For all its glamour, figure skating is one of the toughest sports to master. As soon as the skirt-only ice age melted away, Russian skater Irina Slutskaya wore a fiery bodysuit at the 2006 Olympics. At the peak of her professional skating career, Katarina Witt could have expected to earn in the region $1.5 million a year. Debi Thomas dazzled in an embellished bubblegum pink outfit as she placed second at the U.S. That rule was overturned in the early 2000s, bringing back the pants. A skater named Debi Thomas hit the ice the same year in a black, beaded, full-body unitard and no skirt a move that put a temporary ban on costumes without skirts. Like the Adele of figure skaters, if youre imagining that Adele picture where shes holding 1,400 Grammy Awards. Even though she failed to medal Italian figure skater Carolina Kostner looked stunning in an ombr dress encrusted with crystals for the Sochi Winter Olympics. South Korean pairs team Tae Hwa Yang (in a fringed zebra-print dress with side cut-outs) and Chuen Gun Lee (in black) at the 2002 Olympics. Christopher Morris - Corbis via Getty Images, competed in a skirt with a comparatively short hemline, lower necklines were making their way onto the ice, womens hips, midriffs and buttocks had to be covered with a skirt. Men must wear full length trousers and must not wear tights. Long before ESPN would release their annual Body issue showing off naked Gronk or chiseled Ronda Rousey or the of Jerry Rice, Witt appeared on the December 1998 cover of Playboy Magazine and in a spread that delivered all the body positivity. Witt was a high-profile sporting star and landed tv and film cameo roles. And they have. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. Ito, of Japan, performing at the 1992 Olympic Games in Albertville, France. Nancy Kerrigan looked chic in a simple sheer and ruched white dress as she took the podium for her bronze medal at the Albertville, France Olympic Games in 1992. But back in 1988, it stopped the presses. During the ladies short event, French figure skater Ma-Brnice Mit carved out a place for herself by skating to music including the Beyonc hits Halo and Run the World (Girls). But thats not the only aspect of her performance making waves. This French Figure Skater May Not Have Won A Medal, But Her Pants Took People's Choice. Bustle reached out to The International Skater's Union for comment on these rules, but has not received a response. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Competing in the figure skating team event at the 2018 Winter Olympics at Gangneung Ice Arena on Feb. 11, 2018. Katarina Witt performs on stage during the 'Jedermann' dress rehearsal at the Berlin Cathedral Church on October 13, 2009 in Berlin, Germany. The Japanese skater competing during the 2010 Winter Olympics at Pacific Coliseum on Feb. 25, 2010, in Vancouver, Canada. As for more pop culture Katarina Witt treasures? However, those glimmering crystals and sheer panels aren't just deployed for ornamental purposes they actually serve as bulwarks against immodesty and point deductions. "[Men] can wear a tapered pant, but if it is a tight, that's a reduction in your score," two-time Olympian Johnny Weir told Cosmopolitan. Her red dress with a sheer chest panel at the 1988 Olympics abided by the Katarina Rule. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Of course were talking about Katarina Witt, the Olympic powerhouse who helped make figure skating among the most iconic sports during the last 40 years. Katarina Witt's blue costume caused a stir. Kristi Yamaguchi opted for a long sleeved gold brocade dress for the Olympic Games in Albertville, France the year she took home the gold medal. The year American figure skater, Peggy Fleming, won an Olympic gold medal in Grenoble she donned a chartreuse dress with a high neck and white beaded trim. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Prev 5 of 8 Next . Sparkly and pants . Basically, the flesh colored panels make itseem like skaters are showing a lot of skin, without actually showing any and thus breaking the rules. "If youre going for strapless, it's nice to have that nude in there, to make everything stay," he told Slate,suggesting that flesh-colored panels help ensure modesty, but also a better, more flexible fit. Meet Ma-Brnice Mit, an Olympic Figure Skater from France.