How to look cool on the slopes

Do you look cool when you’re skiing?

..OR have you got all the gear and no idea? Does your skiing style lack a little ‘je ne sais quoi?’  Hopefully these tips will help you look the part on your next ski holiday!

Carry your skis properly

Looking cool on the slopes starts before you get to the slopes. When you walk to the chairlift it’s very important to carry your skis properly. Over your shoulder with the tips facing forward is the only way… and it’s the easiest.

Don’t carry them under one arm or in-front of you across both arms, because your arms will get tired very quickly and you will show everyone you’re a complete novice – perfectly illustrated here by Bridget Jones.

Don’t use snowblades.. (like ever)

I am sure you have seen them, the little skis only about 2 foot long. If you think they look fun – think again because all of your friends will laugh at you. They are not big, clever or cool. They are also not very good for your skiing technique. Because they are so small:

• You won’t have your body weight in the right position
• You don’t learn how to use the edges of your skies when turning
• You won’t be able to ski fast or jump big because they are unstable and have a small surface area
• You won’t ever be cool, ever again

(I think that point has been well made now.. let’s move on)

The schuss

Anyone who has been skiing has tried the schuss – it’s when you bend down low like a downhill ski racer and go as fast as you can usually in a straight line. However the biggest mistake most people make is to have their hands too close to their body and their ski poles pointing right up in the air. This is one of the most serious ski crimes and it doesn’t make you go any faster.

What you need to do is bend at the knees and the waist, put your arms in front of you and keep your poles horizontal and tucked into your body. Think streamed lined…super fast, super cool.

Helmet + sunglasses = NO!

We all know that it’s very important to be safe and wear a helmet… and we agree helmets are very cool however many holiday makers think it’s a good look to wear a helmet with sunglasses. I’m afraid to tell you that actually well it’s just not and never will be.  More importantly goggles provide better protection and safety if you are skiing fast or have a crash.  Just pop your sunglasses in your pocket for lunchtime if you so wish.

Ski in control

A lot of people like to ski fast; the adrenaline, the speed, the wind in your hair, its great fun and feels really good. But this is only possible when it’s safe. The slopes can get crowded during the school holidays and there are skiers of different abilities, so you must ski within your abilities and control your speed depending on the conditions and the crowds. Quite clearly, crashing into other people is not cool.

Salopettes OVER your ski boots

We will talk more about ski fashion later however one of the biggest faux pas’ on the ski slopes is to have the bottom of your salopettes sitting above your ski boots. There is no need for this and it’s technically incorrect. All salopettes come with an inner elasticated section, which is designed to go over your ski boots; this is to keep the snow from going down your boots and making your feet wet and cold.  So do the right thing and pull them down!

Standing up

Everyone falls over when they ski especially when learning, but that’s not the problem. Getting back up while keeping some level of style is the difficult bit. There are many wrong ways to try and get up and they generally all end up with you falling down again or sliding down the slope on a combination of bum and skis.

So what you need to do is simple – swivel your whole body and skis around so that your skis are below you and horizontal to the slope. Then push up off the snow with your uphill arm. Hey presto, up in style.

Zip it up!

When you go skiing later in the season (March and April) it can actually get pretty warm especially in the afternoons. So you may think it’s a good idea to unzip your jacket – well it’s not a good idea for two reasons:

• It doesn’t look cool skiing with your jacket flapping in the wind. No matter how good you ski you always look out of control.
• Your ski jacket gives you a lot of protection if you fall. Ski jacket material is pretty tough so if you have a fall it will seriously reduce the risk of scratching your body up.

Don’t wear fancy dress

Unless you are a student or on a stag/ hen do please don’t wear fancy dress on the slopes. It’s not coooool (full stop).

All in one?

Ski fashion does change a bit from year to year but that doesn’t mean you have to buy a new outfit each season. Most ski clothing is pretty cool these days so we recommend one golden rule. Don’t wear your parents old all in one from the 70s or 80s.   They look hideous with ghastly colours and patterns… if you don’t agree that’s fine but think about the facts;

• Clothing technology has moved on a lot in the last 20 years so more modern fabrics will keep you warmer and dryer
• Going to the toilet wearing all in one = awkward!

(please note the above photo was indeed taken at a hen do)

Have some lessons

If you want to look good on the slopes you need to be able to ski – Fact.  So we recommend getting some ski lessons with a really good instructor.

And for the coolest choice of accommodation in Chatel, check out NINE & TENNE’s premium collection of luxury ski chalets.