From Russia with love [#23]: Spring/Summer 2016

[MorganaLefay]

T&M's weakest element is their step sequence--they really slow down, it's very noticeable and makes them 'boring' to watch, especially when compared to the smooth intricacies of S&K. However, in terms of element development, I can see T&M doing quad twist very easily and it's hard to imagine S&K improving in that particular area (it took them so long to switch from a double twist to a triple). If S&K quad throws are done in the same way as their triples, it would be the most exciting element in pairs, but I am just dreading the injuries and hope they don't use the same force. I was surprised how small V&T jumps were. Have we placed bets on Trankov's change in attitude re: quads yet?

 

[oleada]

T/M did do a quad twist during Russian Nationals; hopefully next year they can add it in consistently. They skated really well in Boston, and I think they were a bit under marked in the SP - their elements are really stunning. They need better programs, though.

Stolbova was IMO the single most impressive skater in the SP; however Klimov was not. He looked like he was coming back from injury, which he is. The twist was rough and the lift slowed down a lot. Unfortunately, she was really off in the LP and IMO this program needs to be clean to really work. I think they can come back strong next year if they're healthy. On another note, if he ever decides to quit I would love to see what she can do with a bigger partner.

V/T were truly truly off in the LP and the SP wasn't that great either.

No issue with the judging as someone who was there.

 

[quiqie]

Anna is just a class act above all the others in terms of fashion. All the others DO have poor taste IMO.

All the Russian skaters (except Anna) have poor taste, did I understand correctly? Or just the the skaters at this championships?

 

[pinky166]

All the Russian skaters (except Anna) have poor taste, did I understand correctly? Or just the the skaters at this championships?

I liked Evgenia's 1950s outfit at the gala, very classic glamour girl look

 

[Xela M]

All the Russian skaters (except Anna) have poor taste, did I understand correctly? Or just the the skaters at this championships?

The top Russian girls at the moment - Elena, Zhenya, Liza, Julia, Alena (if she still counts) all have terrible dress sense. Anna is the only one who has taste. There is also still hope for Adelina.

 

[Vash01]

The top Russian girls at the moment - Elena, Zhenya, Liza, Julia, Alena (if she still counts) all have terrible dress sense. Anna is the only one who has taste. There is also still hope for Adelina.

It wasn't long ago that Adelina was being harshly criticized for her dresses ('bought from JCPenney').

From this list of Russian ladies, the only one that needs better dress taste is Liza, and may be Alena (I didn't care for her Chaplin costume, but I was neutral about her other outfits). All others are just fine in my opinion.

 

[quiqie]

^Are you French? If not, sorry to say, your opinion in all things fashion doesn't count

@XelaM, especially for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY19MyaHmKk

 

[Wyliefan]

I don't know, but it's an expression used in Russian (a lot) to describe someone who looks classless

I'm at a complete loss to know what's "classless" about either Evgenia or Elena. Evgenia's costumes and general look are very elegant and pretty. And while Elena has had some costumes that aren't very pretty or flattering, I still wouldn't call her classless at all.

 

[Vash01]

^Are you French? If not, sorry to say, your opinion in all things fashion doesn't count

@XelaM, especially for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY19MyaHmKk

I am not French. I am American, which probably means I have no taste in fashion at all.
Really, I am not interested in fashion. I have likes and dislikes.

However, on fsu anybody can express an opinion on anything.

 

[quiqie]

I am not French at all. I am American, which probably means I have no taste in fashion at all.
Really, I am not interested in fashion. I have likes and dislikes.

However, on fsu anybody can express an opinion on anything.

It wasn't directed at you personally, it was meant for everyone above expressing their opinions (except MarieM, of course).

