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. And that right there feels worth at least another gold medal for Witt. That rule was overturned in the early 2000s, bringing back the pants. Katarina Witt Evening Dress. Competing in the figure skating team event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics at Gangneung Ice Arena on Feb. 12, 2018, in Gangneung, South Korea. Altwegg, from Great Britain, after winning a gold medal in the Women's Figure Skating Competition in the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, Norway. Sparkles reign supreme today, but they weren't always the norm. Hamill won the gold medal for the U.S. in the ladies singles figure skating event. Youll also find her briefly hanging out with Jerry Maguire, or in season one of Everybody Loves Raymond. In the words of Beyonc, the pants-clad and badass skater is repping for the girls who taking over the world.. 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. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. As the New York Times recently noted, two-time gold medalist Katarina Witt has written about how, in 1987, her costume slipped during a competition and she was forced to finish the routine with. A bodysuit full of rhinestones can weigh up to two pounds. Which brings us to 1988 and. . American skater Debi Thomas in a very sheer leotard during a 1989 performance. America's Tim Wood in a form-fitting suit at the Olympics in 1968. And Katarina Witt caused a stir with her 1988 feather-trimmed getup that. Wish she could've done better #Olympics. Keeping all of these creative decisions in mind, skaters have to consider that the rules are pretty subjective: What's perfectly acceptable to one judge might be "garish" or "too theatrical" to another. The American skater competing at the 2014 Winter Olympics at Iceberg Skating Palace on Feb. 8, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. Katarina Witt of Germany in a strapless, arm-baring number at the 1988 Olympics. With her 3rd place finish in Compulsory Figures, she would be in 2nd Place going into the Long. . Katarina Witt of the German Democratic Republic placed 2nd in the portion of the competition. The issue was so popular it became the first issue of Playboy to sell out since the 1950s, flying off the racks of Hudson News, truck stop shelves, or your local Borders or Media Play (RIP). And it must have worked, because Witt and company propelled Ice Wars into a 13-year phenomenon. Lynn, representing the U.S. at 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France. Meite, of France, competing at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics on Feb. 8, 2014. Or as Bustle put it, Katarina Wittts butt cheek single-handedly changed the figure skating dress code for over a decade. 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. Sign up for notifications from Insider! 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. The Russian skater during the ladies singles figure skating short program at the Sochi Winter Olympics, 2014. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. She won her first at the 1984 Sarajevo games and her second four years later at the 1988 Calgary Olympics. Meg Donohue is the Associate Fashion Commerce Editor at ELLE.com. Michelle Kwan, for example, popularized a look that was more swimsuit than skating, eschewing beaded sleeves for spaghetti straps. The guidelines continue: "The clothing must not give the effect of excessive nudity inappropriate for the discipline. 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. Fleming, of the U.S., practicing on an outside rink in February 1968 in Grenoble, France, during the Winter Olympics. The Ukrainian skater performing during the 2014 Winter Olympics at Iceberg Skating Palace on Feb. 8, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. After Katarina Witt came out on the ice in a few feathers barely covering her behind in 1988, the International Skating Union enacted a rule that women had to wear skirts. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. Herma Planck-Szabo, Ethel Muckelt and Beatrix Loughran, 1924. Skaters also favor illusion mesh and backless designs that mirror dresses we see on runways and red carpets. A figure skater born in an authoritarian state who got scolded by Dr. Ruth, won 2 gold medals AND an Emmy, rebuffed a gross pick-up line from Donald Trump, caused Playboy magazines to soar off the shelves, starred in a movie with Robert DeNiro, and was featured in a 90s dance song with one of the members of La Bouche!? Skating her free program in the ladies singles event of the figure skating competition in the 1998 Winter Olympics held on Feb. 20, 1998, in Nagano, Japan. Katarina Witt's outfit caused the ISU to institute "The Katarina Rule.". As for more pop culture Katarina Witt treasures? But if women can wear tuxedos on the red carpet and not be any less elegant, female skaters can do the same in the rink. [1] It takes grit, stamina and a willingness to throw yourself onto a slab of solid ice over and over again and look beautiful while doing it. Katarina Witt even does one of those 90s dance talk-raps in the middle of it! 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. From then on, hemlines continued to go shorter. Secret Tapes of Katarina Witt. Performing at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Norwegian figure skater Sonja Henie wore a playful long sleeve black dress and beret for her routine at the Olympic Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, for which she won her third gold medal. The regulation dictated that it was mandatory for women to wear a skirt that covered their hips and butt, and also required that women covered their midriffs. 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. But back in 1988 . You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. 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. The controversy here was how short and skimpy the \"skirt\" part of Katarina's outfit was, especially in the front. I Was a Teenage Catfish and I Regret Nothing. American figure skater Debi Thomas in a black jumpsuit at the 1988 Olympics. Katarina Witt's infamous blue dress at the 1988 Olympics is the reason figure skating now has a dress code. