How Should I Dress for Ice Skating Practice?

Tips on How to Dress for Figure Skating Practice

A Figure Skater Wears Skating Pants and Jacket From Skating Designs
A Figure Skater Wears Skating Pants and Jacket From Skating Designs. Photo by JO ANN Schneider Farris

Question:

How Should I Dress for Ice Skating Practice?

Answer:

Skating Dresses Are No Longer Required:

In the past women figure skaters usually always wore skating dresses or skating skirts and beige colored figure skating tights for practice, but today, it is common to see skaters practicing in figure skating pants.

Figure Skating Pants Are Great for Skating Practice:

There are various companies that make figure skating pants for girls, boys, women, or men, but it is also okay to purchase pants or leggings from dance stores or discount or department stores. Most skaters seem to wear black skating pants for practice, but other colored skating pants will work for practice. If the pants are warm enough, tights are not necessary, but many skaters purchase thin socks that fit comfortably inside of figure skating boots.

Clothes for Figure Skating Should Not Be Baggy:

In addition to figure skating pants that fit tightly around skaters' legs, shirts and tops for ice skating practice should be somewhat form fitting. Special skating jackets made of fleece or Polartec are popular. Also, yoga or running jackets from designer clothing companies such as LuLuLemon or Iviva are worn by many of today's figure skaters for practice.

Keep Warm:

Gloves are also an essential item for ice skaters. The gloves worn for figure skating should be thin and inexpensive gloves that can be purchased at discount stores.

Keep Hair Away From the Face:

Ponytails, buns, and braids are all acceptable ways for females to wear their hair for figure skating. Short hairstyles are also popular among some figure skaters.