- Dark skinned black woman- Wore pants for her routine- Skated to BeyoncHAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackGirlMagic #BlackExcellence #ItsTooColdForSkirtsOutThere pic.twitter.com/jYkEGqbkup, how she scored is irrelevant; Ma-Brnice Mit skating to a Beyonce mashup in pants is my new queen and 2018 mood #Olympics, I love everything about Ma-Brnice Mit's outfit. While dresses have to be lightweight to not create too much drag, each one is unique. There was one scandalous moment at the 1988 Winter Olympics that changed the rules of competitive figure skating costumery for a decade-and-a-half, anyways. So even if you don't keep up with competitive figure skating, you'll probably tune in at least once during these next few weeks. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Figure Skating Championships. These Twitter reactions sum it up. The American athlete skating in the free skate during the ladies singles figure skating event of the 1998 Winter Olympics on Feb. 20, 1998, in Nagano, Japan. She won the gold medal. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. And hey, if you have an extra $7.50 USD lying around, you can always head on over to eBay and grab yourself a Katarina Witt action figure. For real. And her performance was just as dazzling as it would have been in a frilly, flouncy skirt, if not more so, because it was so bold. When the Berlin Wall fell, Witt spent much of the early 90s fielding accusations that she was a spy for East Germany, or criticism that she didnt speak out against the regime. That is how serious it is. One outfit, a feathered blue number worn by East Germanys Katarina Witt at the 1988 Olympic games (pictured below), was deemed too scandalous by the International Skating Union. Kerrigan, of the U.S., performing at the 1994 Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway, where she won the silver medal. The Women Skating for Team USA at the Olympics, This Vermont Family Is an Olympic Skiing Dynasty, Princess Anne's Message to British Olympians, 11 Royals Who Have Competed in the Olympics, Simone Biles Reflects On Withdrawal From Tokyo, Meet Some of Team USA's Track and Field Stars, Bruce Springsteens Daughter Wins Silver Medal, 33 Famous Ice Skating Outfits Worthy of Their Very Own Gold Medal. Figure skating fashion just keeps getting better. By the 70s, lower necklines were making their way onto the ice and embellishments also started gaining popularity. In 1936, though, Norwegian skater Sonja Henie changed the game when she competed in a skirt with a comparatively short hemline. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. In 1994, after the absolute blockbuster chaos of the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan story, figure skating was riding an all-time high in the zeitgeist of American culture. At the beginning of her career, Dorothy Hamill stood out among her competitors with the understated and simple designs she chose for her skating costumes. , She might have had no intention of making this into a spectacle, but it certainly will arouse the judges, Dr. Ruth said. She was also paid seven figures to pose, making her one of the highest paid models for Playboy in the 1990s. The rule is you have to be 50 percent covered with material, which I was but, it depends on how tastefully you do it. The French skater performing her free program during the Winter Olympics Feb. 21, 1992, in Albertville. The controversy here was how short and skimpy the \"skirt\" part of Katarina's outfit was, especially in the front. This past year when Mary Trump dropped her book Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the Worlds Most Dangerous Man, she included an anecdote about how Trump once tried to hit on Katarina Witt. Yep, in 1995, Witt joined with Melanie Thornton (the voice behind 90s dance sensation La Bouche) as well as singers Joan Faulkner and Linda Rocco who sang back-up for acts like Milli Vanilli, for the most 90s dance track imaginable: Skate With Me.. Witt won the gold at the 84 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, then for the next four years flip-flopped with American figure skater Debi Thomas to be the best in the world. And speaking of dresses, Witt's '88 Olympics blue dress made history itself. As a result, the ISU instituted "The Katarina Rule." The American skater during the Winter Olympics skating competition in 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria. Katarina Witt of Germany in a strapless, arm-baring number at the 1988 Olympics. Or as Bustle put it, Katarina Wittts butt cheek single-handedly changed the figure skating dress code for over a decade. The guidelines continue: "The clothing must not give the effect of excessive nudity inappropriate for the discipline. Dinamo is not just a design practice, it is