Figure skating is a sport carried out on ice singly, in groups or pairs. It is an Olympic recognized sport carried out in winter with its own category and is widely competitive. They perform spins, footwork, freestyles, lifts on ice in the most graceful manner meshing everything into art. For every skater, figure skaters included, skateboarding means something different. Whether it is growing on the skateboard, pushing yourself above your limits, using it as a means of transport, looking fashionable while cruising down the street or ice rink as in the case of figure skaters, or as an art that allows you to put your balance, coordination, and energy all as one. One thing, however, is sure, your clothing choice in figure skating reflects your personality and is governed by specific rules. Figure skaters are then plagued with various questions like, why do female figure skates wear white skates, why not in any other color, what color do male figure skaters wear? Does the color choice have anything to do with their performance, or does the governing body regulate it? What boots should they buy, and how much will they cost?
Why do female figure skaters wear white skates? A female figure skating legend, Sonja Henie, who won the gold medal at the young age of 15 and held the title for seventy years, introduced the idea that female figures should wear white skates, and since then, female figures skaters wear white skates. Sonja Henie won her first gold medal in 1928. Before this time, both male and female figure skaters wore black skates. Not only was she responsible for changing the color of skates women wore, but she also introduced a dress code which was short skating dresses or skirts. Before this time, female figure skaters wore street clothes, and there was no defined rule on what to wear until Sonja Henie suggested it. Sonja Henie was the beginning of the revolutionary change in attire that has evolved over the years, following other iconic skaters like; Barbara Ann in 1948, Tenley Albright in 1956, and Carol Heiss in 1960.
Why do female skaters wear white skates and male skaters wear black skates?
This gender-specific color of white skates to females and black skates to males has become quite a tradition in the skating world and is because of Sonjia Henie. Every female figure skater after her upheld the habit of wearing white skates. Sonjia had such a good record that other skaters may have been trying to emulate her without even knowing that they were doing so apart from her suggestion. This created the distinction while men still wore black. It is noted that before this time, both male and female figure skaters wore black skates. Till now, men still wear black skates. The appearance of black skates is similar to having on regular boots or leather shoes, so men kept at it. While the white skates are said to make, women’s legs look smaller than they are making a backdrop against the white of the ice rink. Some say black is a bolder color for men as it is a serious color, and white is more feminine and dainty.
This is also the traditional way skates for figure skaters are being made, black for males and white for females. However, there are now colored skates in the market scene. However, it is not uncommon to still see boys using a black cover on white skates as the white skates are more common. This answers the question of why they do it and not if men must wear black skates and women white skates. There are no strict rules on whether skaters will be disqualified if found using different colors apart from the traditional themed black and white. Few figure skaters have been seen performing in different colors recently. The gender specific color has set a precedent that has been mostly followed from one skating generation to another.
Figure skating dress rules
Like every other sport, skating also has rules. Rules are necessary to keep the balance of what is acceptable and what isn’t for the sport. The international skating union is the regulatory body for this. Their guideline stipulates that the dress should be modest, dignified, and appropriate for athletic competition. In competitive figure skating, women have to wear skirts. You are not allowed to wear a bodysuit that looks like a swimsuit. You can wear full bodysuits that are down to the feet.
Other dress rules that apply to figure skating are:
- The dress should keep the body well covered at all times while performing.
- Pieces of your costume are not allowed to drop into the ice, so the dress material should be made up of firm materials. Feathers, fringe are usually not attached to their dresses for this reason. This can cause a deduction in marks or disqualification of the figure skater.
- Two piece costumes are not allowed.
- Covering your skates is entirely up to the figure skater. You can choose to cover it or not. This is purely an aesthetic choice.
- Gloves can be used as a matter of comfort.
How much do figure skating shoes cost?
Proper fitting skating shoes are required for safe and fun skating. Ill-fitting skates can contribute to pain, wounds, falls, and make it impossible to learn and execute various skills properly. Ill-fitting skates can also make the skater and/or those around them feel that skating is not the sport for them. So, it is of utmost importance that the shoes be of the right quality, and with quality comes the question of cost and affordability.
The skating price varies based on detail, color, and manufacturer or brand, and advanced level figure skates with a better level of support for $250 and higher. Skating shoes will also need to be replaced yearly for intermediate or early skaters and sometimes every couple of months for elite skaters, which is another additional cost. There are additional factors when choosing your skating shoes that may affect the cost, like making sure the skating shoes you pick are suited to your level of skating, how often you skate, foot length and width, and making sure that they fit. Blades are another source of the additional cost.
The brands of skating shoes include the following;
- Edea
- Risport
- Riedell
- Gam
- Harlick
- SP-Teri
- Jackson e.t.c.
As explained earlier, the price spectrum for skating shoes can be as cheap as 34 dollars to as expensive as 500 dollars. Plain beginner skating shoes are cheaper than elite advanced ones. Some are even custom-made for the foot. Also, some brands have custom orthotic inserts, a wool tongue, etc. Blades are an additional cost to consider.
What skates do professional figure skaters wear?
Professional figure skaters use different brands based on their personal preferences and how the boots meet their skating demands. Hence, there is no perfect skate brand for a professional figure skater. Some brands have been seen on professional skaters that are worth mentioning; the Jackson boot, Riedell, Edea, Risport, Gam, and Harlick.
| Brand | Skill Level | Weight | Comments |
| The Jackson Boot (Jackson Ultima Js1290) (Link to Jackson Boot Website) | Intermediate or Beginners | 1.9 lbs | its brand name is called the Jackson Ultima JS1290. It weighs 1.9lbs, and its skill level is for intermediate or beginners and rated 100% by figure skaters. |
| Riedell 119 (Amazon Link) | Advanced or Intermediate | 1.95 lbs | Riedell 119 Emerald: Used by advanced or intermediate skaters, rated 94%, and weighed 1.95lbs. They are heavily padded, comfortable, and have narrow tops. They usually come in |
| Jackson Ultima DJ2190 (Skate Guru Link) | Advanced | 1.89 lbs | Jackson Ultima DJ2190: For advanced skaters, rated 99%, and weighs 1.89lbs. These were the highest-rated shoes for advanced skaters. The upperparts are made with leather, with extra ankle paddings, mesh, and vinyl combination tongue and are very durable and easy to maintain. |
Conclusion
Figure skating gets its name from the pattern made on the ice and is an exciting sport. What to wear on the skating rink, both clothing, and shoe choices, have been covered in this article alongside why figure skaters, both male and female, wear what they do and what shoe brand items are better to wear. What type of skating shoes to buy and how much they cost have also been explained, and now, having all these pieces of information at your fingertips, you’re ready to embark on your figure skating journey as free and graceful as you can be.
