How to Dress for Ice Skating

Your average ice skater is a novice who is simply looking to have fun on the ice. Novice skaters can dress in almost any type of warm clothing and hit the ice. Professional or competitive ice skaters have an entirely different type of dress. Often, expert consultation is necessary to find the right outfit for competition or the best gear for rigorous daily practices. Read on to learn more.

Things You'll Need

  • Blade guards
  • Thick tights
  • Gloves
  • Ear muffs
  • Hat or hair tie
  • Seamstress
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Instructions

  1. Dress for Competitive Ice Skating

    • 1

      Consult a seamstress for competitions. Your seamstress can customize cut, color and fabric to your specifications and tailor outfits to fit you best.

    • 2

      Sharpen your blades prior to use. By using a blade sharpener, you ensure that your movements will have less friction across the ice so you are able to move faster and with more precision.

    • 3

      Buy top-quality ice skating tights. Thicker tights are not only more durable if you fall, but they also keep you almost as warm as if you were wearing pants.

    • 4

      Keep a substantial stock of practice outfits. For women, this includes skating dresses and leggings. For men, this includes leggings and fitted tops.

    • 5

      Buy blade guards or covers to protect your blades when you are not on the ice. These come in a variety of options ranging from simple to decorative.

    Dress for Casual Ice Skating

    • 6

      Cover your limbs. Wear long sleeves and long pants to keep you warm and protect you if you fall.

    • 7

      Layer your clothing before you hit the rink. Typically, you'll warm up as you skate, but initially it will be quite chilly. Most rinks have lockers where you can store your belongings so don't be afraid to wear a jacket or bulky sweater.

    • 8

      Tie back loose hair. Most rinks will recommend that you at least wear a hat so that loose hair is unable to obstruct your vision on the ice.

    • 9

      Opt for gloves, just as you would in icy weather. You'll see many people go without hand protection, but your skating experience will likely be cut short by cold, stiff hands if you don't wear gloves.

    • 10

      Talk to rinks about requirements for children. You may have to dress children in padded clothing or even protective head wear such as bicycle helmets.

    • 11

      Bring ear muffs. Ear muffs are available in a variety of fabrics and colors. As you increase your speed on the ice, ear muffs protect your ears from the chill of the wind, especially if you skate outdoors.