Style Notes: Mao Asada (Costume Hall of Fame and Lame)

Being the 'fashion' blog that this is, I'm surprised when I realised I've never written a post on Mao-chan's costumes, especially since it is currently the Grand Prix Season, the height of style in the skating world. As we all know, figure skating is all about the costumes as much as it is about the jumps and musical choices. Skaters normally sync their costumes to their musical piece, often trying to keep it attuned to the interpretation and theme of the programme. Looking at the current field of ladies in the senior event, it is quite a random mix; you have the 'expressive' Russians who often look a bit caricaturish (ahem! Alena..), the transitioning juniors who suffer through puberty (both physically and aesthetically), the Nancy Kerrigan-types who look naked without pearls or bridal lace, and then there's the risktakers who sometimes gets it fabulously right but when they get it wrong, it's still fierce but avante-garde would be too nice of a compliment. Mao fits in the last group, for sure, along the likes of Mirai Nagasu, Yu-Na Kim and Carolina Kostner. She's had her most beautiful highlights and unfortunate moments, so here's my top picks for YAY and NAY outfits throughout Mao Asada's Senior Career. Hope you enjoy them!

The Cream of the Crop

1. 2010-2011 Free Programme (Liebestraum); to date, this lilac dress is easily my most favourite costume she's ever worn. It's light, and pretty, very much like the type of skater that Mao is- or rather when Mao skates best. It's perfect for her lyrical programme, and after a tough season last year, such lightness is just what she needs to keep herself positive. Plus, she looks glowy and she always looks dreamy and happy when she skates to Liebestraum. 

2. 2010-2011 Gala (Chopin's Ballade No.1); Beautiful. Absolutely fantastic dress here! Especially with her choreography where she skates like a ballerina on ice. It's reminiscent of the ballet tu-tus of old. The dress is simple, cut in the bias and there are no distracting features at all. Mao looks feminine and classy, very effortless. 

3. 2011 Short Programme (Scheherazede); I was pleasantly surprised when she stepped on to the ice at the NHK this last weekend with this ensemble. I knew she was skating to Scheherazade so in my mind I thought, "okay, lots of gold embroidery and embellishments, very Arabian and Oriental" but then I realised it could also be disastrous. True to form (and just like her performance), Mao delivered with this cross between Princess Jasmine and Jeannie get-up. The colour is beautiful and the style, easily the most exotic of all her costumes. It's also a little on the sexy side, which is always a welcomed perk since we know how fierce Mao is on the ice. 

4. 2010 Free Programme (Rachmaninov Prelude); This is the costume she wore during the Olympic 2010 season, during which she was skating under the tutelage of Russian "Champion Maker" Tatiana Tarasova. Tarasova liked to put Mao in very grandiose, old-world Russia-esque outfits complete with high collars, and while some of them were very questionable, this black and red number was beautiful. It was dark and dramatic, perfectly complimenting Rachmaninov's Prelude. It was a great change of pace seeing Mao skate to such heavy and stoic music. I'd say this was the time she matured thoroughly and even though she lost out to Yu-Na for the gold, she got it all back and won her second World title while looking hot the next month.  

5. 2007 Free Programme (Czardas); Oh this one was just adorbs! This red dress with that gold trim was just pretty and cute. I remember watching this and thinking how weird it was seeing Mao looking a bit short. The style went well with her music too. 

6. 2008 Free Programme (Masquerade); Sans the collar, I think this is easily the most sexy/wearable costume Mao ever wore that could also be translated into high-street fashion. The nude under lace thing is very Dior. Loved the music she skated to as well. It was grandiose and very 18th century Russia, again with Tarasova's touch, but one that worked in her favour. Plus we first saw Mao crack out two Triple Axels to this program so apart from being beautiful, this dress is also as iconic as her record at the Olympics. Truly spectacular. 

7. 2008-2009 Free Programme (Masquerade); See above. Love the coulour.

8. 2007 Short Programme (Fantasia for Violin and Orchestra); Similar to my sentiments regarding her 2011-12 FS dress. It's light, and pretty and goes perfectly well with her skin-tone. 

Unfortunate Faux-Pas

1. 2008-2009 Free Programme (Masquerade); Eew. Love Mao to death, but I have no idea what she was thinking when she had this dress made. And to think she wore this at the French Grand Prix! Major faux pas!! This I blame in part to her Maoveta Asadakova-phase  that is to say, Tarasova's penchant for unnecessary flourishes. The colour is a bit iffy looking too. This to me, is the tackiest Mao has ever looked. Granted that in the scale of skating costumes this is hardly the worst one, for her, it's still pretty dismal. 

2. 2010 Short Programme (Tango); Two words- Rose Bra. No. At the time however, it was the least of my worries because it was during the Japanese Nationals and I was too busy hexing everybody and praying that Mao would medal after a very bad season. 

3. 2010-2011 Exhibition (Chopin's Ballade No.1); WHY?!!? The first dress was sooo much better! This looks like something she picked out of Olive Oil's wardrobe while Popeye was away. If she didn't have that neckline it would have been more Black Swan and less cartoonish.

4. 2010 Short Programme (Tango); Not as bad as the rose bra, but this programme came with some sort of wardrobe identity crisis. Maybe it was the music or the fact that it wasn't her best programme, but as her costumes sucked with that SP as much as Tatiana's 'parting' choreography. It's more Oriental than Tango-ey. Total mismatch. 

5. 2009-2010 Short Programme (Masquerade); It's not really that bad but out of all her 'Masquerade' costumes, this one is the cheesiest. It's too...princess-y. You may disagree, but I blame it all on colour. Also, I was never too keen on the high-collar. It was a novel touch but it began to annoy me as much as Aliona Savchenko's white choker is bugging me now.

6. 2009-2010 Free Programme (Rachmaninov Prelude); Again, not that bad but I didn't like that black and blue ruffling at the back. I'm nitpicking here I guess, but seriously, like with everything else that season, I blame it all on Tarasova. 

7. 2010 Short Programme (Tango); See 2 and 4. 

8. 2009-2010 Exhibition (Paganini's Caprice); Too much fuschia. If it was any other colour, It would have made the top list I think. 

I guess its fair to say that just like her senior career, her style choices have taken some serious high and lows, but all in all it just makes Mao Asada more interesting and enjoyable to watch.

Which were your favourites?

xoxo