Elizaveta Tuktamysheva Long Program
She took home the whole enchilada and my god does this woman love a sheer salute to caftans. Everything she wears feels like a robe to me. I also, frankly, don't find her to really be that inspiring as a skater. Get ready, because I get really cranky about it on the next slide.
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva Short Program
Can we just discuss that she OF COURSE skated to "Bolero" because if no one skates to "Bolero" during a major competition, we all BURST INTO FLAMES or something. Also, this outfit literally could not be duller. ALSO I thought the choreography for this routine was basically totally divorced from the music, although technically she is very very adept. I just might not be that into her.
Elena Radionova Free Skate
You can't really tell from this snap, but I thought this costume was LOVELY. The beading at the top is very dramatic, and she's the only woman in the top whose hair looked Intentionally Directional, and not Whatever I'll Just Stick On a Scrunchie. I also want to see her and Polina Edmunds in the same room, because...wait, I guess that just happened. They're similarly gangly, is what I am saying. (I love you, Polina.)
Elena Radionova Short Program
The Russians and Eastern Europeans are holding onto the Tights Over Skates like grim death. LET GO, LADIES! Come back to the classic white skates with us! It's elegant here!
Satoko Miyahara Free Skate
She is teeny and skated to Miss Saigon, for which this costume feels appropriate. NEVER have I heard more Early 90s Musical Theatre than this year, when people can skate to songs with lyrics. Never is it more blindingly clear how similar Miss Saigon and Les Mis are, musically, than when you've seen a variety of tiny people skate to them both.
Satoko Miyahara, Ladies Short Program
Not having seen her short program, I assume it was to "Cum On, Feel the Noize."
Gracie Gold Long Program
This ensemble is new, and though you cannot tell from this photo, it is actually purple. I liked it, although the back is REALLY bare. Gracie DOES love to flirt with the idea that you might see sideboob, so why not extend that tendency to butt crack? (Of course, everything is perfectly constructed to insure No Butt Crack, but you feel me). In other news, I think Gracie needs a sports psychologist.
Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje Ice Dance Short
I did not see a lot of these skates, as I noted, so I'm just going to be making WIDE ASSUMPTIONS and you can correct me. I assume this was to Madonna's bullfighting epic, "Take a Bow." Right?
Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje of Canada perform during the Ice Dance-Free Danc
This was to "Four Seasons," which was a nice surprise, because her outfit made me think this was going to be to "Firebird." But of course, their ensembles make perfect sense for that piece of music, as well. I thought this was a lovely routine. I think they were the most beautifully costumed of the ice dancers, actually.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates Short Program
Sooooo for some reason I have Ice Dancer Costume Blindness and thought that Chock and Bates had new outfits since the National Championships, and therefore I tossed them in there. THEY DID NOT. But they look nice, though?
Madison Chock and Evan Bates Free Dance
I feel like they are internally screaming, "PLEASE DON'T COME BACK FOR THE NEXT OLYMPICS MERYL AND CHARLIEEEEEEE!" Andrea Joyce did an interview with the aforementioned Meryl and Charlie where she essentially begged them to come out of retirement.
Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron
I did not see this skate, but I decided she's playing a sexy Maleficent. (These two were very touchy-feely after they won and I decided they are in love. Are they in love? Let's have them be in love!)
Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron Free Dance
Her costume here is SO MUCH PRETTIER on the ice than it is in still photos; he looks like a hipster who woke up late for brunch either way.
Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford Short Program
Over to pairs! These two WON the whole thing! Three cheers for Canada! She looks lovely in this. He is wearing the Evan Lysacek Memorial Banana Republic Men's Department Sales Rack costume.
Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford Pairs Free Skate
Never have I seen two winners look so freaking bedraggled than they do here.
Cheng Peng, Hao Zhang Long Program
She got the memo from the red carpet that STERNUMS ARE HOT right now.
Cheng Peng and Hao Zhang , Pairs Short
This dude's facial expression here says to me, "I can't believe you're making me wear this, babe."
Qing Pang and Jian Tong Short Program
She's dabbling in the arena I like to call Skating Costumes You Could ALSO Wear to a Cocktail Party.
Qing Pang and Jian Tong Free Skatie
Here, too, actually. That must be her MO. (I didn't see the pairs -- WHY doesn't NBC just air all of these in one long block on Sunday? -- but she is VERY pretty.)
Wenjing Sui and Cong Han Short Program
Something about this photo makes me laugh. She's kind of like, "I'M UNSURE ABOUT THIS OUTFIT," but he's extremely "TA-DAH!"
Wenjing Sui and Cong Han of China Free Skate
This, on the other hand, is lingerie.
Yuzuru Hanyu Short Program
Real talk: This is a blouse.
Yuzuru Hanyu Free Skate
I feel like Yuzuru is one of the few men skating right now who would say, "YES. FEATHERS. I love it."
Denis Ten Short Program
This was a program FULL OF FEELINGS. So I guess it's good that his costume is pretty much a blank slate.
Denis Ten Free Skate
"I just want you to focus on my EMOTIONS," he's saying.
Javier Fernandez Short Program
POINTING! (I love him and am so glad he won; I hope you remember his adorable aerobics program from the Olympics Gala. THERE WAS A CAPE.)
Javier Fernandez Long Program
Javier is a treat. I will not rest until he skates a short program as Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. Here, he sort of looks like he's part of a barbershop quartet, but that seems appropriate because he skates to "Barber of Seville."