In my previous "Ice Style" BLOG HERE, I talked about some of the women's costumes from the 2023 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, so naturally, now it is time to discuss the MEN...

Short Program to I Put A Spell On You by Garou--For his Short Program, Ilia wore this black and white look which involved a black-and-white shirt and probably the same black pants he wore for his Free Skate (economical I guess!). The shirt had French Cuffs and tiny crystal sequins on it which sparkled ever so lightly. The whole look--along with the gloves--did give it a "Lounge Singer at a Jazz Bar" vibe.

Jason Brown Short Program to Melancholy by Alexey Kosenko--I absolutely LOVED this costume worn by Jason Brown for his beautiful Short Program. Let's just discuss this top, since it's really ALL about THE TOP: it's GORGEOUS! I love the gray-to-black ombre shading, the skin-tight fit, and especially those dazzling sequins. Beauty, style...and bedazzling perfection.

Free Skate to Music from Schindler's List by John Williams--Jason wins a Double-Double Prize for two fabulous costumes (or at the very least FAB SHIRTS!) with this look worn for his Free Skate to Schindler's List. The deep royal blue color is outstanding and so is the sequined applique across his torso; the black watercolor-like wash along with the perfectly placed crystals made for a nice detail that paired beautifully with his sleek black pants.

Dinh Tran Free Skate to The Matrix--This was one of my favorite MEN'S costumes of the Championships. The black costume was designed by The Well Dressed Skater, and featured gorgeous crystal details highlighting the top. The emerald and silver sequins were done in a way to mimic the matrix codes from the iconic film. The effect was subtle yet stunning even from afar. Well done!

Matthew Nielsen Free Skate to Rich Beyond Belief and One Condition by Guy Farley--I really loved Matthew's costume here, mainly of course for the top. The design featured a beautifully gathered neckline, filled in with a gorgeous "spray" of crystal sequins, which then blended into a tie-dye blue wash around his midsection. It was this gorgeous and impressive top that made him stand out in the costume arena.

Joonsoo Kim Free Skate to Fire on Fire by Sam Smith, Ghost Town by Benson Boone--UCLA grad Joonsoo Kim wore this red and black look for his Free Skate. What I really appreciated about this particular costume was the beautiful cowl draping which highlighted the neckline adding a soft yet chic detail to his costume. Sometimes adding such draping can add bulk to the style but here it was done perfectly so as to not take away from his small frame. I also liked the subtle airbrushing effect and delicate crystals.

Maxim Naumov Free Skate to Iron by Woodkid, Shadows by Woodkid, Loyal by ODESZA--Maxim wore this look for his Free Skate, consisting of black pants (of course!) and a stretch velvet sequined top. The top featured a geometric design with subtle colored inset pieces that were topped off with crystals...I just wished it wasn't so subtle and instead, stronger to create more costume impact.

Mitchell Friess Short Program--Mitchell wore this gray and white (with black pants) costume for his Short Program. I liked the look, especially the top, for its side-wrap draping, airbrush coloring, and fluttering wrist detail. The white under-top had some crystals at the neckline which I felt was unnecessary.

Jimmy Ma Free Skate to Claire de Lune by Claude Debussy, Volcano by Woodkid--For Jimmy Ma's Free Skate, he wore this deep lilac-colored top and black pants. The top had subtle ombre shading with diagonally placed crystals and an asymmetrical hemline that elongated his torso. 

Short Program to Warriors by 2WEI, Edda Hayes--Of the two looks Jimmy wore, this one above for the Short Program was my favorite. I really liked how the black and white top coordinated with his black pants and therefore looked like a complete outfit (as opposed to what most of the male skaters do--pairing the black pants with "any color" shirt...as if that's supposed to work!). The top had this airbrush effect and sequins were placed to look like beautiful feathers across his body. If he ever skated to Black Swan, this look could TOTALLY work as well!

*FAB COSTUME ALERT!!!*

Yaroslav Paniot Free Skate to Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley, Can't Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley, and Hound Dog by Elvis Presley--I cannot get enough of Yaroslav and his Elvis costume!! It is campy, over-the-top, and FABULOUS...and I am LIVING for it! It has all the elements of a great figure skating costume: Bold color, bold style, and exaggerated details...SEQUINS!...and more importantly, all of this can be seen from the "nosebleed seats". The costume gets a 10 out of 10 from me!

