Own the Sparkle

I just attended an all adult ice show. Lots of fun programs ("Hello" from the "Book of Mormon" was a standout)  and many, many ice dance couples.

There was testing on Sunday, so 4 or 5 ice dance couples used the adult show to try out their dances in front of their audience. Except for one husband-wife team who went "full bling", the ice dance couples consisted of a woman in a pretty dress and a man in a black cotton shirt, belt, and slacks.

So, let me be blunt. Under the bright lights of a rink, the plain black shirts look dull and faded.

I know the theory behind the ice dance pro in black, he's supposed to show off the lady and be 'invisible'. But this wasn't a test, it was a show. What's wrong with a little sparkle?

It doesn't have to be much sparkle, either. With the husband-wife "full bling" team, the man's shirt just had a line of crystals about an inch apart, over the breadth of his chest, and two vertical lines to emphasis the width of his chest. It just gave a little more definition to the male skater, without being cheesy. What's wrong with that? I mean, a black cotton shirt is just going to look dull....and to me, unprofessional. I'd even be happy with a nice fitted shirt with some shine to it.

Bernard Cumberbatch Tom Hiddleston shows how it's done/

Oh, I know. Right now I can hear the cries of my male readers. "But I don't want to look like that. I just want to look like a regular guy." Who came in off the street doing a choctaw and that high leg sweep and outside mohawks. Dudes, give it up, puhleeeeze.

You are a male ice dancer. OWN THE SPARKLE!

(And I'm not too thrilled with loose shirts either. Get the damn things tailored to fit, otherwise it distracts from the line.)