Top-10 best ladies figure skating dresses season 2014-2015
This year, I can’t say that ladies just amazed my imagination with their costumes. I don’t know why. Perhaps, because many skaters, who have been trendsetters in ice fashion for a long time, left the sport. Such as Yuna Kim, Carolina Kostner and Mao Asada. They left, and those of younger generation didn’t take vacant places of ice fashion icons. Although last season Gracie Gold looked like she was going to be next ice style icon.
Beautiful young girls open my top. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen them a lot on international competitions. But even those few times was enough for me to notice and remember their outfits.
№10 Ashley Cain and Maria Stavitskaia
American Ashley Cain pleased me with the dress choice for her free program to Evita. Yes, as you may have noticed, I love simple and concise costumes. Because complex design with all that ruffles, flounces and so on, not always looks good.
Ashley’s dress looks attractive and wearable. If we imagine it slightly lengthened – we will get gorgeous vintage cocktail dress.
Movie and historical prototype
It’s important to remember that lace is self-sufficient. So, it’s better not to use to many other decoration with it. It’s also necessary to pay attention to the pattern because it can be crafty. It can visually add a couple of kilos. In this case, I have no questions to the lace on the Ashley dress. Translucent three-quarters sleeves with light frill on the cuffs gave a romantic look. Matte black crystals add color accents. I liked Ashley’s simple and tasteful image.
Last season I’ve seen Maria Stavitskaia only a few times, but that was enough to notice her dress for the short program. Unfortunately, I haven’t found high-quality pictures of Maria in this dress. That is why here is a link to one of her performances. Moreover, the dress looks nice in motion, and the back it just amazing.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=kb4MqCivS4k
Usually, I’m not a fan of fabrics and elements of decor on the mesh and not a fan of transparency. But this dress is made so gracefully and tastefully that transparency doesn’t look vulgar. The dress makes an impression of something sophisticated and refined. Perhaps, it’s due to absence of notorious nude illusion mesh that was replaced with black one. It’s still transparent enough but gives a completely different effect. Interesting idea of multi-level waistline gives the opportunity to play with the skirt cut. Light double-layered skirt looks great in motion. The effect of pleats on the bottom layer it’s an interesting and stylish detail. I also want to mention beautiful and suitable hairdo.
And once I liked the dress so much, a natural question arises. Why did such a wonderful dress so low in costume ratings? Transparent body suit spoiled the whole impression.
№9 Anne Line Gjersem
For her short program to “Fly” by Celine Dion, Anne Line Gjersem chose a pale blue dress with an open back. The dress is not wow, such dresses i usually call ice-princess dress, but it’s beautiful, well sewn and fitted. The dress is simple but the choice of color and light silver trim with rhinestones make it elegant. Good choice for the young girl.
The dress for the free program is more interesting. So, I want to take a closer look at it. At first glance, it’s a usual dress in nightgown style. But it has an interesting idea with the side cut and applique that continues on the bottom layer of the dress. You can see this applique when the light fabric is fluttering. Again, I want to praise the cut and the selected color. Everything is gentle, harmonious and perfectly suited for a young girl! Girls, you will have time to put on a passionate adult dress when you grow up! Now it’s better to catch the moment when you can put on a light, airy and girlish dress to emphasize your youth!
№8 So Youn Park
After her previous success I expected more from So Youn Park. Unfortunately, she didn’t improve her results. At least, she seems to gain a foothold in my trendy top. This time I want to point out her dress for free program to “Romeo and Juliet”. Whenever I find out that some girl will skate to this music, I have a dress already drawn in my mind. And it’s difficult to surprise me with a dress to RJ program. There are certain features which almost all Juliet’s dresses have. So, from the first glance you can say “Oh, another one mademoiselle Capuletti.” Thus I was surprised with the So Youn’s dress.
First of all, the absence of the combinations of red + gold or silver + blue. In my opinion, black ia a good choice, it not only differs her from the flow of Juliettes, but also suits her porcelain skin. The dress itself is simple, but what a great finishing! The pattern of silver rhinestone on the bodice looks expensive and tasteful. Plus, this pattern has a reference to the rich brocade fabric – also a kind of historical note. And the main historical reference ia bodice decorated like a corset. The image could look strict without easy wings-sleeves that softened the image, and made it more romantic.
