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Ladies Costumes--2015 World Figure Skating Championships, Shanghai China This past week--and weekend--the 2015 World Figure Skating Championships, were held in Shanghai China. In terms of importance in international figure skating competitions, this is the most important event of the year (second only to the Olympics during those years). The Championships were held at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center and involved events in Ladies, Men, Pairs and Ice Dance. Opening Ceremony--2015 World Figure Skating Championships Shanghai China Here in my blog , I love to discuss the COSTUMES so...it's time to break down the highlights (and some not-so-mucheey!) as well as some costume changes of this past week's 2015 World Figure Skating Championships. Let's begin with the LADIES: Ashley Wagner of the USA: I've discussed Ashley's costumes for her Short Program to "Spartacus" by Aram Katchaturian (top photo) and her Free Skate to "Moulin Rouge (soundtrack)". I LOVED them both! I think they are impacting, seem to be made very well and feature distinctive features and details unique to the music she skated for each of the programs. I also love that one was more drape-influenced (her Short) and the red one, went a more fitted/corset route. Gracie Gold of the USA: Gracie skated her Free Skate to "The Phantom of the Opera" by Andrew Lloyd Webber at the 2015 World Figure Skating Championships wearing the costume above. This was a new costume, in contrast to what she had worn previously at the 2015 Prudential Figure Skating Championships as well as the 2015 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships. She kept basically the same deep violet color but this new costume was more "mature", more elegant and definitely more directional in terms of style and fashion. I especially liked the "plunging" back with extra long gathered straps. Overall, a much more chic costume than these: 2015 US Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships/U.S. Nationals: plunging neckline, violet, sequined applique. 2015 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships: Same style of costumes but notice the different neckline--the one above is more scooped as opposed to plunging. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva of Russia: Even though Elizaveta's costumes for both her Short Program and Free Skate were very similar in terms of silhouette (caftan madness!!), I still thought they were two of my FAVORITES of the entire season. For her Short Program to "Bolero" by Maurice Ravel (top photo), she wore this black dolman sleeved costume with side tie and delicate bead work. While for her Free Skate to "Batwannis Beek" by The REG Project and "Sandstorm" by La Bionda (lower photo), she basically wore the same costume (with slight neckline variations) but in a different color and with much more jeweled sequined work . I loved the color, the asymmetrical neckline, the chiffon dolman sleeves and gold jeweled details. FAB-ulous! If I had any critique, it would be her UNKEMPT hair; it always seemed as if she had just gotten up and was about to head to the gym--or shop for groceries. I would have loved a much more stylized bun, perhaps.  Anna Pogorilaya of Russia: These two costumes above were worn by Anna throughout the season for her Short Program to "Adagio" by Il Divo (top photo) and Free Skate to "The Firebird Ballet Suite" by Igor Stravinski (lower photo), I thought both were very "Fashion Diva" in terms of design and execution and while I do LOVE bright, bold colors, I might have to choose the light blue one (Short Program) as my favorite of the two, especially because of the asymmetrical torso lines in the costumes which seemed to "swirl" around her body. On another note, Anna also was suffering from EMHS--the "Elizaveta Messy Hair Syndrome", especially in her Short Program; she had lots of annoying flyaways and needed more hair gel or hairspray.  Elena Radionova of Russia: Little Elena wore this red costume for her Short Program to "De Mi Vera te Fuistes" by Pepe Romero and "Ain't It Funny" by Jennifer Lopez. It's tacky-licious and frankly, looks amateur hour. I get that because of the fiery sexy music, the costumers tried to interject some "fiery-ness" into the costume but still have it be age-appropriate. Unfortunately, it still ended up lacking in a certain taste level. And oh, that big ol' rosette on her fingerless glove was DEFINITELY too mucheeey! Li Zijun of China: Li Zijun wore this very pretty costume to her Short Program to Waltz of the Flowers (from "Nutcracker") by Peter I. Tchaikovski. The pink costume featured many silver crystals and a jigsaw puzzle-like gathered bust section. I also loved the built-in necklace. The entire costume looked well made and expensive. This is a perfect example on how to be young, age-appropriate pretty (for a young skater--she's 18 years-old) yet still be chic. Maybe her costumers need to talk to Elena Radionova's people. ASAP! Kiira Korpi of Finland: Kiira Korpi did not advance at the 2015 Worlds to the Free Skate but I wanted to talk about her short program costume which she wore skating to "A Day In the Life" by The Beatles. I loved this--it was modern, very fashion-savvy, in fact it reminded me of one of my NIKOLAKI red carpet dresses, especially the asymmetrical lines and tone-on-tone beading. Very well done! Mae Berenice Meite of France: Mae Berenice is a bit of a Fashionista and it's always interesting to see what she'll have on--costume-wise. I liked both her Short program costume to "Hosanna" by Soweto Gospel Choir, "The Groove You Liked (Mala Dub)" by Savanj Rooms and "Freedom" (top photo) as well as what she wore for her Free Skate to "Conquest of Spaces", "Shadows" and   "Run Boy Run" by Woodkid. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the ivory and gold sequined number. That bead work is EXQUISITE and very, very expensive! That's a $5,000 costume right there (if not more!) and looks like it! And I give her costume designer points for MATCHING her skin with the illusion. Yeayyy for that! Part of me, though, does miss this little ensemble from Mae Berenice's (recent) costume past: Jumpsuit Diva: Mae Berenice Meite of France at 2014 Skate America. She also wore it for the Sochi Olympics Nicole Rajicova of Slovakia: Nicole wore this costume for her Short Program to Love Theme from "Romeo and Juliet" by Nino Rota. I thought this was quite good in terms of a costume perfectly relating to the theme/music. There's no denying that one instantly get's "Juliet!". everything--from head to toe--is well done! Polina Edmunds of the USA: Above are Polina's costumes for both her Short Program to "Flamenco Medley" of "Buleria" and "Tango Serenata" from the Flamenco Fantasy and Free Skate to "Tinker Bell" from "Peter Pan Soundtrack" by James Newton Howard. To be perfectly honest, I am a bit conflicted with these costumes on Polina. When I first saw them at the beginning of the season, I liked the Short Program one better than the Free Skate outfit. The Free Skate dress seemed almost too juvenile (even for "Peter Pan"/Tinkerbell). I also think that Polina's body is changing and she's really looking more and more 'adult" and therefore may need more adult-like costumes that really fit her long lithe figure better; these seem made more for a junior skater as opposed to someone on Polina's level. Joshi Helgesson of Sweden: Joshi wore this for her Free Skate to "Snow White and the Huntsmen" (soundtrack). While I kind of get the reference, I think it fell quite short of achieving it. It looks a bit like a "Hollywood Costume Shop"  costume one gets in a bag. I wish the costumers might have gone darker and slightly more sinister...like this: Two of my LEAST FAVORITE costumes were... Kanako Murakami of Japan: I do not like this yellow costume worn by Kanako for her Short program to Think of Me (from "The Phantom of the Opera") by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It's two seconds from tacky-licious and more importantly, the combination of the lemon yellow with the applique roses--plus a really unnecessary bow in her back--all scream "Quinceañera". Satoko Miyahara of Japan: Satoko wore this for her Short Program to "The Magic Flute" by Mozart. It is so "Toddlers & Tiaras"! I have issues with the colors, the silhouette...those Leg o' Mutton sleeves, the stretch velvet...How do you say "Oh dear!" in Japanese?? **UP NEXT: The MEN!