Anyway, it was nice to read something positive about Anna's fashion choices, Russian forums were quite harsh on her. I didn't think she was that bad - and she's lucky in that she is one of those girls who can look good in a potato sack - but it's nice to have an expert opinion (of a French person, no less) that she's the only Rusian who does have fashion sense.
And anyway, whatever crime against fashion had the Russian girls committed at this championships, I don't think you can hold it against them when you consider Ashley Wagner's look. It's probably too much to hope that she retires that awful red hair color, but at least we won't be hearing Moulin Rouge again (and I know that if I never hear it until the end of my life, it will still be too soon).

 

[Xela M]

Ok, "classless" was the wrong English word to use. I meant more like "lacks pedigree"

^Are you French? If not, sorry to say, your opinion in all things fashion doesn't count

@XelaM, especially for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY19MyaHmKk

Love it!

But what did you say about Ashley?!?!?! Love her dress, love her hair, love her program and TAT said so too

 

[Messalina]

Ok, "classless" was the wrong English word to use. I meant more like "lacks pedigree"

Not that I agree with the sentiment, but I'm thinking this "from the village" things sounds more like saying someone is provincial versus cosmopolitan or sophisticated.

Anna's strappy scrappy jewel tones come across to me as totally appropriate when I put myself in a Scheherazade frame of mind. Anna's costumes go with her programs right now. If I see her interpreting Chopin next year in yet another blood-red bondage dress, yes, I will revise my opinion.

And I find Evgenia M.'s costumes to be streamlined and somewhat elegant for a skater of her age (as I believe Oleada described it, an awkward time for female skaters that has given us too many sartorial disasters of both the banana-curl-Polina and the bedazzled-Elena variety). The straps in back are sort of quirky and maybe a bit extraneous, but the costumes are pretty scaled back and tasteful while still having some sparkle. Rather than a tight ballerina bun, which can make little gazelles look even younger than they are, Evgenia sports the soft up-do. And, yes, braids are still pretty hot right now (Lagertha, anyone??).

 

[barbarafan]

Ok, "classless" was the wrong English word to use. I meant more like "lacks pedigree"



Love it!

But what did you say about Ashley?!?!?! Love her dress, love her hair, love her program and TAT said so too

Lacks pedigree ??????they are not show dogs or horses...if you wish to be insulting about their dresses you could say "frumpy" but honestly they were decently covered and looked nice.....Do you think they won medals by shopping every weekend for the perfect outfit?...No they were training their as...s off. They may even have sent anyone they could grab , and gave them their size...who knows?....instead of everyone critiquing their look how about everyone look on line for the perfect dress for each of them and post a picture here. And if everyone agrees they are perfect then chip in and buy it for them. Just saying.....

 

[kwanfan1818]

I hope they all loved what they were wearing and felt and didn't care what anyone else thought.

 

[Ka3sha]

I hope they all loved what they were wearing and felt and didn't care what anyone else thought.

At least Anna 100% does feel herself (and she totally deserves to be a )
https://www.instagram.com/p/BD0_NjsjCGo/?taken-by=annapogorilaya

 

[oleada]

More importantly, they got quite the welcome at the airport from their skating club:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BD0P9P0DCNs/?taken-by=annapogorilaya

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

Perhaps 'from the village' is an equivalent of 'provincial'? I understand what people are saying, I just don't agree. To me Medvedeva doesn't look classless, cheap or provincial at all. I abhor Anna's LP costume however. With her stunning looks there are so many amazing places to go costume-wise, and her team chooses THAT.

 

[zebraswan]

Nick Verreos: I liked both costumes worn by Evgenia; they were pretty, sweet and appropriate for each skate. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the blue Free Skate one, since she reminded me of a super young/super cute Wallis Simpson/Duchess of Windsor--which was the point since she skated to "W.E.", a film about Simpson and her husband, Prince Edward Duke of Windsor.

I don't see anything "frumpy" about her costumes. She's 16...if she showed more skin someone would complain about that too. Some people will truly grasp any straw to find fault with a talented young girl. By the way, there was PLENTY of criticism of Anna's costumes in the past, especially the Firebird one last season. Now everyone thinks she's the only one with style?

