A Decade of Dresses

October 2007 Miss Potter
Central Pacific Regional Championships
Bountiful, Utah

Last month I sold nearly all of my old skating dresses on eBay, freeing up some much needed space in the closet for this new chapter in my life. I kept my two favorites, but packaging up my other dresses and shipping them off to people who could use them was extremely satisfying. I loved the idea of giving the dresses that my mom so lovingly and painstakingly made for me, a second life. 

Through this post I want to chronicle the nearly decade of dresses that my mom made and the music I skated to, in hopes that these memories will live longer than some old dresses in a closet. 

The Early Days: 

For about 2 years I was part of the synchronized skating team in San Jose. My naivete is adorable. 

Finally, in 2003 at the ripe old age of 13, I competed in my first recreational competition as a soloist. Good-bye synchro, hello singles. 

This blue dress below was the first dress that my mom made me. 

In December of 2003, I skated to the theme track of Pirates of the Caribbean:The Curse of the Black Pearl. I remember going to the discount theater and watching the movie with my mom, sketching out the dress that young Elizabeth Swan wears in the opening scene on the boat. I think she did a very nice job! However, we didn't know anything about crystals or rhinestones going on skating dresses, so this was my last dress that did not have any "bling."

Growing Up:

In May 2004, I skated to Pacabell's Cannon in D.  I loved the crystals that color-coordinated with the different colored flowers on the fabric. I also loved the chiffon skirt. My skating back then was so juvenile, but I tried so hard. Like everything in life, I was never one of the best, but I have no regrets because I gave training everything I had. This pastel rainbow dress was my second most popular one I sold on eBay, receiving plenty of bids before being sold. I was really surprised because it was never my favorite, but my mom always loved it, and I guess others did too. It was a happy surprise!  

 I really did not know how to smile for the camera as a young teenager! I'm happy to say that my posture improved over the years, as did my confidence. I guess that's how life goes. 

I wore this purple one originally for my compulsory events--events that I competed in without music. I ended up taking this one with me to college because it was basic enough that I knew I'd be able to skate to many programs in it. This purple one was my most popular one, jumping up at least $20 in the bidding process on eBay. 

This dress was worn during my practice session for Regionals in 2007, and upon the end of the session, my coach, David Glynn, asked me if this was the dress I was competing in the next day. I responded by telling him that it was only my practice dress and that I would be wearing my blue dress. "No, you're going to wear this one."  Well, okay then. The coach had spoken! 

This purple dress with radiating crystals on the neck and bodice did look great on the ice.
I also wore it for my Junior freeskate test in April 2009 and to For Good from Wicked at the ice show in July 2009 in Springfield, Missouri.

2004
San Jose, California

Summer 2009: For Good from Wicked

Springfield, Missouri

Summer 2009: For Good from Wicked
Springfield, Missouri

In May 2005, I skated an artistic piece to an instrumental version of Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again, from The Phantom of the Opera. Because it was an artistic program, my mom made this amazing cape that I wore in the first few moments of my program and then let it drape off of me so I could skate the rest of the program. I loved the deep wine color of this dress and the hand-sewn beads on the lace. 

May 2005
Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again from Phantom of the Opera
San Jose, CA

I took this dress to college as well, and wore it for my Christmas program in 2009 to Believe by Josh Groban. 

December 2009 Believe
Springfield, Missouri

December 2009 Believe
Springfield, Missouri

December 2009 Believe
Springfield, Missouri

For some reason, I always wanted to skate to O Holy Night by Mannheim Steamroller when I was a teenager. Finally, in December of 2004 & 2005, I skated to this number in a white, angelic inspired dress with a crystal star in the center of the bust. I remember my mom having a pretty big job of sewing the chiffon double skirt and wings...chiffon is no joke! Way to go mom. Nice job. 

I also think this was my first program that I added my all-time favorite skating move, the spread eagle. It will most likely always be my favorite thing to do when I get on the ice. 

In the spring of 2005, I skated to an instrumental version of the theme song to Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. 

This blue "mermaid dress" as I called it, was worn for so many programs during the years 2006-2010. It was originally made for my Intermediate freeskate in 2006 to something I cannot even remember. I wore it again during 2007 after I switched coaches and skated to selections from the movie, Miss Potter for my Intermediate freeskate. This was the program that my coach asked me to wear the purple dress mentioned above for competition, instead of wearing this blue dress. 

October 2006
San Jose, CA

In the coming years, I wore this dress for a Christmas show number to Fireworks in 2008, my first skating show while at college, as well as to Go the Distance by Michael Bolton in the spring of 2010. My program to Go the Distance was the first program that I choreographed all by my self, and the first program that I wore my hair down. I felt like I was growing up 😊.

May 2010 Go the Distance
Springfield, Missouri

My Two Favorite Dresses

My two favorite dresses, the ones that I could not sell on eBay, are saved for last. 

In 2007 I skated my Intermediate short program to Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2. Maybe the reason this is one of my favorite dresses was because I worked on it with my mom. We decided to give my dress a traditional folk look, and it was my job to color the lace for the bodice and skirt and add the color-coordinating crystals. 

It was also in this dress that I actually placed for the first time, at my last and final competition before moving away to college. What a sweet way it was to wrap up my competitive career! 

November 2007
Skate San Francisco
Last Competition

In April 2011, I skated in front of judges in hopes of completing my Gold test, the Senior Freeskate. I did not compete in college, but I did still train and work on finishing up my tests (sort of like belts in martial arts). I really wanted a new dress for my Senior freeskate to Liebestraum (also by Franz Liszt), but my mom lived in California at the time and I was in Missouri. The miracle of this pink dress was that she did not see me once wear it in person, yet it fit like a dream. She made up a "rough draft" and sent it to me in November of 2010, to which I sent her back the necessary alterations by pinning the skirt to the length I wanted it, and when it came back to me a few weeks later, I couldn't complain. I then added the crystals to the dress and it was completed. 

One of my only regrets in my skating career was that I did not get a video of my Senior test in April 2011. I was so nervous that I wouldn't pass, that I wouldn't let anyone record it. Well, I did pass, so my decision was a little sad. I did however, get a recording of my program (minus a few difficult elements) when I skated it for a practice performance during the Christmas 2010 show. The pictures below don't do the dress justice, but I sure loved it, and I felt the love of my mom when I skated in it. 

Reflecting on the near decade that I wore these dresses, handmade by my angelic mom, has been heartwarming. They were of a simple, more traditional and modest style, yet they were mine and they were perfect for my needs.

Were these dresses perfect? Absolutely not.

But the memories and smiles they represent are priceless. Thanks mom.