Showing posts with label Winter Olympics Fashion Around the World. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Winter Olympics Fashion Around the World. Show all posts

OLYMPIC FASHION REPORT.....Eleven Best Sochi Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony Outfits/Uniforms, a Supermodel Snow Maiden and One Style Let-Down!

Sunday, February 9, 2014




A Colorful Spectacle: Sochi Olympics Opening Ceremony





This past Friday was the much-awaited Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony. In the lead up to this grand event, Russia and specifically, Sochi, has not been looking so good in the media as a result of all those social media pics being "seen around the world" of  not-ready hotel rooms, yellow water, unpaved roads, hazardous dumps, too many stray dogs plus, of course, the terrorist threats and warnings and anti-LGBT laws...it all looked as if Sochi would not be "ready for Prime Time". All that was put aside for a spectacular showing of Russian history, pride, and monumental achievements in culture, the arts, music, literature and architecture.










The spectacular fireworks display at the end of the Sochi Opening Ceremony







Ooopsie: One of the five Olympic rings failed to light properly during an important part of the ceremonies but everything else went without any other hiccups.



In addition to the spectacular show, I always love watching the Olympics Opening Ceremony for the "Parade of Nations" and seeing what all the athletes wear. Leading up to these Sochi Olympics, weeks ago, I discussed HERE on my blog what we would see as the uniforms/outfits from some of the international athletes and now, we all got a chance to see them all. Most were quite boring--just a display of lots of uninteresting parkas and "Winter wear". However, there were a few Style Stand-Out's.

 




 Supermodel Sochi Olympics Snow Maiden: Irina Shayk introduces the Russian Federation--Sochi Olympics Opening Ceremony Parade of Nations



Before I talk about my favorite Parade of Nations outfits/uniforms, I want to highlight the super chic Parade of Nations "Snow Maidens" --Snegurochka in Russian-- who were holding the names of the countries. The all white outfits were quite chic. The look featured long sleeves, a high mock-turtleneck and knee-length skirt with side front slit--and yes, those great matching white boots. And those headdresses were quite fab as well. One particular Snow Maiden stood out and that was Russian supermodel--and girlfriend to Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo, Irina Shayk (above photo). Naturally, she was the Snow Maiden for for Russia.



With that out of the way, Here's my list of favorite opening ceremonies Olympic Outfits:





Germany: As style-kooky as these outfits were from the German contingency, it was FABULOUS. It was such a breath of fresh--and colorful--style air just to see SOMETHING different out there at these Sochi opening Ceremonies Parade of Nations. The rainbow-colored parkas, those pajama-like printed pants, it was A LOT but like I said, I was thankful for it, especially when compared to the ba-ba-boring sartorial display from other countries: danke Germany!







Greece: As the first athletes to come out during the Parade of Nations, Greece made a strong statement with Blue parkas and matching track pants--the blue was expected since it is reminiscent of the beautiful church rooftops one sees in Mykonos and Santorini and of course the color is part of the Greek flag. But what caused a Social Media Style stir were those rainbow-colored mittens/knit gloves. Naturally--and not surprisingly--everyone wondered if they were making a statement of solidarity with the LBGT people of the world (and a slap in the face to the discriminatory Russian laws). But, the colors on those mittens were more to give a nod to the Olympic ring colors. I still hope that maybe, the uniforms' designers still wanted to give a wink-and-a-nod to us Gays.





Kazakhstan: In my opinion, the Kazakstan flag bearer, cross-country skier Yerdos Akhmadiyev, wins for Most Stylist Ensemble at Friday's Opening Ceremony. Yerdos was giving you Kazakh Fab in this traditional costume--fur hat, tunic and boots. Everything about this outfit was spectacular. And PS: I want those boots! Not sure where or when I would ever wear them but seriously, those are AMAZING!





Mexico: Coming in as close First runner-Up for Most Stylist flag Bearer is Mexican skier Hubertus von Hohenlohe. Along with the rest of the Mexico Olympic contingency, he wore a black and white Mariachi-inspired track suit. Let me repeat: A Mariachi Track Suit! It featured stripes down the center front, outseams of the pants, sleeve hems and pockets. In an interview, Hubertus said that he might not medal in the ski competition but if anything he wanted to get Best Dressed. I think he's achieved it. Muy Bien!





Georgia: I liked the bold red and white outfits worn by Georgia. They were strong and impactful, especially in a sea of not-so-exciting outfits worn by some of the other countries. I also loved the leanness of the pants and the scarf bearing the name of the country. Well done Georgia.









Sweden: Sweden's uniforms were designed by H & M, of course. I liked these outfits and this is why I have placed them here on my list of Best "Parade of Nations" Sochi Opening Ceremony outfits. The uniforms were sleek and modern. I think the "Style Stars" here were those bright mustard yellow printed scarves and ski caps.





Tonga: LOVE. LOVE. LOVE this palm tree printed hooded parka! Leave it to a very non-Winter weather nation like the island of Tonga to bust out with such a fun fashion statement showing the beauty, flora-and-fauna and tropical nature of their nation. I could totally see this jacket in a D & G, DSquared2 or Versace menswear collection. And I would probably buy it!