a way of thinking that applies interesting concepts to a wide range of production areas, from typography and design to research and consulting. Lia Beck. The ISU instituted " The Katarina Rule, " which dictated that women's hips, midriffs, and butt were covered. One outfit, a feathered blue number worn by East Germany's Katarina Witt at the 1988 Olympic games (pictured below), was deemed too scandalous by the International Skating Union. From some of the earliest modern Olympic games to this week's events in Beijing, here are the most iconic figure skating outfits to have ever graced the ice. Sarah Hughes wore a lavender dress with a beaded bodice for the Salt Lake City Olympics, at which she won a gold medal in the ladies free program. You've hit your max! Performing during the ladies short program as part of the figure skating team event at the 2018 Winter Olympics at the Gangneung Ice Arena. She plays a figure skater, but dont let that fool you: theres some good acting chops on display, and her character plays a massive role in the films ending. Katarina Witt attends the Laureus Charity Gala at the Mercedes Benz branch on July 7, 2008 in Stuttgart, Germany. Meg Donohue is the Associate Fashion Commerce Editor at ELLE.com. Ice skating costumes have often been a great example of what constitutes "sexy" attire maybe it's just the chill thrill of the rink, but skaters' attire has often been boundary-pushing (and, in olden times, modesty-pushing too). American skater Polina Edmunds wore a purple bodysuit in the ladies short program during the 2018 Prudential U.S. The Ukrainian skater performing during the 2014 Winter Olympics at Iceberg Skating Palace on Feb. 8, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. While dresses have to be lightweight to not create too much drag, each one is unique. This means that although most competitors stick with the typical glitzy, sparkling dresses, there are hardly any strict rules that have to be followed. Witts a fascinating character in the narrative of sports stars who cross over into pop culture figures. Accessories and props are not permitted. Blue feather costume that shows off too much butt cheek sold separately. Witt, a German double Olympic gold medal-winning skater, was said to be upset over the criticism about her low-cut outfits. The three medal winners Lynn of the U.S., Schuba of Austria, Magnussen of Canada in ladies singles figure skating at the Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, Feb. 7, 1972. Did she lose points for her pants? . Sep 8, 2021 - Katarina Witt Evening Dress - Katarina Witt attended the Echo Klassik in a dazzling royal blue evening dress. 2023 Getty Images. Unfortunately, the judges werent as impressed, giving her a score of 46.62, putting her in ninth place. Clothing may, however, reflect the character of the music chosen.". (That butt cheek took home its second gold medal though, winning the Battle of the Carmens, and it wouldnt be the end of said butt cheeks foray into the history books. Figure skating competitors often make headlines for their extravagant outfits as much as they do for their athletic abilities. Gold medalist at the 1956 Olympic Games in Cortina, Italy, Tenley Albright wore a dress with a panel-pleated skirt. Sweet dreams of rhythm and triple lutzes! What do you do after you win two gold medals? Tens across the board for Katarina Witt, the Olympic figure skating powerhouse whose determination on and off the ice dominated American pop culture of the 80s and 90s. Oct 19, 2021 - Explore Rich Hassey's board "Katarina Witt" on Pinterest. . SI Staff Dec 2, 2015 Rare Photos of. Hamill won the gold medal for the U.S. in the ladies singles figure skating event. July 26, 2001 -- When Katarina Witt glided onto the ice, the world watched every move of the beautiful East German figure skater. The International Skating Union now stipulates, that the clothing must not give the effect of excessive nudity inappropriate for the discipline. However, clothing may reflect the character of the music. American skater and bronze medalist Debi Thomas decided to forgo a dress at the Calgary Olympics, instead opting to perform her routine in an embellished jumpsuit instead. We're not really sure why people have been complaining. German figure skater Katarina Witt is known as one of the greatest of all time in her sport, thanks in part to her back-to-back Olympic gold medals. Nagasu of the United States reacts after her routine in the figure skating team event during the 2018 Winter Olympics.
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