ICE STYLE.....2011 Skate America Grand Prix of Figure Skating: MEN

Oh Boy!!! GRRRRR: Florent Amodio of France vibes "Tony The Tiger" at ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Skate America 2011 Continuing with my "Nick Figure Skating Costumes Two Cents" for this past weekend's ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Skate America 2011/2012, now it's the Men's turn!! The Top Medalists at this year's Skate America were Michal Brezina from the Czech Republic who got the Gold, Belgium's Kevin Van Der Perren received the Silver, and Bronze went to Japan's Takahiko Kozuka. No American got one of the top three spots unfortunately. Speaking of Americans, 2010 Olympic Champion and 2009/2010 Grand Prix Champion Evan Lysacek from the US was supposed to be at this past weekend's Skate America competition. But then, as a result of the US Figure Skating Association not paying him the fee he was asking for, he decided not to come. Too bad for us, let's hope he gets it all sorted out by the National Championships so we can see a new Vera Wang creation!

The Top Men: Silver Medalist Belgium's Kevin Van der Perren, Gold Medalist Czech Republic's Michal Brezina, Bronze Medalist Japan's Takahiko Kozuka

Now, let's talk costumes: I don't know what's happened in the last few years--maybe it's a "Johnny Weir Phenomena" but...the Men's Costumes are getting GLITZIER and more "Blades of Glory" Fab-u-licious. Well, for most of the boys. There are a still a few men who like to keep it on the "DL" when it comes to their costumes. But, naturally, I am happy when they "QUEEN OUT", as I like to say. Let's see who did and who should've: Michal Brezina: For his Free Skate, he skated to "The Untouchables". When he first stepped on the ice, I noticed the half-something and half-something else costume. For some reason, his costume was half "Eliot Ness" and the other half "Boy at a Mykonos Dance Club". First, it had a dress shirt with rolled-up sleeve with a sleeve garter and a bias-cut plaid-ish vest (that was the Eliot Ness "detective" side). The other side featured a very short sleeved t-shirt and half of a sexy tank top. Umm, OK... Detective from 9-5, and then sexy dance club Go-Go boy afterward, I guess. I think he should have gone ALL OUT and half of his pants should have been shorty-shorts too! What do you think? KIDDING! Florent Amodio: France's (by way of Brazil) Florent Amodio skated to a "Latin Medley" for his Free Skate. What a tiger-print leotard with matching tiger-print fingerless gloves, apple-green under shirt collar and black velvet bedazzled pants, have to do with "Latino" is beyond me. But on a "Nick Scale" of "HUUUUNEEEY!!!", he gets a TEN! He looked like a cross between a Gay "Tony The Tiger" and "The Lion King On Ice" skating performer. He takes my Top Costume Honors for "Skate America: Most QUEENED out!". Richard Dornbush: For his Free Skate, cutie American Richard Dornbush skated to "A Fistful of Dollars" and "Ecstasy of Gold" Medley. I LOVED his Western get-up. It was simple, to-the-point and performance appropriate, all at the same time. I don't know why but all I wanted to do was hit the ice and do some Line Dancin' with him!!! Clearly, his friends did too as they all were in the audience dressed in Western Attire! Too cute! Kevin Van der Perren: Belgium's Kevin Van der Perren, the resident "HOTTIE" of the group, did not disappoint his fans, in terms of his costume and showing well, how much he works out! He skated his Free Skate to music from "The Man in the Iron Mask". The movie centers around the aging "Three Musketeers" and his costume had those overt suggestions of the movie's period including the "Slashed" sleeve, neckline lacing, the oversized belt buckle, and torso silhouette of a period Jerkin. But it was TIGHTER than TIGHT--and bedazzled!! So, I guess, this was the "Van der Perren Muscle Musketeer"! Somehow in this, Kevin still looked masculine, strong, and sexy, all at the same time. Another skater might have added TEN feathers and a big Hat but I'm glad "Kevin the Hottie" didn't go there. Daisuke Murakami: For his Free Skate, Daisuke skated to "Gladiator" by Hans Zimmer. His costume featured lots of faux leather strapping, "Gladiator Gold" accessories and crystals strewn throughout. It looked a little bit like a Halloween costume one buys on Hollywood Blvd--you know, the ones that come in a bag. It seemed a little half-done for me. And the random crystals seemed ill-placed. I would have loved a Total and Complete Gladiator costume and maybe instead of the faux leather straps, make them all be thousands of Swarovski crystals!! Takahiko Kozuka: One word--BORING! He skated to something called "Fantasia for Nausicca". This costume--if you could called it that--had me nauseous for how underwhelming, un-theatrical and dated it was. It was very Todd Eldredge circa 1992! And what is with that belt? It's like he suddenly realized that he didn't have a costume for his Free Skate so he went to the closest "Ross Dress For Less" near the Arena and picked this up. Takahiko, please try a little bit harder next time---or fire your Costume Designer. Pretty Please? *Up Next: The Ice Dancers Costumes!!!