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tutuandscoot · 2 years

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17/18 Season Costume Appreciation

I don’t think we have appreciated enough what a fucking power move it was that Tessa had essentially the same dress design for both the SD and FD for the 2017/18 season..

So the first time I truly watched them and took notice and was invested in their results was the 2018 PYC individual event. (I had seen The Seasons in Sochi and I have a vague recollection of seeing the worlds 2010 CD). I can’t remember why I hadn’t seen the team event which is when everything about them blew up. But I just remember them skating out to start the SD and even before they started I was like ‘holy shit, they haven’t skated yet and already they had such a presence’.

When I watched the free dance- before they skated obviously, one of my first thoughts were how much I loved their costumes. To be fair, their SD costumes are probably my fave *matching costumes they ever wore. And I was so excited to see what they would be in for the FD. I LOVED what Scott wore, but my first thought on Tessa’s was how cool it was that it was essentially the same style dress as the SD. \

I know that “packaging” is a big deal in figure skating. I can’t say I totally understand the nuances and how it can affect momentum, judging and overall impression for a season in regards to FS specifically, but I understand enough about merchandising and cohesion within ‘looks’ and you are trying to make an impression. VM’s packaging this season was just so amazing.

From costumes to the fact that they went all out on having both programs being incredibly sensual and adult. I honestly don’t think this was a conscious intention for the Olympic year considering there is a huge increase in audience and visibility at this particular event over regular FS competitions - I just don’t think they care about that stuff and the idea that “sex sells”. They didn’t do anything different to what they had always done- they we’re always themselves and just told their stories together while exhibiting their unbelievable chemistry. It was just a feeling artistically that they wanted to push that sensuality to the extreme. As was seen through social media, the SD made enough people pretty hot and bothered to the point where it was being referred to as ‘sex on ice’ and then they came out with MR.. and apparently everyone was pregnant after that.

Going back now on a deep dive watching every piece of footage of them that exists.. it’s so cool to see that the whole season (apart from the first MR dress (that became the LTR dress) and the TE SD dress that her dresses were all the same style for both short and free all season. Then add onto that she had 2 practice dresses made so they didn’t have to wear their costumes at every practice was such a good move that only the GOATs could make 😌.

I think a lot of people think that the practice dress is just for Tessa to practice in- but it’s actually just as if not more for Scott. It’s because when they are training and are in exercise clothes and she’s in a leotard, for these dresses specifically there’s a lot of skin on her torso/back exposed. When ballet dancers are rehearsing they will almost always wear a practice tutu or skirt- depending on the role. This for her but also her partner to be able to practice turns and lifts with a tulle/long skirt in the way. Also the long sleeves on Tessa’s dress can have small affects on partnering. In relation to these dresses this season, it’s not so much the skirt that he has to get use to partnering with (say for example Farrucas they mentioned using a practice skirt) it’s more the back of the dress and the cut that comes round to the front on the MR one. It’s so Tessa can feel and get comfortable with the constant handling on her bare skin (not that she wouldn’t be already but for this specific choreography) and for Scott to practice with the different feel- if he has to change his grip, slight positions, with fabric his hand would slide a bit but with bare skin hardly at all. I would also like to think it helps with the characterisation with the specific nature of the program and chore (go look at some hansy gifs then come back😜).

They could just wear their costumes everytime, but it’s so cool how because both costumes were the same style, with only a small difference in the back cut-out, that she can wear the same practice dress for both programs. As I got further into this I often found it odd that FS in general practice in their costumes so much. As stage dancers we would have a run through in the studios in costume, then one or sometimes two on stage. If we are touring probably just the principal (lead) dancers would rehearse in costume, but not the corps. I would’ve just thought they (FS) don’t want to wear the costumes more than they have to to keep them from wearing and getting damaged, considering how expensive they can be. I’ve come to learn it’s for the damn judges that they have to be seen in costumes for the whole ‘impression’ thing, which is stupid. But I really love how TS, especially in the 17/18 season would only wear their costumes for the final practice before competing, and would wear just exercise gear for the first, then the practice dress and Scott in tight blacks for the others.. even in the 16/17 season at words (and possibly others) Tessa had a practice jumpsuit that was the same as the costume but in all black. It’s so professional of them and kinda just sets them apart in yet another way. It shows how proud they are of their technique, lines and physicality that they want to show that off as much as possible, and also I guess have a bit of wow factor, both for the audience and feeling wise for them that they arn’t in their costumes all the time.