№7 Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
Even though many did not like costume experiments of Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, I want to award it. Yes, it’s not quite what we usually expect to see from a single skating ladies dress. But I definitely like and appreciate creativity, variety and trying not to be like everyone else. Especially well this idea fits to eastern style of the free program. Volumetric, light, translucent fabric, an expensive finish convey the eastern character of the music.
Due to a light fabric, costume looks amazing in motions. And I liked the color choice. Liza, forget about the black, you don’t need it. It was enough finishing on the dress and it was in right places. The only thing I don’t like is inner body suit. It could be done better. But it’s an interesting dress that definitely will be remembered. And those who think that eastern costume is only bra, fringe, wide trousers, and a lot of nude illusion should learn a lot from Liza’s designers.
№6 Zijun Li
Charming Zijun Li also generally pleases me with her costumes. And this season is no exception. For her short program to “Waltz of the Flowers” by Tchaikovsky Zijun Li choose a beautiful dress of bright pink color with a silver trim. In this dress she looked like a flower.
Light multi-layered skirt reminds of a flower. Such skirts always look spectacular in motion and add tenderness and lightness to the whole look. Flowery idea can also be seen in the decoration of the dress bodice. With the game of colors and silver rhinestones, gets the effect of flower petals. There are a lot of rhinestones, but the dress only benefited.
The dress for the free program also nice and fits perfectly into the style of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”. For such a program you always want something atmospheric: stylish and refined. After all, the whole film is full of that simple elegance. I expected that there will be an attempt to make a replica of famous Givenchy dress. But it’s good that they have found a different concept, not as a strict and classical. I don’t like the gloves, they usually don’t look great with a sleeveless dress.
The inspiration for the Zijun Li’s costume: dress from Elie Saab collection and famous dress by Givenchy:
№5 Ashley Wagner
Only Ashley Wagner stays from the old guard. So, who if not her should be a fashion example for the young generation? And I think that Ashley did well with this task. Every time a skater decides to keep his old program, or returns to the music he has already skated to, I’m curious how much the new costume will differ from the old one. Will they change only colors, or it will be a new costume without any references to the past? As we can see, Ashley chose the second way. This minimalist black dress has nothing to do with the fancy brownish-gold dress, which she wore in the distant 2009.
And I like it. She is one of those who can afford simplicity in costumes and not get lost in program. The design of the dresses has few nude parts. This helps not only to convey the image of a concubine but also makes the figure more fragile. For Ashley this is extremely important, because with her athletic body-type some dresses make her look heavier. And in this one she looked fine. And I would also like to note a stylish belt.
And of course, diva Ashley Wagner for her free program to the Moulin Rouge chose a replica of the spectacular red dress from the movie. And she also couldn’t resist and add a luxurious necklace, another memorable accessory.
What I can say, it’s not easy to wear red. You need to be confident enough. In this case, I have no questions to Ashley, she always able to present herself like she is a queen. After all, it’s a simple dress, but she looked like a diva. What a charisma can do! Ashley is going to keep this free program for the next season and I wonder will she keep the dress , or it will be a completely new one?
№4 Samantha Cesario
It’s a pity that Samantha Cesario decided to end her career. But in her last competitive season Samantha wore fantastic dresses. If I’m not mistaken, both of her dress designed by famous figure skating designer Tanya Bass.
For the eastern short program Samantha chose a dress of a wine shade. I can see some eastern notes, but it’s only some accents rather than a direct copy of eastern costume. Such approach I like a lot more. Multi-level skirt reminds me of the one that Meryl Davis wore for Scheherazade. I like that there is no nude illusion between top and skirt. It’s impossible not to note the finish with rhinestones. Beautiful belt with splashes of blue of the same design with the cuffs also fits into the image.
