The slippery slope of stylish skiing

Everyday we are meant to do something which scares us, and in less than a week this will certainly be true, as I will be stepping onto the French Alps snow for my taste of skiing. And at the age of 23 it is safe to say that I am terrified. Gone are my fearless childhood days where a spot of skiing would be a piece of cake, instead I imagine myself reinacting the scene in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason – for those of you who have seen it you’ll understand what I am referring to.

Therefore, I decided that if I am not going to look like a professional skiing, then I will try and blend in with them with my stylish skiing wear. However, being a novice, I realised early on in my quest that I had no real clue of what I need to wear, and for the first time in my life I felt somewhat apprehensive about shopping, and it dawned on me that for once comfort and warmth would not be sacrificed for style.

I was suddenly met with terminology I had never heard of before. Lightweight wicking fabrics, layering systems, venting zips, wrist gaiters and powder skirts were all being thrown at me, and I suddenly wished for Harry Potter’s floo powder to teleport me back to the safe realms of Oxford Street. So to ensure you don’t have to go through this overwhelming nauseating experience, here are Semple’s best picks for staying dry, warm yet suitably stylish on the slopes.

Base layer

If there is one thing I have learnt, these are key to staying dry and therefore warm. Look out for man-made fabrics such as wool, polyester and even bamboo, and as no-one is going to see these, looking stylish can definitely be thrown out the window. Semple recommend Helly Hansen for all your base layer needs.

Midlayers

Although I felt like I was going to die from overheating in the shop, I know that by wearing lots of layers will keep me snug on the slopes. The North Face are renowned for their outerwear and they even do fleeces in feminine colours, which made my day.

The Jacket

For me this was the most important item of clothing, and one which I wanted to look good in, as well as keep me warm. A high collar was definitely on my checklist as I wanted something to pull up around my chin on those extra chilly days, and I was surprised by how much choice I had. My favourite was Columbia’s millenium blur stretch jacket, although unfortunately my bank balance couldn’t stretch enough for this purple beauty.

Trousers

The best piece of advice I can give, is that these must be waterproof. The last thing you want is to be cold and wet as I know that this would put me off skiing altogether, which is why I have gone with Scot Women’s Academy Pant. These are waterproof, breathable, provide insulation and also happen to come in pink, which will go perfectly with the jacket.

I will be hiring my goggles, boots, helmet and the all important skis which means that I am now as ready as I will ever be to hit the slopes. Stay tuned for lots of snowy instagram pictures and a follow-up blog post on my first time skiing experience.

And fingers crossed, in no time at all, this will be me…

By Hattie Lee