The design process usually starts with the music, says Pat Pearsal, who has been designing costumes for years. That rule was overturned in the early 2000s, bringing back the pants. The rule was repealed . The best part is that figure skating fashion just keeps getting better. AP But after Katarina Witt famously competed in the 1998 Olympics in a scandalously short, feathery blue costume that officials deemed too revealing, the International Skating Union stepped in and put official dress code regulations in place. At the peak of her professional skating career, Katarina Witt could have expected to earn in the region $1.5 million a year. Photos: Most Daring Figure-Skating Outfits, Dresses of All Time - Insider Katarina Witt, Wladimir Klitschko, Countess Mariella von Faber-Castell Ahrens and Henry Maske attend the after show party to 'Tribute To Bambi 2009'. 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. The charismatic Witt defined the sport in the 1980s with her flirtatious and graceful performances. In Olympic figure skating, avoiding a costume malfunction is key to Aug 12, 2022 - Explore Randy Lantz's board "Katarina Witt", followed by 399 people on Pinterest. 1988: Katarina Witt wins her second Olympic gold in thrilling - WFLA The presence of glaring Olympian butt cheek scandalized the International Skating Union, the governing body for competitive figure skating including the Olympics. 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. The skater from East Germany skating during the 1984 Winter Olympics held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, on Feb. 18, 1984. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. Her colorful and vibrant artwork celebrates diversity, representation, and equality. Sasha Cohen wowed the crowd at the Salt Lake City Olympic Games in a red dress with sunburst yellow and orange hemline. Can This Workout Dress Really Outperform Leggings? - Vogue Lynn, representing the U.S. at 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France. Austrian skater Karl Shafer in a belted suit and tapered pants at the Olympics in 1936. ESPN dove deep into this moment in a documentary called The Diplomat which, if you can get your hands on a copy, is a great journey into the intersection of sports, politics, and the Cold War. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. 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. 1988: Katarina Witt Although it looks relatively tame today, this was the look heard around the figure skating world. Michelle Kwan, for example, popularized a look that was more swimsuit than skating, eschewing beaded sleeves for spaghetti straps. ), but the global footprint of WittKatarina the Great as many billed hermade a world class figure skater into a pop culture crossover. Part of HuffPost Style & Beauty. Witt's blue dress at the 1988 Olympics is the reason figure skating now has a dress code. The no-skirt ban was lifted in 2003, per The Boston Globe, and full leotards became acceptable; most recently, Mae Berenice Meite of France competed in Pyeongchang wearing a bedazzled unitard, while Russias Irina Slutskaya wore a sparkly one-piece at the 2006 Olympics. Bonaly finished in fifth place. 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. Sweet dreams of rhythm and triple lutzes! While dresses have to be lightweight to not create too much drag, each one is unique. 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. Basically, the flesh colored panels make itseem like skaters are showing a lot of skin, without actually showing any and thus breaking the rules. Search instead in. Sparkly and pants . While there's no official explanation for the rule, one could speculate that the mandatory pants-not-leggings rule may have something to do with controlling the presence of bulge. has collaborated with many Olympic figure skaters, Olympic bronze medalist and two-time national champion. Real good. The Japanese skater competing during the 2010 Winter Olympics at Pacific Coliseum on Feb. 25, 2010, in Vancouver, Canada. Then why dont more women wear pants? And sure, a certain Nancy and Tonya helped with that too (not to mention a backflipping Surya Bonaly! Wish she'd done a whole program to Beyonce songs. Gracie Gold represented the United States at the Sochi Olympic Games in a theatrical red velvet dress with an embellished necklace and rosebud detail. The Winter Olympics in Beijing are in full swing, and let's face it, the global event brings out the inner sports fan in everyone. And Katarina Witt caused a stir with her 1988 feather-trimmed getup that. Thus was born Ice Wars: The USA vs. The Russian skater competing in the figure skating team event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics at Gangneung Ice Arena on Feb. 12, 2018. 1. 140 Katarina Witt ideas | katarina witt, figure skater, figure skating However, at the 1988 Olympics, the official Olympic dress code rules changed in response to the "scandalous" outfit worn by a competitor from East Germany named Katarina Witt. The Russian skater performing in the women's free program of the figure skating event at the Olympic Ice Center, Feb. 21, 2002, during the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Showing Editorial results for katarina witt. 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. The Russian athlete competing in the figure skating team event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics on Feb. 11, 2018. Competing for her 9th consecutive U.S. Champion title, Michelle Kwan wore a one-shouldered gold sequin dress. The French skater performing her free program during the Winter Olympics Feb. 21, 1992, in Albertville. Katarina Witt performs on stage during the 'Jedermann' dress rehearsal at the Berlin Cathedral Church on October 13, 2009 in Berlin, Germany. The American skater performing her free skating program during the ladies singles event at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Ilia Kulik of Russia in a flowing, see-through costume at the 1998 Olympics. Men must wear full length trousers and must not wear tights. Then the '80s rolled around, and spandex, sparkles, chiffon, sequins and beads reigned supreme. 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. Katarina Witt of the German Democratic Republic placed 2nd in the portion of the competition. Unfortunately, the judges werent as impressed, giving her a score of 46.62, putting her in ninth place. 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. Katarina Witt of Germany in a strapless, arm-baring number at the 1988 Olympics. Figure skating fashion just keeps getting better. "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. 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. And Witt wasn't the only who'd offended the delicate sensibilities of the judges, either. Later in the 1980s, figure skater Katarina Witt caught flack for her "scandalous" low V-neck outfit and champion sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner raised hell for her neon, one-legged running . Get ready todiscoverfestivals, must-see performances, and hidden gallery shows. Arakawa, of Japan, 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. The controversy here was how short and skimpy the \"skirt\" part of Katarina's outfit was, especially in the front. What not to wear: The rules of fashion on the ice | MPR News During the Winter Olympic Games in St. Moritz, American skater, Gretchen Merrill, opted for an all white ensemble complete with a beaded cap. She won her first at the 1984 . 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. 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. I would say that in order to keep a certain decorum there should be some regulations on what type of dress is appropriate., Oddly enough in that same interview Dr. Ruth went on to describe how skiers make the best lovers. "[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. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. The East German Stasi (secret police) kept 3,500 pages of files on her, as they monitored her every move in the late 70s/80s, ensuring she could be seen as the most beautiful face of socialism. The East German government even got involved in Witts first relationship, forcibly stationing her boyfriend at a military post far away to make sure Witt wasnt distracted by a boy in her pursuit for Olympic gold.