Poland: Poland's outfits were quite good. They were very "Winter"-like in its colors and reminded me of snow-capped mountains. I liked the ombre gray and white effect on the parkas, the zig-zag like printing was different and the pops of "Poland red" were great. Those ski caps are cool too.







Venezuela: Venezuela's flag-bearer, alpine skier Antonio Pardo, takes the prize for being THE MOST ENTHUSIASTIC flag bearer at Friday's Opening Ceremony. Antonio came out and waved that flag and danced and jumped up and down as if he had already won FIVE Gold Medals! There was NO ONE prouder or happier to be on that stage. Look at the face of the guy behind him, he's like "Oh Dear! Antonio is about to QUEEN OUT!!"...Oh and yes, in terms of the outfits, I also loved the Venezuelan-flag colored track suits. But more importantly, Antonio wins on enthusiasm alone: that was stylish to me.





Russia: In my post where I discussed what the athletes would be wearing, I kind of dissed these ensembles from the Russian Federation. However, now after seeing what 80% of the international athletes wore for their respective countries, I kinda liked these! They stood out, the 70's-like Hippie Chick fur trimmed coats were quite fashion fab (in a retro way) and the red, white and indigo blue colors were well mixed and used in different variations throughout the parade of outfits. So, yes, I take it back: I LIKEY these!





USA: I also have to reassess my comments on these "uniforms"/outfits worn by the USA contingency of athletes at Friday's Opening Ceremony. I know that these sweaters are A LOT and very "AMERICANA" in your face and many people criticized them (including myself) but again, after a sea of boring parkas, I was really happy to see something different and this was it! The too-muchey patchwork-like sweaters were the perfect 'Statement making"piece of clothing to wear with the stark white skinny pants and white turtlenecks. In retrospect, I do think the Ralph Lauren design team styled this and designed these just right!



Finally, after stating my Top 11 Favorite Outfits from the Sochi Opening Ceremony, I wanted to mention one particular country that was a Style Let-down--and that dubious honor goes to...



France: Seriously France. What. Is. This. Above. Putty Gray and Khaki. No. And No. For supposedly being the Fashion Capital of the World, this was a major let-down for France. Next time, the French Olympic committee should pay the big bucks and hire Jean Paul Gaultier, Stephane Rolland or Alexandre Vauthier to design these. S'il vous plaît.

OLYMPIC FASHION REPORT.....Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics Fashion From Around the World: Check Out These Uniforms!

Wednesday, January 29, 2014




 Print-tastic: Norway's curling team could be the NEXT winner of the Eurovision Contest...in these "uniforms"



The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics is a week away and well, I think it's time to discuss some of the Olympics Fashion From Around the World that we will be seeing on display from the athletes. Everyone knows all the much-discussed controversies surrounding the Sochi Olympics including terrorist threats as well as the anti-LGBT laws, but here, I want to discuss other controversies: The Fashion!







Colorful, Printed and a little bit of Fashion Cray-Cray vs. Subdued, Boring and Un-creative...these uniforms below run the gamut. So, without further ado...let's discuss the Olympics Fashion and I am giving each of them my own "Fashion Points" score--0 being NOT Fashionable and 10 being très CHIC...





Germany: Germany's uniforms are COLORFUL, to say the least. Multicolored puffy coats and THOSE psychedelic printed pants! How do you say "Wowza" in German? Well, at least the German Olympic team will be noticed form the "nose-bleed" seats for sure!I think it's A LOT. I appreciate the color and I might even wear that puffy parka but the pants...they look like pajamas a 12-year-old would wear. What do you guys think? Yeay or Nay on Germany?

Fashion Points: 6/10







Canada: Oh Canada. Canada's Olympic uniforms are a big YAWN compared to Germany's but then again, almost anybody's would be. They've incorporated the red, of course. And the country's name is boldly displayed. however, they seem pretty uncreative in terms of fashion. The red parka coat I could buy at an outlet mall like TOMORROW and the zip up sweaters, they seem a little like grandma knitted them...

Fashion Points: 4/10



But, I do kind of like this:



Canada's Snowboarder--Under Armour recently debuted its design of the winter Olympic uniform
for Canadian snowboarders who will be competing at Sochi 2014.The jacket and pants feature a maple leaf pattern, made up
of tiny little triangles. The pattern itself is thermo-conductive and
helps to lock in heat without additional bulk. As well, the outer jacket
is completely water-resistant, which makes it even more comfortable for
wear during winter sports. The uniforms are also kind of "Retro" in that they take
inspiration from the 1972 Summit Series, where the Canadian men’s hockey
team defeated the Soviet Union. I think this look is pretty cool (do the kids still say that??!!).

Fashion Points: 8.9/10





Czech Republic: These boys are happy for some reason. Not sure why. They look like moose-hunters in Alaska. I like the gold lettering in the hooded zip-up parka and the fur cap is kitschy (I'd take a faux fur one please!), but I think the entire look is a bit disjointed..it's like they're going to work out but yet have to brave below zero temperatures to do so. maybe that's the point.