Tessa talks in this video about the requirements in FS and it so interesting to hear her break that down and her response to it, and how it came to a point where she really resented that strictness and decided to fuck the system a bit cause she wanted to feel comfortable and proud of their physicality in practices and not be overwhelmed with costumes constantly (she says it wasn’t her doing that changed the strictness of that (T being humble again, always dismissing the impact her and Scott had on the sport, bless her precious heart). But that’s another thing that makes them so brave, willing to push the boundaries and even in subtle ways shine a light on how and where the sport should change for the better (unfortunately other people/teams don’t have the same positive impact..)

Now let’s talk about my love for the actual costumes (both Tessa’s and Scott’s coz I freaking love all of them).

I definitely prefer both T’s IE dresses over the TE ones.

SD:

The TE SD dress I found leaned into the more ‘rock’n’roll side of the theme than the Latin. I’m not a huge fan of one-arm costumes, but of course T pulls it off beautifully. And the gold adornment on it kinda reminded me of bullet magazines you see soldiers draped over their shoulders. (Maybe if they were dancing to CCR it would have worked better 😄) Like I said, my first impression was the IE dress and while it is not at all my personal taste, I fucking love/d it! It was so, so perfect for the music. The black and gold with the leopard print was so perfect for the era- I just kept thinking Almost Famous. The fact she was dripping in gold sparkles, just enough to make T look like a bazillion dollars 💸). The fact that it was essentially just a bra- not even a bra just solid fabric covering that area, and how low the cut on the undies were with sheer leopard print covering a lot of her body- the skirt when you consider the tassels is actually quite long but it seems so skimpy coz of how high the cut on the left hip is but skimpy without being slutty- it’s that perfect balance. Initially I thought how it was so smart of them (VM, their designer) to have the long side be on her right side- with the SD, specifically cause that’s the side Scott partners her in the rhumba and if the gold adornment were on the right side it would get in the way (he stands on her left but his right hand on her right hip) but later I thought how just them standing together- visually it balances out because she is always on his right side- so the longer side on the dress on the outside of them standing together. I like how it didn’t have the pointy-finger sleeves (is that the proper name? Idk) The back cut out was stunning. I love how in some pics you can see her belly ring.. the high neck with all the gold around it was beautiful. And the slick black pony to finish if off.. chefs kiss 💋

I mean.. what a fucking goddess! Like who else could pull this off! Fuck, she’s amazing.

MR:

The TE dress is a work of art. The detail in it is astounding. But I much prefer the IE dress. Their aesthetic has always been simple and clean, and I just thought there was maybe a bit much going on, and it didn’t really match Scott’s costume the way the IE dress did. The IE dress is spectacular in detail in it’s own way. These close up pics show just how much stone work has gone into it:

I love the gradient of the rhinestones. How it’s heavier at the edges on the top and on the edges of the skirt, then spreads out into the centre. I don’t know if it’s this particular dress cut, or the more minimalist design compared to the TE one, but the back cut out seemed to show even more skin. I didn’t really realise till recently, but not only is the neck solid rhinestones, but the way it drips down kind of looks like blood, and the ‘bra’ part is like flames.. it might be kind of obvious that’s what it looks like, but the symbolism of that, not literally but figuratively with the ‘fire’ of the chemistry between them and the passion, then with her ultimately dying at the end. It’s so perfect. Her hair was stunning too. For ballet dancers, when they feel like they’re really ‘made it’ we will stop using bun nets for our hair and just use pins for a more natural/messy but controlled look. The way T did her hair for this one is exactly like how I did my buns heaps. Just enough whispy bits, the twist. Love it.

I’ll talk about Scott’s costumes briefly before I discuss how they match and work together.

I don’t know if anyone else has noticed this, but the sparkly mesh cut outs on his SD costume mirror the design on the legs of T’s Prince jumpsuit. The large gold sparklers on T’s dress also match the cut outs on his shirt (just a cool running design theme to subtly connect all their comeback programs).