Finally...Did he forget to pack his costume??

Samuel Mindra Free Skate to Where Do I Begin by Andy Williams--When Samuel went out on the ice along with the other Senior Men for their pre-skate Warm Up (I was there!), I wondered out loud "I hope he's going back to actually change into A COSTUME!" Alas, he did not: THIS WAS HIS COSTUME! He wore a blue shirt and black pants. That's it. The shirt had nothing...no ombre, no airbrush... no sequins...just a little collar, of the same color. It was like something he bought at Target. Nothing against Target but...I guess this is just a long way of saying "GIVE ME MORE SAMUEL!!!" Well, at least he wore gloves. That's a start.

There are A LOT of costumes to discuss for all the skaters and disciplines but since the Men's Competition just ended, let's begin with the MEN:

Yuzuru Hanyu Japan Short Program--In his much-anticipated return to the Olympics, Yuzuru skated his Short Program to Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso by Camille Saint-Saëns, performed by Shinya Kiyozuka. He wore this lilac and pale blue ombre dyed design featuring diagonal strips of sequined chiffon in silver and gold with raw-cut hem details and a nude illusion neckline. The intricate top was paired with simple clean pants. I liked the delicacy of the design and fabrication of the top, and especially the 3D effect, which added fluttery interest as he skated.

Score: 8.95

9.00

9.99

Free Skate to Bolero (Boléro IV New Breath) by Maurice Ravel, performed by Tomotaka Okamoto--Skating to a more "dance club" version of Ravel's iconic "Bolero", Shoma wore this toreador-like costume which I loved. I thought the black with gold leaf-like sequin applique look was beautiful and reminiscent of something I would find at Versailles. I also thought the placement was smart in that it was not overpowering for such a small guy. I especially liked how the sequins were on the sides as well as framing the bolero jacket. Elegant and very pretty. Also designed/created by Feeling by Mathieu Caron.

9.50 

Yuma Kagiyama Japan Short Program--Yuma skated his Short Program to When You're Smiling by Michael Buble for both the Team and Men's Competitions, wearing this look. The shirt-and-pant costume was very representative of a "Lounge Act" look, or at least the more "razzle-dazzle" Vegas version. Normally, when male skaters skate to something like this, they cheapen out and bore me to tears with some yawn-inducing white shirt and black pants look, so I was happy that Yuma's costume team took it further. I liked the gold crystal details framing the shirt and his torso, as well as the sleeve bands/cuffs. The look made me smile...just like his skate.

8.75

Free Skate to Gladiator Rhapsody (from "Gladiator") by Hans Zimmer, Not Yet (from "Gladiator") by Hans Zimmer, performed by Lisa Gerrard, I Gladiatore (from "Gladiator") by Hans Zimmer, Nelle Tue Mani (Now We Are Free) ( from "Gladiator") by Hans Zimmer, performed by Andrea Bocelli--Yuma wore this black and gold costume for his "Gladiator"-themed skate. As you can tell, there was a costume homage to the film and its protagonist, represented by a gold "chest plate/armor" on the top, as well as the sleeve details. The costume and details were delicate and not too "Halloween" costume-like. 

8.25

Nathan Chen USA Short Program--Skating to La Boheme by Charles Aznavour, USA's Nathan Chen wore this look above. Let's just start with the fact that Nathan is not known for his costumes. He veers between looking as if he just went in his closet to find the most comfortable item, to looking as if he's at some tie-dye hippie festival! I do not fault him since well...the man is A QUAD BEAST! But as a fashion guy, I'd like to see something...from Nathan, every now and then. For his Short Program, he wore this black tuxedo/dinner jacket outfit which goes with the music of the famous French Chanson crooner Monsieur Aznavour; it was his effort to look as if he was the singer at a French Cafe, performing to chic guests. The jacket was not really a jacket since it didn't have proper front closures, and was more of a pullover top. He wore it with matching black pants, a white pocket hankie, and a white t-shirt. While I wish he would have worn a proper white dress shirt/tuxedo shirt, unbuttoned of course...the t-shirt was definitely more Nathan.