Fashion Points: 3/10





Japan: Orange and blue? Are they from Holland or Japan? I'm confused. I do like the bold colors, but fashion-wise, these are pretty uninteresting.

Fashion Points: 2/10





USA: These uniforms--designed by Ralph Lauren--and all made in the good ol' US of A (Thank Goodness!) were met with lots of shock and awe and much polarized commentary form the web:

"Welcome to the ugly sweater party, America," the
San Francisco Chronicle wrote.




Deadspin chimed in too: "A
generous interpretation would say the patchwork stylings are reminiscent of
certain Russian folk dress. But it's totally just an ugly Christmas
sweater."



Ouch. I don't hate them but at the same time, I'm not super
excited about them. On the positive, I like the "retro" look it's giving
me--like 1960s ski instructors in the Swiss Alps. The navy and red pea coat is
elegant and VERY Ralph Lauren. It screams "Old Money Americana".



Fashion Points: 7/10





Moose Sweater Boy: I would buy this sweater. I would wear it with jeans and my YSL "Johnny Boots". But I am not sure of the white pants, especially in the winter and with all the snow (it will just blend in) and the slush (it will get filthy REALLY fast!).

Fashion Points: 8/10 (for the sweater!)







Patchwork Mess: As much as I liked the other sweater, I am not sure about this one. This sweater is just TOO MUCHEEY. He might as well have a button that you touch and all of sudden it's the National Anthem! It's a bit tacky and too in your face.

Fashion Points: 2/10





Medal Podium Outfits from Nike: Nike also designed the Medal podium looks for the US Olympic team and there are some good and not-so-good things about these looks. I like the sneakers with the bold neon soles; very on-trend. The silver fitted puffy jacket is also very Uniqlo and trendy. I like that it's fitted and sleeker but the silver and the quilting combined...it looks like a Jiffy Pop Popcorn maker. And the leggings are more Lulu Lemon and less Fashion Olympics. With all that said, I still think they're stylish. If I had a vision of what flight attendants on a Moon trip shuttle in the year 2100 would wear, these outfits would be it.

Fashion Points: 5.5/10





US Speedskating Uniform: Now this is HOT. Very Robocop meets hot swimmer. And seriously, look at those LEG MUSCLES! The only think that's a little jarring is the color-blocking focus on the inner thigh region. Just sayin'

Fashion Points: 8/10





Russia: There are a lot of things going on here. On the far right, you have very wearable puffy jackets and red pant combo (I likey!),  then there are two Von Trapp kids from "The Sound of Music" for some reason, and then some fur trimmed ladies:





Miss Russia 1977: Part of me just wishes they were completely made of fur. The styling of these coats looks very 70s pimp...or something an old Russia woman would be wearing on her way to the the supermarket on a cold Winter's day.





Glove Boy--And PS: these gloves are SUPER GAY (and I can say that!).

Total Fashion Points for Russia: 5/10 (for the Good, the "Uh Oh" 70s fur coat and those gloves)





Sochi 2014 Volunteers Uniforms: These above are the uniforms that will be worn by the Sochi 2014 volunteers. The print in these zip-up parka coats/jackets are blindingly jarring. They remind me of a jacket one of the "Golden Girls" would have worn on a rainy Florida day! On a positive note: there's NO WAY one could miss a Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics volunteer, if you needed their assistance--they certainly do not blend in. My secret wish is to see one of the German Olympic team stand NEXT to one of these volunteers!!

Fashion Points: 3.8/10





Mariachi Olympic Prince:  Mexican skier Hubertus von Hohenlohe is trying to go for being the "best Dressed" at the Sochi Winter Olympics. This above is what the 55-year-old will wear during the ski competition. In what will be his sixth trip to the Olympics, Hohenlohe will don a mariachi-themed race suit during competition. "Until I went to Mexico recently to make a documentary, I never
realized what a beautiful, amazing, rich past and culture they have and
what a proud people they are," he told NBC Olympics. "It actually moved
me to see how much they suffered and how much they fought for what they
have. The power to have your own identity is so strong and something I
believe in so I want to give it a go in a very cool, elegant way. I want
to celebrate who they are, but of course in my own style." Hohenlohe, also a prince of German descent, joked that being one of the most fashionable "is a medal I need so urgently."

Fashion Points: 9.5/10





Norway Curling Team: Finally, the Norway curling team and their suits/uniforms. I actually LOVE them! They're fun, kooky and attention-grabbing. Is the print loud? Yes! I would probably never ever wear a complete suit of this but I would certainly love a silk pocket scarf out of it. Watching grown men slide stones across the ice to a targeted area of concentric rings while wearing these get-ups will certainly be one of MY highlights of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics...Go Team Norway!

Fashion Points: 7/10



What do YOU guys think of these uniforms??? Cray-Cray Good or Cray-Cray "Uh Oh!"...Let me know!


 

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