From its earliest days, ski culture has been marked by the free-wielding, adventurous spirit of those who want to push against the grind. That can be embodied in the apparel a skier or boarder wears, with their fashion as much of a statement as their technique. Yet in a time when consumers are constantly hit with messages about buying the newest and greatest gear from big name brands, is the culture losing its edge? In recent years, some skiers say being more intentional with their clothing choice has helped them better display their personality — and reignited their passion for the sport within themselves and others.
“I was always into fashion as a kid, but I never found that outdoor apparel related to my fashion sense,” said Anna “Teddy” Tedstrom, who grew up near Vail and now owns her own ski fashion line . “I never felt that ski fashion embodied the way that I felt or made me feel confident in the things that I was finding.” That began to change when Tedstrom, a competitive skier from ages 8 to 18, moved to New York City to attend design school.
During a trip back to Colorado over winter break, she joined a group of friends for a ski outing, with everyone donning a pair of their parents’ ski onesies from the 1980s. With her friends all at different experience levels, skiing was more of a challenge for some. Tedstrom said the onesies were a way of making the trip more fun.
“The outfits made us feel more confident and distracted from feeling scared,” Ted.