8.35

BTW:

The above was what he wore, for the same music, for his 2019-2020 Season, at Skate America. He went more "I'm a waiter for a wedding in La Jolla" vibe, I guess.

Free Skate to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (from "Rocket Man") by Elton John, Bernie Taupin performed by Taron Egerton & Jamie Bell, Rocket Man (from "Rocket Man") by Elton John, Bernie Taupin performed by Taron Egerton, and Bennie and the Jets (from "Rocket Man") by Elton John, Bernie Taupin performed by Elton John, Pink & Logic--Skating to an Elton John Medley, Nathan skated to Olympic GOLD history...and he also wore this. He paired what were probably the same black pants he wore in his Short Program, with this colorful tie-dye-like top. I didn't hate the top, but I didn't necessarily like it; I kept thinking whether or not those white marks were BLEACH stains?! And it also had a certain "Star Trek" vibe. Well, who cares! He won the GOLD!

7.50

BTW:

Earlier this year, Nathan wore this version of the top at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships held in Nashville Tennessee. It was more kaleidoscope-y like and looked more like an interstellar planetary explosion...with what looks like a GREEN planet starting it all...

He also wore this one back during the 2019-2020 Season, at Skate America to the same music. One thing is for sure, he likes the tie-dye!

Which top do you guys like best? Beijing Olympics or U.S. Nationals? Or None?

Junhwan Cha Republic of Korea Short Program--Skating to Fate of the Clockmaker by Eternal Eclipse, Flynn Hase Spence, Cloak and Dagger by Bianca Ban, Junhwan wore this black costume which featured black pants and a black solid-and-see-through top. The top had delicate details including minimal sequin applique and interesting see-through panels. The overall look was not necessarily costume-exciting but what I did love was the surprise of the fluttery "ruffles" in the back, which you can see in the photo above. These flutters were quite lovely to see as he skated, reminding me of wings.

9.00

Free Skate to Popoli de Pekino by Giacomo Puccini, Violin Fantasy on Puccini's Turandot by Vanessa-Mae, Turandot, Act 3: Nessun Dorma (Turandot, Act 3) by Giacomo Puccini, performed by Jose Carreras--Skating to Puccini's "Turandot", Junhwan wore this deep indigo blue top with gorgeous sequin yoke details and blouson sleeves. I thought the sequin work framed his face and neckline very well and gave a slight air of the iconic opera and its Near East/China theme. 

8.55

Jason Brown USA Short Program--Jason Brown skated his fabulous Short Program to Sinnerman by Nina Simone wearing this sexy, gorgeous look. The music is Nina Simone and I thought this costume was a perfect costume foil to her sultry, silky voice and that music. I absolutely loved the modern dance-like sleek styling, and especially the solid panels layered over see-through stretch fabric seen on the top, molding to his torso like a second skin. The crystals were also a nice touch, complementing this chic look.

9.50

Free Skate to Auschwitz-Birkenau (from "Schindler's List") by John Williams, Theme from "Schindler's List"  (from "Schindler's List") by John Williams, I Could Have Done More  (from "Schindler's List") by John Williams--For his Free Skate to "Schindler's List", Jason wore the costume above, which featured a gray/silver top with red, yellow and black color accents in an ombre/tie-dye effect. The dye effect had a violent look to it, with hints of fire, perhaps war with an almost barbed wire treatment. I am sure the subtle-yet-not-so-subtle artistry on his top was an intentional nod to the subject matter of the film and music.

8.50

BTW:

Jason had skated to this music back in the 2019-2020 Season, for which he wore the grey look above, with a sequined "skyline"-looking motif around the midriff. This was his costume for "Schindler's List"  then.

Mark Kondratiuk ROC Free Skate--Mark skated his Free Skate to Overture (from "Jesus Christ Superstar" rock opera) by Andrew Lloyd Webber, The Temple (from "Jesus Christ Superstar" rock opera) by Andrew Lloyd Webber during the Team as well as Men's Singles Competition, and it went VIRAL! Both for the fact that he skated to Andrew Lloyd Webber's over-the-top musical, but also because of the very Jesus Christ Superstar-y costume. His look was certainly not a subtle nod to the musical but straight-up Jesus-on-the-Cross, along with a thorn-like neckline, and "Shroud of Turin"-like white/gray top. Was it campy? Yes. Did it go with his music? Of course? So, I guess, this worked, even though it was two minutes away from a child's costume from a "Jesus Christ Superstar" musical revue.