I love this look for him so, so much. He doesn’t need anything loud and flamboyant because he shines as a performer whatever he wears. But for this particular SD, the style, music and animalistic influence it worked so well. The V neck was the perfect cut. So many guys that season wore these tight, ultra deep V’s and they just looked like tits (idiots). I loathe chest hair- especially on guys that skinny but Scott is so freaking smooth and the way the collar popped open a bit to expose his pecks at times was beautiful.

Another thing I don’t know if anyone has given much though to, but Scott didn’t wear anything sparkly for a SD till the 16/17 season (there was that one snake print grey shirt at 2012 nationals, the open bow tie from their Charleston OD (2009), some sparkles on the Dark Eyes (russian folk) costume, but not much and i don’t really count that), and never once wore anything sparkly for the FD till the TE and IE in PYC (a few sparkles on his velvet Pink Floyd costume but again, not much at all). I don’t think he is particularly opposed to wearing sparkly stuff- it’s not like, from the footage and evidence available, he’s been particularly embarrassed or insecure about the whole ‘costume and make up’ of it all. There’s one video of his saying that he just ‘takes his face off straight away and his friends don’t even know he wears makeup’.. but that felt like more of a joke (and he’s been very open about what a supportive group of friends and close family he had growing up that never gave him any shit for what he did).. I’m sure at times he would have been insecure when he was younger but I really believe he just embraces and loves all of it. It’s a side of himself that he really loves but then is also just this country boy who likes beer and hockey and is straight as fuck. I think it’s more a matter of him feeling comfortable in what he wears- especially in competitions- shows are a whole different thing where you don’t really get a say. And I’m assuming, considering Tessa’s love of fashion that she had a deeper interest in that side of things- and all she wanted was for Scott to feel comfortable. Almost everything early on (in senior) was simply a blouse and trousers. PF he had that crushed velvet, psychedelic top (which I love) and apart from that some tight black/dark stuff for the Latin, Carmen and Latch.

For a lot of stage dancers, when they get to the more senior level (15 over) you generally, at least the ones going for a professional career, switch to very simple costumes. When you’re young it’s all about colours and sparkles, but in teens- for contemporary pieces you go very simple- I wore a nude Leo for my last two solos, and it really feels so much better and you feel so much more like a true dancer when its just about your body and not all the fabric and sparkles. So I think TS found that from a young age (late junior/early senior career). That simple aesthetic. Of course Tessa had these stunning dresses and usually had quite a lot of sparkle, but they were simple designs and didn’t distract from their dancing and I feel like for Scott as well, he believed that was his job to wear what would distract from Tessa the least- he’s just that kind of partner- puts his woman first, makes it all about her. (Bless his heart).

Back to the oly costumes- not that these ones go against my above point of simple and less is better- they are still very minimalist costumes. Don’t get all freaky on me now but I love how “naked” they seem in their FD costumes. Ok let me explain. There’s this moment in the FD event when they introduce all the teams in the final group, and of course our dancing bbys are last. And there’s this beautiful moment when they are just staring at each other, waiting to be announced. Not to compare costumes too much to what everyone else is wearing, but they are just wearing so much less and captures their energy and their presence- there is so much less in their bubble. It’s such a quietly confident presence they have rather then a ‘hey look at us!’

Without getting too off topic. The energy they have between them in this moment, really all the time but specifically this one, they are so in their bubble. All they see is each other. Their souls are so connected and literally nothing or anyone else exists. That energy they create between the two of them here, and if you go back and watch this whole warm up when they cut to them, they seem very exposed. Symbolically very naked- not literally. It’s just the aura they create. These particular costumes accentuate that. In the above pic with T facing away from the camera with her exposed back and mesh on the arms. And Scott in that tight black, mostly just mesh top. They look so small and delicate, but also with this powerful confidence. Even though they are in these character/theme-centric costumes, they are very minimalist, contemporary, and raw and make it about them as dancers and athletes rather than what they are wearing doing the talking for them.

The costumes are perfect because of the very sensual theme and content of the program, the costumes are very simple and leave them very exposed without being sleazy and overtly sexy. What’s that quote? They do ‘dirty with class’. I think that was in relation to Prince. But they create this rawness through their dancing and connection together, not through their costumes, they just add to it. So many other teams try so hard to capture this adult, intimate, raw energy, and none of them can. They try and do it through facial expressions and the guys this pompous attitude, and some who just have no personality do it though these ultra ‘sexy’ BDM style costumes and I’m just sitting there thinking ‘omg get over yourself’ And it’s both the woman and the guys, trying to ‘sell’ some connection and force some intention or desire that is very ease to see as fake when you have VM standing right there who are able to say everything with nothing. It’s so rare that, in this case TS- a team can together have this equal energy and confidence that can make these ‘adult’ themes feel so real and not at all ‘put on’ and they don’t need costumes to help them do it. You see it if they are just in all blacks, a practice dress, or in costume.

