LOVE them, though :) Please let me know what you Figure Skating Fans think: Argyle-and-Red Sequin Cute? Or Black Jack Dealer-and-Latina Orange Sassy?

Until Next Time--Lots of Figure Skating Costume Kisses xoxo

Figure Skating Fashion Minute: Skate Canada--The Ice Dancers!

A Blah Costume Moment...

Over the weekend, Skate Canada 2011 took place in Mississauga, Canada. I "reviewed" the Pairs Costumes in my last post, but now, I needed to take a moment to discuss the "Blah" Ice Dancers--well, their costumes that is. Usually, I REALLY look forward to the Ice Dancers, especially because they're usually the more "costume inventive" of all the figure skating disciplines. Who can forget the "Aborigines Gone Wrong" costumes from the Russians Domnina and Shabalin of almost two years ago? And France's Pechalat and Bourzat "Mummy Dearest" Pharaoh costumes from last week at Skate America. The "taste" level of those costumes could be argued but at least they made me stand up and take notice.

The Top Three: (L to R) The Silver went to Canada's Weaver and Poje, Gold to Virtue and Moir, and Bronze to Italy's Cappellini and Lanotte

At these past weekend's Ice Dancing competitions--there was a lack of excitement in terms of costumes for both the Short and Free Dances. Let's discuss:

Virtue and Moir of Canada: For their Latin Short Program, the Canadian Ice Dancing pair of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir danced to "Hip Hip Chin Chin", "Tempation" and "Mujer Latina" by Mexican singer (and Mrs Tommy Motola) Thalia. I loved her turquoise blue completely rhinestoned costume. The top heavily jeweled neckline was fantastic and so were the bugle-beaded "fringe" dropping from her skirt. It added lots of great "cha-cha" movement to her costume. Moir's was just "there": a deep-v black long sleeve top straight out of American Apparel and matching black pants seemed mismatched for the BEDAZZLED fabulousness that was Virtue. I get that he's supposed to just be "invisible" I guess. But it just seemed as if he was going out to a dinner at a nice West Hollywood restaurant--and she was going to the World Championship of Latin Ballroom dancing! They didn't go together.

And for their Gold Medal-winning Free Dance, Virtue and Moir bored me again! They skated to George Gershwin's "Funny Face" and " 'S Wonderful". Their skating was marvelous, it's just the costumes that left me wanting for just a little more.

For this, Virtue's garnet "strapless" red dress with illusion neckline and jeweled "necklace" was unexciting. It looked like a dress from the super sale section at Nordstrom Rack.

At least, they gave Moir a matching red neckerchief--so we could see some sort of a connection between the two. But even then, take the scarf away and what do you have? A guest at a wedding at midnight after one too many Champagne toasts! With the scarf, he looks like a waiter at a cheesy Italian Restaurant. What an Italian waiter has to do with Gershwin and "Funny Face", is, beyond me.

"Middle of The-Ice Dance-Road" Costume Award Goes To:

Italy's Capellini and Lanotte, the Bronze Medalists: They skated their Free Dance to "La Strada". I liked their costumes and yes, I get the Italian influence (the soundtrack to a 1950's Federico Fellini film). But I was still left wanting a bit more. They both looked like Italo-French waiter and waitress at a Disneyland Restaurant.

The Disco Queen Award Goes To:

Canada's Harvey and Gagnon: Tarrah Harvey and Keith Gagnon skated their Free Dance to a Rolling Stone Medley of "Miss You" "Angie" and "Paint It, Black". But both of their outfits look more like a 1979 Jordache Jeans Ad. And somehow, I still loved it! Especially hers: very Studio 54 Disco. They should have skated to Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive", then the costumes would have made more sense!

The Best Dressed Ice Dancers Award Goes To--by Default:

Weaver and Poje of Canada: Well, here was some "excitement" in terms of costumes, by way of the Silver Medalists from Canada, Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje. They went Tiger-tastic for their Latin-inspired "Historia de un Amor" (Rhumba) and "Batacuda" (Samba) Short Program.

Not sure what a costume that looks like a combo of an "exotic" rug and a BCBG "after 5" dress has to do with Samba and Rhumba...but that's just me. But--the fact that they were a little more creative than their other competitors, made me deem them my "Best Dressed" Picks for this season's Skate Canada Ice Dancers. By default: Congratulations and Félicitations.

* Up Next: The Men and the Ladies of Skate Canada 2011