Babushka NOT!!!

Last weekend was the Rostelecom Cup/Cup of Russia and yes, naturally I've already discussed The Pairs as well as The Men, so even though I'm a week late, I still feel it was necessary to talk about The Ladies--and more importantly, the costumes I haven't given my "Nick Two Cents" on...So...here we go--The Ladies of the Cup of Russia 2011:

Sofia Biryukova of Russia: Let's begin with the Russian ladies (since it is, after all, The Cup of Russia)--Somehow, Sofia Biryukova, this lovely skater, has "escaped" my "Nick Costume Review". Who knows why? But better late than never. For her Free Skate at the Rostelecom Cup 2011-2012, Sofia skated to Puccini's "Turandot"--an opera about a cold-hearted princess in China and her suitor who falls in love with her. I absolutely LOVE her "Royal Blue" Chinoiserie-inspired costume featuring gold flower-and-leaf applique. The asymmetrical/twisting torso-neckline with its gold binding was superb. This girl ended up Fourth in the overall standings in Moscow, but to me, this was a First-Rate costume.

For her "Seven Years in Tibet" Short Program, Sofia's costume consisted of a very elegant and restrained black illusion, chiffon and stretch satin ensemble. For this music and theme, she could have gone a whole other route with the costume (maybe another version of her Free Skate costume), but she didn't. And I'm glad. This showed stylistic restraint, remained somewhat true to the music and still, got my "High Fashion Nick Points"!

Alena Leonova of Russia: I've discussed Alena's "Pirates of the Caribbean" costume to her Short Program at this season's Grand Prix already but I haven't talked about her Free Skate to "Adagio For Strings" and "Requiem for a Tower" costume. It was quite a number--all black, with caviar-beading detail, applique and sculpted embroidery, as well as an asymmetrical nude illusion front torso neck and back.

It was like "Black Swan: The DIVA Chapter". I also liked this costume. The way the applique "crawls" up her neck is fab and yes, all that different embellishment could have gone a "Wackety-wack" route of too-much trim but it didn't. I think it was smart to keep all of that in the same black color tones.

Haruka Imai of Japan: I've talked about Haruka before during this Grand Prix season, however, I have not talked about her Free Skate costume in particular. She skated to a modern arrangement of "My Fair Lady" in the costume seen above. Now, everyone (and her mother) knows those iconic costumes from that film:

Audrey Hepburn looked REGAL in this ivory and crystal detailed "Going to the Ball" gown as well as...

The black-and-white ensemble above. Haruka Imai's costume of fuchsia with black heavy lace overlay had NOTHING of either of the two iconic Hepburn looks. Maybe that was the point but I just didn't "get it". I would have rather she had worn something that had "hints" of one of those two iconic ensembles from the movie. Otherwise, really, what's the point? What do you guys think?

Amelie Lacoste of Canada: Amelie Lacoste is one skater that somehow also has missed my "Nick Skating Costumes Two Cents". So, let's get to it: for her Free Skate to "The Sea and Sinbad's Ship", "The Story of the Kalender Prince", "The Young Prince and the Princess Festival at Baghdad" --all from "Scheherazade"--she wore a carmine red costume with golden embroidery neckline trim that gave hints of that Mid-Eastern/Orient Queen. Where I had a problem was her haphazard 80's work-out hair. Her costume: Nice. Her hair: Mess.

For her Short Program to "Ojos Negros", she wore a black costume ("Ojos Negros" means Black Eyes, in case you didn't know). In addition to the black color costume base, it also had crystals strewn throughout the neckline, straps and bodice. On a scale of 1-10 for Costume, I would give her a FIVE. This was "I can get this at a Bear Mountain Ski Shop OFF SEASON ON SALE!". We've seen the center front diamante straps before in many many skating costumes, in many many prom dresses, in many tacky beauty pageants...can we get a little more original?

Agnes Zawadszki of the USA: Agnes...how you and your costumes have escaped me? This American skater skated to "Harlem Nocturne" and "Whatever Lola Wants" for the Cup of Russia 2011-2012. Her costume was a lilac and nude illusion look with mini crystals and featuring a five-layer diamante choker. She looked like a Princess in this; kind of like a Lilac Swarovski Crystal Bird. In other words: me LIKEY!

Rachael Flatt of the USA: Finally, I will conclude with another American skater, Rachael Flatt. She skated her Free Skate to Stravinski's "The Firebird" wearing a dynamic and rather show-stopping costume. The lipstick red, gold, and silver ensemble SCREAMED "Firebird" and I especially loved the wrist "Flames/Feather" detail. This is an example of a costume that went perfectly with the music and added to the overall theatricality and presentation of her skate. Too bad she didn't make it higher in terms of overall scores (she was 9th out of ten skaters at Rostelecom Cup).