Ban the OTBT!!!!

[Aussie Willy]

Please join my campaign to ban Over The Boot Tights (OTBT).

I know this is a really petty and small minded campaign, and who are we to be the fashion police, but seriously they look so fugly on so many skaters. Mao's white boots looked lovely and I thought did a lot of enhance, not just the appearance, but how her skating skills and leg line came across.

Same goes for boot covers.

In fact their sole reason for being should only be for male skaters when doing a drag number and they have to cover up their black boots.

[falling_dance]

When I first saw the thread title on the main page, I wondered what you had against the "Off the Beaten Track" subforum.

[Aussie Willy]

When I first saw the thread title on the main page, I wondered what you had against the "Off the Beaten Track" subforum.

I have nothing against that, I promise!

[TheGirlCanSkate]

When I first saw the thread title on the main page, I wondered what you had against the "Off the Beaten Track" subforum.

I do like OTBT when it fits the music and costume and they are hole free.

I LOVE clean bright white boots with other costumes.

My daughter wears otbt with a floaty dreamy dress to floaty dreamy music.

She wears white for her freeskate program. There is a place for either!

[misskarne]

*signs up*

I HATE over-the-boot-tights! They make so many girls' legs look chunky and clunky and it just looks awful!

White boot all the way!

[BmcC102]

I am another shameless white boot look-lover.

It seems like a lot of girls are switching back to the traditional look:
-Two seasons ago it was Alissa Czisny
-Last season Mao Asada, Akiko Suzuki and, briefly, Kanako Murakami
-This season, Ashley Wagner (Love it!), Gracie Gold, Christina Gao (REALLY think it makes a huge difference)
and Rachael Flatt

It almost seems like last year the Japanese Federation put out a 'memo' about it and this year it was USFSA.

The only thing worse than OTBT is the look Qing Pang is sporting this season...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijjQRC1uC_s

I assume that the reason skaters do either of these looks is to add "support," but as a hard-core fan, I much prefer the classic white boot look.

[sk8er1964]

I was scared Aussie Willie wanted to take away my Survivor and Amazing race threads.

As for the tights themselves, I have worn them for dance. They rip easily. As in you look at them and they rip. I got a big honking hole in one of my toes right before the last (US) Adult Nationals. I didn't buy a new pair, instead I wore my regular in the boot pair. I medalled. I assume that means that the judges didn't care that my boots were white while I danced.

[AndyWarhol]

I agree. Sign me up right away!

the over the boot tight is ghastly, and makes ones leg look chunkier and bigger than it is.

What is the desired effect of them? I look like your skating bare foot?

Weird.

[CanuckSk8r]

I'm in! I have despised them since they came out. They make feet look clunky and legs look chunky.

I always wore in the boot tights when competing. I almost did not join my area adult Syncro team because they wear over the boot tights.

[Debbie S]

They can give you a cleaner line and make your legs look longer, which is good if you are short, like me. They also cover up scuff and other dirty marks on your boots. And in my case, they cover up the bunga pads (gel lining on the inside of ace bandage material) I wear around both ankles. Usually in practice, my leggings cover them up, but if I need to wear a dress for testing or comp (although haven't competed in 5 years), I need something else there.

But yeah, they do rip easily. When I wear them, I also wear a pair of knee highs (I think they are Mondor brand) that I fold down over the hooks of my boots to minimize the risk.

[TheGirlCanSkate]

"The only thing worse than OTBT is the look Qing Pang is sporting this season... "

That is funny. This style was perfect for skate practice when they were made in a super thick rib. I never expected to see it in competition. It's not attractive, the kid liked them because they were warm.

I do think OTBT make legs look longer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TIbb8YjZTI She is a tiny girl and looks tall on the ice.

[A.H.Black]

They can give you a cleaner line and make your legs look longer, which is good if you are short, like me. They also cover up scuff and other dirty marks on your boots. And in my case, they cover up the bunga pads (gel lining on the inside of ace bandage material) I wear around both ankles. Usually in practice, my leggings cover them up, but if I need to wear a dress for testing or comp (although haven't competed in 5 years), I need something else there.

But yeah, they do rip easily. When I wear them, I also wear a pair of knee highs (I think they are Mondor brand) that I fold down over the hooks of my boots to minimize the risk.

I know there has always been an argument that they make legs look longer. I disagree strongly. When you really look at it, legs do not look longer at all. I'm with those who think tights over the boots just looks dumb.

[jjane45]

I always wear boot covers to practice and OTB to testing. My boots are too beat up.

[AndyWarhol]

I know there has always been an argument that they make legs look longer. I disagree strongly. When you really look at it, legs do not look longer at all. I'm with those who think tights over the boots just looks dumb.

Absoultely. If you are a child, whose thigh is not much ticker than the knee/lower leg then I suppose they aren't too bad (i still dont like the look, and unless you have perfect pointed feet hellooo Clunky McClunk.) but on anyone with even slightly bigger thighs they are disastrous.

It amuses me that so many adult and syncro skaters wear them, as they tend to be on the larger end of the scale for skaters/legs etc.

[Vagabond]

who are we to be the fashion police,...

As Hillel would say:

“If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I? And if not now, when?”

[sk8ingcoach]

It's not that I don't like otbt, it's just that they only look suit certain body types

[misskarne]

I always wear boot covers to practice and OTB to testing. My boots are too beat up.

Then, my dear, it is called sk8tape. And boot polish.

[Aussie Willy]

It amuses me that so many adult and syncro skaters wear them, as they tend to be on the larger end of the scale for skaters/legs etc.

It seems these days that the Synchro teams are either going for the white boots or tan boots. But not many as many are wearing OTBTs.

[nuge]

*signs up*


White boot all the way!

Definately white boots.
Remember years back many of the dancers wore them Anissina Lobacheva Grishuk Horrible ugly things Albena still has them
I don't mind the tan boots Babs Delobel and Shae wore though .
My real hate is dirty boots and especially laces
It can spoil the whole look of a skater IMO They can have the most gorgeous costume but if the boots are dirty
Look at Korpi she is flawless .Remember Petrova 's white over the boot covers ?

[hanca]

I love over the boots tights. At least you don't have to worry about your boots being scratched, marked and dirty before competition. I have my boots for several years and all my learning attempts have left them with so many cut marks, that it really isn't nice showing that off on a competition or test.