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. French ice-dancing couple Gwendal Peizerat (in a billowy blouse) and Marina Anissina (in a dress that gave the illusion that her whole side was naked) at a competition in 2001. American skater Polina Edmunds wore a purple bodysuit in the ladies short program during the 2018 Prudential U.S. Did she lose points for her pants? Katarina Witt, a competitor from East Germany, performed in a blue costume, adorned at the waist with feathers instead of a skirt, the likes of which barely covered her posterior as she moved across the ice. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. As soon as the skirt-only ice age melted away, Russian skater Irina Slutskaya wore a fiery bodysuit at the 2006 Olympics. South Korea's Lily Lyoonjung Lee in a cute, short-skirted, pink piece at the 1994 Winter Olympics. Shaun White and Nina Dobrevs Cutest Moments, Meet Naomi Osakas Incredibly Supportive Parents, 16 Pics of Olympians the Moment They Knew They Won, You Def Wanna See Funny Tweets About the Olympics, This 15-Year-Old Ice Skater Just Made History, Dont Let Maame Bineys Smiling Face Fool You, Meet Olympian Chloe Kims Skateboarder Boyfriend, Wondering When the Next Olympics Games Are? Her colorful and vibrant artwork celebrates diversity, representation, and equality. With her 3rd place finish in Compulsory Figures, she would be in 2nd Place going into the Long. At the 88 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Witt was attempting to do what very few people have done: become a back-to-back Olympic gold medal winner. Plus, skirts are just easier on the eyes and more frequently identified with femininity, which is what figure skating is pretty much all about. Clothing may, however, reflect the character of the music chosen.". The best might be her appearance in the 1998 Robert DeNiro-led movie Ronin. That is how serious it is. Mit might prefer pants; she competed in the same costume at the womens short program dance during the Internationaux de France ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Grenoble, France, in November. Gracie Gold represented the United States at the Sochi Olympic Games in a theatrical red velvet dress with an embellished necklace and rosebud detail. Kostner, of Italy, performing during the free skating program of the ladies singles event during the 2006 Winter Olympics on Feb. 23, 2006, at Palavela in Turin, Italy. She won her first at the 1984 Sarajevo games and her second four years later at the 1988 Calgary Olympics. The Canadian athlete competing in a figure skating competition in the 1988 Winter Olympics. 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. Witts a fascinating character in the narrative of sports stars who cross over into pop culture figures. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. As difficult as it is, Olympic figure skaters make it look effortless, and their intricately designed dresses are all part of the illusion. While dresses have to be lightweight to not create too much drag, each one is unique. 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. Create an account and youll be able to save and revisit articles. Katarina Witt, Wladimir Klitschko, Countess Mariella von Faber-Castell Ahrens and Henry Maske attend the after show party to 'Tribute To Bambi 2009'. Ice Skating Outfits: Why Do Figure Skaters Wear Skirts Not Pants? In the words of Beyonc, the pants-clad and badass skater is repping for the girls who taking over the world.. I had a few judges question it but, after a year of wearing it I still never received any costume violations.". The Norwegian skater on the ice at Chamonix during the Winter Olympics in 1924 when. 25 Sizzling Outfit Ideas Perfect for V-Day. The Ukrainian skater performing during the 2014 Winter Olympics at Iceberg Skating Palace on Feb. 8, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. Both of these hardcore costume bans were lifted in 2003, and since then, the ISU has kept the Olympic figure skating dress code rules relatively subjective at least for women. Sign up for notifications from Insider! info); born 3 December 1965) is a German former figure skater. I loved the French skater (Ma-Brnice Mit)'s awesome pants outfit and the Bey song. She won her first at the 1984 . Lia Beck. But the 90s also took Witt out of the figure skating world and directly into dance clubs? "I have been close for being docked points but, it has never happened," Marissa Castelli, an Olympic bronze medalist and two-time national champion tells Bustle. Johnny Weir selected a V-neck embellished jumpsuit complete with white gloves for his routine at the Vancouver Olympics. Skaters also favor illusion mesh and backless designs that mirror dresses we see on runways and red carpets. Beatrix Schuba represented Austria in a bejeweled blazer-like design when she won an Olympic gold medal in Sapporo, Japan. The guidelines continue: "The clothing must not give the effect of excessive nudity inappropriate for the discipline. Mit emerged from the masses in a bodysuit with pants. Cosmopolitan participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Saaame, Leslie Jones Is Narrating the Olympics and Its , 70 of the Sexiest Figure-Skating Costumes of All Time. Alina Zagitova took her cues from ballerinas when wore an intricately embroidered red and gold tutu and red gloves for her gold medal performance at the Pyeongchang Olympics. The Russian athlete competing in the figure skating team event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics on Feb. 11, 2018. Countless others have dug deep into Witts figure skating legacy. Part of HuffPost Style & Beauty. Part of HuffPost Style & Beauty. Unlike many other athletes at the winter Olympics, figure skaters aren't required to don official Olympics uniforms; instead, they're tasked with finding an outfit that is both artistically expressive and breathable and that's in addition to the pressure of executing a perfect routine. The skater from East Germany skating during the 1984 Winter Olympics held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, on Feb. 18, 1984. Sign up here to get INSIDER's favorite stories straight to your inbox. Janet Lynn, Beatrix Schuba and Karin Magnussen, 1972. Her response? You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. July 26, 2001 -- When Katarina Witt glided onto the ice, the world watched every move of the beautiful East German figure skater. At the peak of