Using Dancewear for Skating Tests

It's not uncommon for women skaters to use dancewear for tests. A leotard over skating tights with a dance skirt over it, is in some rinks the standard test outfit for adult women skaters.

The problem with dancewear is that it runs *small*. Not "small', in the way you need to buy a size 14 rather than a 10, but 'small' as in the sense of "what person in their f*ng mind would make this for a grown woman"!

For example, I was looking for a leotard that had a turtleneck and bare shoulders, sort of a classy 80's halter look. I lift weights and I have nice shoulders and arms, so I wanted to use that to my advantage. It took time to find a leotard designed like that. Finally, I located one on a website that was of satisfactory design and ordered the Adult-XXXL size.

Let's just say when I got it, I don't think it would fit a 15 year old girl. I'm only 5'2, it wasn't long enough in the torso for me. I'M 5'2" AND IT WAS TOO SHORT IN THE TORSO! The manufacturers are insane!  Apparently, I need to order the plus size TALL!

Returning it was too much trouble. I'll sell it to some mother at work whose 5 year old is in ballet.

Can't Get This Leotard Over My Hips!
Stupid Dancewear

So, if you order dancewear, prepare to have your heart broken, and order from a website that has a decent return policy.

Test Dress Disaster

My perfect test dress is no longer in production in my size.

I am not a happy kitty

I originally ordered this dress.

Sooo perfect for the busty adult ice dancer

Either, I have to lose 10 lb between now and the test to get in the smaller sized dress, or I have to order something else. There's a probability I'll lose 4 lb between now and the test, but my skater's butt is not where the pounds are leaving from. (Man, and this dress was perfect. But, I have ordered it in the smaller size for future tests.  It's been three weeks since I've tasted chocolate--I will get down to that dress. . . Eventually.)

So I'm substituting, this skirt:

With this top in plain black with nude sleeves:

And since it's a Tango, I'm wearing a red lace bolero, that I ordered from FunkyDiva in the UK (along with some of the cutest skating skirts).

And I have a fake bun the size of a supermarket bagel.

So, if everything goes well, I'll look pulled together.

After all this trouble Dance Coach better approve this costume

Pretty in Pink

"You look good in pink," Dance Coach commented on my new skating jacket.

I hear that a lot. Now that pink is in fashion,  as a blonde, I do look good in pink. Other women have made that comment several times in the last week.

I just hate it though. I want to look good in black and be a dangerous femme fatale like Black Widow.

Here's the Black Widow doing the wide step from the Cha-Cha

Forty years too late for that; I have to settle for pink instead and be the sweet little old granma.

As an athlete in a performance sport that crosses over into entertainment, Dance Coach is more conscious of color and style than the other men (lunkhead engineers) I know.

So far I know about Dance Coach:
1. He likes my hair up (Last week he told me he liked my hair in a french braid.)
2. He likes a lot of makeup (Before my test, while I was wearing more makeup than I've worn in 40 years, I asked, 'Too much makeup?' 'More,' he said.)
3. I look good in pink. (True.)

So, for performance reasons I understand his comments. The up-do gives me a nice line on the neck. I'm not particularly swan necked, but it's a nice slender neck. The 'more' makeup is because blondes tend to look washed out on the ice. I've seen video of myself  skating; My face is a little white blob with dark pinpoints for eyes.

And the pink? Well, that heightens the color in my face and keeps it from looking quite so elderly. Always a good move.

So, next test-- hair up, lots of makeup, black test dress.

Puhlease... you didn't think I actually pay attention to everything he says do you?

But......

Swoon!

If this Tony Cohen dress was made as a test dress, I'd wear it