This is a video of the most eye-catching costumes from figure skaters at the Sochi Olympics in 2014.
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Figure Skating is one sport that focuses on fashion and uniform as a close second to actual talent of these athletes. From the beginning of figure skating, the costumes have evolved closely following fashion evolutions going on with lifestyle clothing. In the beginning, figure skating attire closely resembled to lifestyle clothing. Sonja Henie was the first figure skater that introduced figure skating clothes that resembled the 1920s flapper style. Then, in the 1930s the material of costumes changed to satin, and were commonly accompanied with fur trim and nylon hose. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, bright colors continued to be a trend and figure skaters had a conservative style, usually sporting long sleeved dresses and high necklines. In the 1940s, which was also the decade of WWII, the war brought along a huge economic loss which brought a fabric shortage. This influenced hemlines to become shorter, and this length of skating skirts became the norm. Barbara Ann Scott was the first to show off this classic skirt length in the 1948 Olympics, which she later went on to win. The 1950s was all about bright colors and flared skirts. Tenley Albright, who was the 1956 Olympic champion, wore a pink dress with no collar. When figure skating really started to be recognized as a sport was in the 1960s. In this picture to the left, we see figure skater Peggy Fleming who won the 1968 Olympic figure skating competition. During the 60s it was very common for a costume to be one piece, resembling a unitard with a skirt attached to the bottom. Resembling a unitard, most costumes were made with spandex material that was stretchy. In the early 1970s lower necklines were beginning to be seen. In 1976, Dorothy Hamill won the Olympics wearing a v-neck dress that was made of light material, and crystal embellishments were placed around the neckline of her dress. The 1980s really saw the increase of accessories such as beads, sequins and chiffon. That year Linda Fratianne was known for her statement costumes and was known for trend-setting fashion through her various dresses. During the 1990s, different materials came into play such as lycra and a lot of "bling" was seen covering dressing, with outfits that were more revealing. At the beginning of the 2000s a lot more creativity was being used allowing the costumes to tell a story with more elaborate and creative detail. Female figure skaters continue to evolve and push through boundaries exploring all the possibilities figure skating costumes can have. Content and Images derived from:
http://figureskating.about.com/od/whattowear/ss/History-Of-Figure-Skating-Clothes.htm#step-heading When I think back on what softball uniforms used to look like, I think of the movie, A League of Their Own, that was released in 1992. The film follows two main characters as they travel back on the memories of their softball career on the first professional women's league during the 1940s. I bring this up because in this movie you can see how perfectly how softball uniforms looked like when they were first created. Watch this trailer.... Check out this article about Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross's fashion during the Olympics from Fitness Magazine:
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/blogs/fitstop/2014/09/19/fashion/olympic-worthy-fashion-advice-from-kerri-walsh-jennings-and-april-ross/ Volleyball is a sport that started with no established uniforms and when from loose, conservative clothes and is has now turned into a look that is completely opposite. Volleyball as a sport was first created and the conception of it was established in 1895. So from the late 1800s to 1916, uniforms for this sport had not been developed at all. Generally women would wear there clothes that they were wearing in everyday life. They were very conservative outfits that were usually bland that covered most of the body. In the 1930s we saw the introduction of Adidas and Nike addressing Volleyball as a new sport for women. They started to develop special shoes for the sport and this initiated the transformation of the uniforms. This is though to have ignited the evolution of the Volleyball uniform. It is said that uniforms for Volleyball were not only meant for style, but also to improve play. Between the 1950s and 1960s volleyball uniforms were still at the beginning stages of being developed. The uniforms at this point were usually collared shirts underneath matching dress with white socks and shoes. In the 1970s the uniform transformed away from dresses and evolved into shirts and shorts that were loose fitted and still on the conservative side. The shirt and shorts look is what is seen today. The look of white socks and sneakers was still apparent with most uniforms. In the 1980s the shorts became tighter, long-sleeve collared shirts appear and the socks became shorter. Modern style started to transfer into how volleyball uniforms evolved. When materials and fits started to be tighter, players and coaches realized this helped the performance of the players.
The information for this blog post was taken from an amazing article on women's volleyball fashion:
http://junior-volleyball.blogspot.com/2014/07/volleyball-uniforms-evolution-continues.html Images provided by Google. Brittney Giner is currently a basketball center for the Phoenix Mercury team. However, when she walks into the room most people don't notice her by her skills on the court, her height, or the fact that she is the first transgender to play for the WNBA. What stands out when Griner walks into the room is her alarming sense of originality through her style. Griner is most known for her sharp monotone suits, fun patterned bow ties and funny personality. At the most recent WNBA draft she was picked first for the Phoenix Mercury team. Griner, knowing that the draft would attract a lot of photo-ops and media attention, wore an all white suit that was crafted by stylists from The Ellen DeGeneres show. Griner is also known for being one of the first and only females to model men's clothes with her contract with Nike. Some say Griner is the pioneer for women to model men's clothing for those who have an extreme tom-boy style. If you want to read another awesome article about Griner's life and fashion read this article by Elle magazine. http://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/interviews/a12606/brittney-griner-profile/ In honor of the NCAA Women's Championship game on Tuesday, we are gonna take a look back at women's basketball uniforms over the years through images. Images provided by Google Images.
Check out these two videos! One is of a routine created in the 1950s and the other is a routine from recent years. When looking at these two videos, not only can you see the evolution of cheerleading uniforms but also the change in the style of the routines. VS. 1940s
1950s
Early 1960s
Late 1960s
Early 1970s
Mid-1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
Images taken from:
http://web.sbu.edu/friedsam/archives/studentpages/cheerleading/cheerleaders/Uniform%20Changes.htm Google Images |
Katie O'HanMy name is Katie O'Han. I am a Strategic Communications major, with a minor in Sport and Event Management. I a writing this blog for a class I am taking this semester. Hope you enjoy! ArchivesCategories |