her professional skating career, Katarina Witt could have expected to earn in the region $1.5 million a year. When East-German figure skating competitor Katarina Witt performed in an outfit that resembled a bathing suit at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, she shocked audiences around the world. And it must have worked, because Witt and company propelled Ice Wars into a 13-year phenomenon. Gold medalist at the 1956 Olympic Games in Cortina, Italy, Tenley Albright wore a dress with a panel-pleated skirt. Shortly after the games concluded, figure skating implemented a dress code and dubbed it "The Katarina Rule.". By most standards today it was basically a blue dress with some feathers. The American skater during the Winter Olympics skating competition in 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. As difficult as it is, Olympic figure skaters make it look effortless, and their intricately designed dresses are all part of the illusion. But back in 1988, it stopped the presses. That rule was overturned in the early 2000s, bringing back the pants. has collaborated with many Olympic figure skaters, Olympic bronze medalist and two-time national champion. 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. Meg Donohue is the Associate Fashion Commerce Editor at ELLE.com. East German figure skater, Katarina Witt, wore a Bavarian themed dress complete with billowing sleeves and dazzling tiara for her routine at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics. You've hit your max! And they have. 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.. Costumes also run the style gamut, and range from DIY imagination (Figure skating legend and 1976 gold medalist Dorothy Hamill, for instance, wore super simple, floating designs her first costume was made by her mother's friend) to inspired by the runway (Vera Wang, for example, has collaborated with many Olympic figure skaters on their looks, including Nancy Kerrigan and Michelle Kwan). Why Figure Skating Dresses Have Sheer Panels - Insider Figure Skating Championship. Its absolutely nightmarish!, says runway designer Vera Wang, who custom designed the outfit of US competitor Nathan Chen. Calgary, Alberta, CANADA - 1988 Winter Games, Ladies' Short Program - Re-posting another one of the videos the IOC had filed copyright infringement and had me taking it down. 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. 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. Russian team Oksana Grichtchuk (in a steamy mesh-illusion crop top) and Evgeni Platov (in a suit) at the 1994 Olympics. Katarina Witt performs on stage during the 'Jedermann' dress rehearsal at the Berlin Cathedral Church on October 13, 2009 in Berlin, Germany. American figure skater Debi Thomas in a black jumpsuit at the 1988 Olympics. Witt, and the only woman to beat her since winning. Katarina Witt Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Katarina Witt (GDR) - 1988 Calgary, Figure Skating, Ladies' Short 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. Katarina Witt of Germany in a strapless, arm-baring number at the 1988 Olympics. 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. Performing during the ladies short program as part of the figure skating team event at the 2018 Winter Olympics at the Gangneung Ice Arena. And the lyrics are Susan Powter-level inspiration: Just take the mirror and hold up highLook at yourself straight in the eyeYour moment of truth has finally arrivedSkate with me skate with meWe dont need tomorrow, no cause youll be far away Skate with me skate with meIf your heart says follow go and you can come along and skate with me. Herma Planck-Szabo, Ethel Muckelt and Beatrix Loughran, 1924. not to mention a backflipping Surya Bonaly! And speaking of dresses, Witt's '88 Olympics blue dress made history itself. She won four world titles (1984-85 and 1987 . I Was a Teenage Catfish and I Regret Nothing. The presence of glaring Olympian butt cheek scandalized the International Skating Union, the governing body for competitive figure skating including the Olympics. We're not really sure why people have been complaining. Katarina Witt's Net Worth and Career Earnings. The Ukrainian athlete competing in the free skate portion of the ladies singles event at the 1994 Winter Olympic Games on Feb. 25, 1994, at the Hamar Olympic Amphitheatre in Lillehammer, Norway. Or as Bustle put it, Katarina Wittts butt cheek single-handedly changed the figure skating dress code for over a decade. 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. 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. Decades later, the niece of outgoing President Donald Trump would write that her uncle also noticed Katarina Witt, but hated her because Witt rebuffed his advances. Performing during the free program of the ladies singles figure skating event at the Olympic Ice Center, Feb. 21, 2002, during the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Then why dont more women wear pants? Also, the costume needs to be exactly what it should be for that particular skater, and that particular program. Yes, most competitors stick to the glitzy, skirted bodysuit situations that our brains automatically associate with figure skating but over the years, many have put variations on the classics. Men must wear full length trousers and must not wear tights. From wearing tighter-fitting suits in the early 1900s to showing a little kneecap in the 1930s, then flirting with fringe-y miniskirts and skintight catsuits in the 1980s to going all-out with cutouts in the 2000s. Graceful figure skating twists and turns against a backdrop of NYC skyscrapers pair with Ella Fitzgerald crooning Autumn in New York, then suddenly break way to John Mellencamps and Meshell Ndegeocellos Wild Night and eight figure skaters going absolutely bananas on the ice, with Katarina Witt wearing a Robin Hood outfit. The American skater competing in the ladies free program during the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games at the Salt Lake Ice Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Tonya Harding's red dress at the Lillehammer Olympic Games has become infamous when the figure skater was controversially allowed to re-do her routine because of a broken lace. As a result, the ISU changed dress code rules and introduced The Katarina Rule, which stated that womens hips, midriffs and buttocks had to be covered with a skirt, as noted by The Atlantic.