I don’t mean to say costumes aren’t important- they are incredibly important. But the way TS have always approached their costumes shows they truly understand the role costumes play and that they shouldn’t take away from the dancing- only enhance it. Costumes shouldn’t be used to hide flaws- ideally, the best teams don’t have any- in TS case- they don’t. They don’t have to cover or distract from bent knees or bad posture. The costumes they had for the Olympics compared to earlier in the season were simply to create the special moment. The costumes in the GP season were stunning. I loved how simple they were- they didn’t need to be sparkly. They were perfect for where the program was that that point in it’s development. The program originally started so intimate and dark in it’s context. Especially the CWM half, it’s like throughout that you could feel the colour leaving Tessa as she starts to die. The muted colours were perfect where as the oly ones suited the drama the uplifting music.

I’ve always viewed Scott’s character in the first half (Roxanne) of being more this embodiment of T’s character situation rather then a specific character. If one dancer out of the two completely switch the people they are playing mid-way though a program is just too much- too pantomime/y to much like an improv show. I prefer to think of it as he’s playing through the voices in the music and as Christian’s voice starts to over take thats when he transitions into that character as Come What May starts. Therefore, what i love with this very simple costume is that it plays into this dark, shadowy, lurking, manipulative, predatory, aggressor ‘representation’ (rather then specific character). It plays into her sexuality and makes that the thing that is being played with like a game through out the first half. Then without changing costume, they can portray this tumultuous love story that ends with her demise. Something else that is probably just a thing I’ve completely construed for my own amusement (not haha amusement, artistic appreciation amusement) is i love both their costumes in the pre season had high necks. I think that type of style can be really elegant and powerful and just since there’s definitely a thing with their love for each others necks the fact they didn’t have access to them just added to the sick and twisted nature with which I view the deeper levels of MR. Kinda this forbidden intimacy..

So that takes us back to the very beginning of the season with the first costumes. I’ve already done a post with my theory behind these costumes which were obviously a very different direction then they ultimately went, so i won’t waste time repeating it. Those costumes were very much more character centric rather then movement centric- they were to serve the purpose of identifying their characters as recognisable figures. As i outlined previously i feel like there was purpose and reasoning behind those costumes and their brief appearance, but imagining had they kept them (which i know they wouldn’t have) TS are so much better then needing character centric costumes to identify as their characters. A more minimalist approach allowed them to strip down the characters to their pure intentions and motivations, rather then simply play off the visual. With a character centric costume you don’t get Scott’s absolutely exquisite acting on a level so deep you understand what is happening so clearly without him playing a certain character. This visual character representation is a move made by far lesser teams not capable of bringing such a deep and nuance acting approach to ice dancing. Choreographically, because the movement is so athletic, there needed to be so much less. The rotational lift and the cartwheel lifts are prime examples of T being in a dress that at times resembles more of a leotard because of the way the slant hem on the skirt manages to get out of it’s own way for these moves that not only for the physicality but intention of the movements need to be out of the way so they can perform the movements effectively in a way we can fully understand what is going on. Both these previous points, the character visualisation and portrayal and the physically and athleticism, was the exact same approach taken with Carmen.

That concludes this analysis.if theres anything I haven’t covered let me know I’m always happy to continue to elaborate.

#I totally used that first MR pic coz of Scott’s eyes..#could have used any number of pic for that dress but those eyes man..#appologies i cant find that post about the ACI costumes rn ☹️#(for thsoe whoe haven’t read it essentially i thought they intentially had those costumes for the first comp #to throw people off th scent a bit #cos T alread had her blue practice dress so why did the design of that dress match the subsequent MR dresses #if they hadnt already descided on the open back dress #thats the gist of that its in my archives somewhere it will pop up again #yeh i just really love the inital point of this post about the same desing for SD adnd FD #*design #17/18 costume apreciation post

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