 

[Dobre]

It was a gift from a Russian designer and TAT was raving about how gorgeous is was.

Tarasova's taste in costumes has always been questionable. See Fusar-Poli & Margaglio's 2000 Skate America costumes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEI97FSL4LY

(LOVE Tarasova as a coach, but one had to have taste and a backbone as strong as Sasha's to stand up to Tat's costume advice. LOL!)

 

[Maofan7]

Evgenia Medvedeva at her appearance on SportsFM.ru (CNOPT FM)

 

[Vash01]

Evgenia Medvedeva at her appearance on SportsFM.ru (CNOPT FM)

She looks very cute and very sweet.

 

[nuge]

I don't see anything "frumpy" about her costumes. She's 16...if she showed more skin someone would complain about that too. Some people will truly grasp any straw to find fault with a talented young girl.

There's nothing wrong with her hair or costumes.As we've mentioned it's those fugly tights
She's beautiful but the tights just ruin the overall look.

 

[barbarafan]

Nick Verreos: I liked both costumes worn by Evgenia; they were pretty, sweet and appropriate for each skate. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the blue Free Skate one, since she reminded me of a super young/super cute Wallis Simpson/Duchess of Windsor--which was the point since she skated to "W.E.", a film about Simpson and her husband, Prince Edward Duke of Windsor.

I don't see anything "frumpy" about her costumes. She's 16...if she showed more skin someone would complain about that too. Some people will truly grasp any straw to find fault with a talented young girl. By the way, there was PLENTY of criticism of Anna's costumes in the past, especially the Firebird one last season. Now everyone thinks she's the only one with style?

I was not talking about their costumes..there was a fair amount of bashing on the girl's outfits for the after party.The only thing that stood out at all as far as their skating costumes are concerned are the tights over the skates.

 

[SmallFairy]

Tarasova's taste in costumes has always been questionable. See Fusar-Poli & Margaglio's 2000 Skate America costumes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEI97FSL4LY

(LOVE Tarasova as a coach, but one had to have taste and a backbone as strong as Sasha's to stand up to Tat's costume advice. LOL!)

It was Tarasova who came up with Kulik's giraffe But of course that outfit is now an epic classic! (And Ilia's so hot he can wear anything!)

 

[MarieM]

Tarassova ... and costumes. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[lala]

The top Russian girls at the moment - Elena, Zhenya, Liza, Julia, Alena (if she still counts) all have terrible dress sense. Anna is the only one who has taste. There is also still hope for Adelina.

Evgenia and Elena look girlishly ..Can you imagine if Evgenia or Elena wear Ashley's costumes or Anna's dress on the afterparty? They aren't sexy grown women now, if they wear those dresses it would be tasteless and ridiculous.

 

[papa_pl]

Come on, give them a break, they are improving...
http://www.krasnoyeznamya.ru/gallery/rm_11_2728.jpg

 

[zebraswan]

I was not talking about their costumes..there was a fair amount of bashing on the girl's outfits for the after party.The only thing that stood out at all as far as their skating costumes are concerned are the tights over the skates.

There was nothing wrong whatsoever with Evgenia's banquet outfit. It was retro, cute and age appropriate. Elena's dress wasn't my favorite but seriously, why are people picking on either of them (let alone for pages & pages) when Sasha Smirnov wore this?

http://nextgenimages.zenfolio.com/worlds2016/h71f10379

 

[Messalina]

Come on, give them a break, they are improving...
http://www.krasnoyeznamya.ru/gallery/rm_11_2728.jpg

 

[SamuraiK]

There was nothing wrong whatsoever with Evgenia's banquet outfit. It was retro, cute and age appropriate. Elena's dress wasn't my favorite but seriously, why are people picking on either of them (let alone for pages & pages) when Sasha Smirnov wore this?

http://nextgenimages.zenfolio.com/worlds2016/h71f10379

Crime is not only was he wearing that for the banquet but for the whole championship.