8.00

Keegan Messing Canada Short Program--Skating to Never Tear Us Apart performed by INXS

Never Tear Us Apart performed by Joe Cocker, Keegan wore this streamlined costume above. I thought this was a PERFECT way to wear a costume that doesn't look like one (Hello Nathan Chen!). The design featured black pants and a supertight black top with seethrough panels framed with red binding. Besides the sleek silhouette and lack of unnecessary details, my favorite part was that "X" patterned on the side of his upper torso; was the "X" for "INXS" or just a cool design detail? Whatever the reason, the look was sleek, sexy, modern, yet still had stage appeal. The costume was from Feeling by Mathieu Caron.

9.00

Deniss Vasiljevs Latvia Short Program--Deniss skated his Short Program to Sarakiz: II. Romanza by Karl Jenkins, performed by Marat Bisengaliev & London Symphony Orchestra, The Battle Drums by Joe Hisaishi. He wore this blue and black costume that had references to Samurai and  Medieval Warriors, with some Near East influence. I appreciated the details, including the asymmetrical body "armor", the ruched sleeves...and on a non-costume note: His ponytail was a nice accessory...he just needed some hair gel to maintain it!

8.85

Kevin Aymoz France Short Program--I could not do an Olympics Men's Figure Skating post without discussing this look from France's Kevin Aymoz. As if there is any question as to what Kevin is skating to, it's PRINCE, of course...specifically The Question Of You by Prince. Naturally, Kevin wore purple, and he wore it very well! His costume consisted of a purple top, a purple shirt with studs and silver sequin applique as well as front buckles, and gloves. I thought it was just right for the music and the subject at hand. Purple and slightly campy. 

8.99 

Free Skate to Outro by M 83--For his Free Skate, Kevin wore this costume above, which I liked, at least the top section. The look included your basic men's black skating pants and an ombre dyed cowl-draped stretch top in violet/purple, raspberry, and delicate green colors. I loved the pretty cowl drape neckline, which traditionally is a design detail related to female garments but here, it is obvious that it can be done for men as well; it provided wonderful top-half interest to his costume and gave his look a nice fashion edge.

8.50

Last but not least:

Donovan Carrillo Mexico Short Program--Probably one of the most beloved skaters during the Beijing 2022 Olympics was Mexico's Donovan Carrillo. He was the first skater from Mexico to compete in a free skate at the Olympics, he famously trains in a mall, and he is very, very sassy when he skates (which I personally love!). Speaking of sassy...Donovan skated his Short Program to Black Magic Woman by Gregg Alan, Carlos Santana, Shake It by Carlos Santana wearing this fabulous costume. I loved the sleek look, the bold gold and silver sequined "stripes" highlighting his upper torso, and the extra chunky crystals around the shoulders...the whole outfit was perfect for him and looked as if Bob Mackie had designed it! 

9.35

Free Skate to Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps (feat. Carlos Rivera) by Daniel Boaventura, Sway by Dean Martin, Maria (Spanglish Radio Edit) by Ricky Martin, and Bailar (Radio Edit) by Deorro feat. Elvis Crespo--Donovan made me happy for a second time by wearing yet another SUPERSTAR of a costume, this time for his Free Skate. The music was Muy Caliente and so was this costume: With the plunging neckline, silver sequined beadwork, and super-tight fit, he looked like he was performing a fabulous show in Vegas, and I wanted Front Row Tickets! This young man knows how to put on a Show...skating AND costume-wise! Muy Bien.

9.75

Yuma, Nathan and Shoma: Congratulations to the Gold, Silver, and Bronze medalists in Men's Singles (L to R) Yuma Kagiyama of Japan, Nathan Chen of USA, and Shoma Uno of Japan--Beijing 2022 Olympics

King Nathan! Nathan Chen of USA wins Gold--Beijing 2022 Olympics