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. 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. even Dr. Ruth was contacted by Reuters to comment on the dres, boogie to the dulcet sounds of a cold bottle of Diet Coke being cracked open, for the most 90s dance track imaginable: Skate With Me., an anecdote about how Trump once tried to hit on Katarina Witt, The East German Stasi (secret police) kept 3,500 pages of files on her. The World, where four figure skaters from the U.S. battled four figure skaters from well, the world. Also, the costume needs to be exactly what it should be for that particular skater, and that particular program. The so-called "Katarina rule" required female skaters to cover their "hips and posterior," and was instituted thanks to Katarina Witt's racy costume at the 1988 games. 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. 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. 2. Dubravcic, representing Yugoslavia, skating her long program during the Winter Olympics on Feb. 18, 1984, in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. After Katarina Witt came out on the ice in a few feathers barely covering her behind in 1988, the International Skating Union enacted a rule that women had to wear skirts. The mostly vast amount of crystals is also affecting the competitors performance. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. The Russian skater competing in the figure skating team event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics at Gangneung Ice Arena on Feb. 12, 2018. 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. The Katarina rule dictates that women's hips, midriffs and butt are covered. Katarina Witt's bejewelled blue costume at the 1988 Olympics, with feathers where a skirt should be, conjured images of a Vegas showgirl, and prompted the International Skating Union to write. 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. While dresses have to be lightweight to not create too much drag, each one is unique. Then you star in a commercial where you lure a bunch of boys onto the ice and boogie to the dulcet sounds of a cold bottle of Diet Coke being cracked open. 3. Aside from winning a gold medal for East Germany at the Calgary Olympics, Katarina Witt caused quite the uproar over the short hemline on her blue feathered dress. Janet Lynn, Beatrix Schuba and Karin Magnussen, 1972. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider 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). 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. 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. Brian Boitano of the United States in a billowing, V-neck blouse and skintight pants at the 1988 Olympics. As Bustle notes, because the ISU rules apply to men and women, sheer panels and embellishments can be seen on both genders. So, Mit might be onto something. So much so that after television network CBS lost the rights to broadcast NFL football games, they turned to figure skating (and the Gone With the Wind sequel miniseries Scarlett, because frankly my dear, lots of people dont give a damn about football) to save their November sweeps. Figure Skating Championships. Sonja Henie in a dark dress with an embellished hem at the 1936 Games. Glitter and crystals, however, werent always the norm in the world of figure skating. Clothing that does not adhere to these guidelines will be penalized by a deduction.". Figure skaters shouldnt wear outfits that could arouse judges. Nagasu of the United States reacts after her routine in the figure skating team event during the 2018 Winter Olympics. And then you wait for CBS to call and say two magical words: Ice Wars.. Russian ice dancers Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin fueled controversy with their stereotyped "aboriginal" costumes. French skater Philippe Candeloro in a Braveheart-inspired costume at the Goodwill Games in 2000. The award-winning film I, Tonya in which Margot Robbie portrays the life of American skater Tonya Hardingrecreated the pleated teal outfit Harding wore for the U.S. She also wore pants for her free skate at the 2014 Olympics the unitard was similar, but the sparkly top was silver, blue, and black. German skater Katarina Witt in a red design with a low-cut sheer panel and very '80s sleeves at the 1988 Games. Performing during the short program of the ladies singles figure skating event on Feb. 21, 2006, at at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. as well as other partner offers and accept our, If youre going for strapless, it's nice to have that nude in there, to make everything stay," he told, NOW WATCH: A dog owner built custom ice skates for her pup and taught him how to skate, costumes were designed with the cold weather in mind. By most standards today it was basically a blue dress with some feathers. not to mention a backflipping Surya Bonaly! While dresses have to be lightweight to not create too much drag, each one is unique. Then the '80s rolled around, and spandex, sparkles, chiffon, sequins and beads reigned supreme. The South Korean skater competing in the figure skating team event during the 2018 Winter Olympics. Despite the relatively vague assessment metric for women's costumes, there is one black-and-white rule is that men can't stray from: No leggings. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Norwegian skater Sonja Henie in a knee-length, long-sleeve silk dress in 1932. Promise. Male figure skater, Adam Rippon kept his pants simple and stole the show with his skin tight sequin shirt while competing at the Pyeongchang Olympics. 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 one, it seems not everyone is up to date on the new rules. Witt was a high-profile sporting star and landed tv and film cameo roles. "We're here to skate in a dress, not a G-string," a rival coach reportedly . The best part is that figure skating fashion just keeps getting better. Kwan won the silver medal. The American athlete skating her short program at the 1988 Winter Olympics on Feb. 25, 1988, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.