The dress for the free program is one of my favorite in the season and one of the most interesting among the Carmen dresses. Yes, this is a traditional combination of black and red but what a great execution. This dress reminds me of high fashion. Straight skirt with several layers is gathered on one side looks simple but quite sexy. The top of the dress is lovely. I like the idea of a smooth transition from red to black. Cut-outs and curls add something from fantasy. It’s great that they decided to make the sleeves, with them the image looks complete. This dress is generally an excellent example of how to sew lace and rhinestone on the mesh and not to make the dress look too bare or vulgar. Well, of course, it’s impossible not to note the back of this dress it’s just a delight!
№3 Maria Artemieva
The title Miss style among the Russians girls this season goes to Maria Artemieva. She amazed me with her little black dress for the short program to music from the Coco Chanel movie. Well, Coco wouldn’t be ashamed of such representation. A splendid dress! It fascinates with its simplicity and refined elegance.This dress has it all. Laconic cut, well fitted to the figure, light finishing, a classic color scheme! It looks stylish and expensive. And how great the images was complemented with open white skates and simple but neat and elegant hairstyle! Bravo!
№2 Gracie Gold
This season Gracie Gold looked great. She, like her teammate Ashley Wagner, decided to change only the color of her dress for the short program which she kept from the last season. I like the dark blue color, it looks elegant on ice. The silver finishing with rhinestone also looks even more noticeable than on the red one. This image is associated with the dresses of the movie stars from Hollywood golden era. Indeed, expensive and chic outfit. Which color of the dress you like more? The blue one is more elegant and the red has something insolent in a good way.
I liked the dress for the free program. I want to say thank you to Gracie for not making another replica of the dress from a movie. Because I’m fed up with this sliding straps! Gracie’s dress is beautiful, romantic and feminine. Simple, light multi-layered skirt, which we often see in figure skating dresses. But the top is amazing! It’s an eye-catching, difficult and delicate work! Laces and rhinestones on the nude illusion mesh look like a one-piece floral ornament. This dress reminds me the famous work of the designer Zuhair Murad. Perhaps this is where Gracie got the inspiration for her dress:
Dresses from Zuhair Murad collection
The second dress for the free program is less romantic. It has more rigorous cut and rich but less complex and refined finishing. I would say that it was an attempt to try on at more mature image. I like the idea of the dress. Especially in its original version, with less finishes, when all these sequins don’t distract from the cut and draping on the bodice. But, I think this dress was not quite for Gracie. It’s not figure flattering. Dresses with top of such cut (American armhole) look better on girls with fragile shoulders. They also tried to add sexuality to the image with the help of deep cut on the back.
I would also like to point that Gracie always pays attention not only to costumes but to the whole image. This are appropriate accessories, nail polish to match the dress, and a beautiful hairstyle. Gracie has all chances to become one of the most elegant women of her figure skating generation.
№1 Kiira Korpi
This year on the top of my fashion ranking is a girl who has been known for a long time as one of great examples of taste and style. Of course I’m talking about Kiira Korpi.
Kiira wore this amazing asymmetrical gray dress for the short program. The dress looks like just from the Fashion Week. There are so many interesting details. I like the combination of different shades of gray, separated by strips of black crystals. Geometric pattern is still a trend. The sleeve all studded with rhinestones and draws attention to the arm movements. The design of the neckline is very interesting. The piece of naked body looks spicy. Incredible, breathtaking and sexy! Bravo Kiira!
Who also had great costumes in season 2014-2015? See my top-10 best pairs costumes and top-10 best men’s costumes.
Related topics: Anne Line Gjersem, Ashley Cain, Ashley Wagner, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, figure skating costumes, figure skating dresses, Gracie Gold, Kiira Korpi, ladies, Maria Artemieva, Maria Stavitskaia, Samantha Cesario, So Youn Park, Team China, Team Russia, Team USA, Zijun Li
I agree that Kiira Korpi’s asymmetrical dress was beautiful and interesting. I especially liked that I could follow her arm movements more easily than Elizaveta Tuktamysheva’s. Elizaveta’s dress, while I loved the voluminous sheer fabric in motion, seemed too busy to me. My daughter is competing next year, and I want to get some good ideas for a custom outfit. I will see if there is anyone that can create something asymmetrical.