Snowboarding Style in the Swiss Alps

A couple weeks ago, I mentioned that I’d like to start writing more about things that truly motivate and inspire me. I mentioned in this blog post that while personal style is something I aspire to daily, it’s not all that there is in my life. I do get a lot of inspiration from other sites like Joyfully Styled to get me motivated to work on my style, and I am slowly getting there I think? But truthfully, I’m starting to feel a tad foolish about writing on fashion posts all the time. So I’m trying to find a better balance between style and all the other passions in my life. Here’s my latest attempt….

I visited the Swiss Alps a week or so ago for a snowboarding trip. Yes, I crossed a top priority item of my life’s bucket list! The back story is that my younger sister is currently studying abroad and we knew it would be a short flight for her to meet up with a little group of us in Switzerland and try something crazy. Her and I were fairly regular skiers when we were kids, and now we try to find time throughout every winter season to hit the slopes. I snowboard snow and I’m sure I’ll eventually bring her over to the “dark side” as well.

I’d love to share some sick photos of the mountains, trails, ski resort, and the town in general if you all are interested! But today I’d like to discuss snowboarding apparel for women as it was literally freezing over there (and snowing). Staying warm/safe is the most important ingredient in a good ski day. If you’re cold or loosing circulation in fingers, toes, etc. due to shockingly low temps, it’s obviously just not as fun. Especially for beginners, I’d urge you to invest in some legit gear. You’re not really giving yourself a fair chance at enjoying the sport if you’re shivering and uncomfortable all day. Trust me, that’s not what snowboarding is about. You can be warm, wear lightweight gear, and hit the course as hard as a pro if you’re just comfortable!

• Helmet: New, just got this new Giro helmet for the trip so I could stop borrowing from my brother. It’s a simple white matte, size small. I’d suggest finding a snug fit. It leaves less room for head bopping should you take a tumble. And I do, a lot, so I speak from personal experience. If you’re worried about fitting a hat beneath it, consider wearing a Clava – lightweight, quick drying, and warm head/neck cover made specifically for this purpose.
• Goggles: From last season, I love my goggles. My sister also has a sick pair of ANON goggles that I love. You’d be surprised how many lens shades, strap colors, and fits there are available for women. Make sure you do your research before buying anything so then you know you have the best snowboarding goggles that are on the market.
• Jacket: Got this feminine snowboarding jacket at the Oakley outlet last season. Designed by pro female snowboarder, Gretchen Bleiler, it fits like a pea coat its lightweight, tightly woven fabric is as warm as any snow jacket I’ve ever tried. She has some newer Oakley snowboarding gear available now.

These are just the essentials. If you’re a serious snowboarder attending an event like the Freeride World Tour
you’ll definitely need some more kit. It’s important not to scrimp! You’ll also need some legit snow pants (mine are nearly a decade old from North Face and still warm as ever). I also use toe warmer packets inside my Burton boots. I find these help on open-air chair lifts. I can go into more specifics on warm snowboarding gear for the ladies in another detailed post but I tried to hit on the major expenses here.

xoxo,

KMK