SnowSphere's Snowboarding Fashion article causes stir

Published July 2007 

SnowSphere's recent article "Thugged Out and Fluoro: Snowboarding fashion gone mad " has caused quite a stir across the UK's online snowboarding communities. An opinionated and somewhat controversial article like this is designed to get people talking - and talk they did.

It was interesting for us at SnowSphere HQ to see how the different online snowboarding communities reacted to the article. Here's what they had to say:

Goneboarding.co.uk - an online snowboarding community which provided the shots to accompany the article were largely in agreement:

"Excellent article"
"Great read"
"Top read - echoes quite a few of my thoughts"
"I so f*ckin hate all that gangster crap on the slopes"

But it wasn't all good with one member posting his opinion that it was: "a right load of tosh".

A big thanks goes out to "Jibmonkey" who allowed us to use a picture of him in his yellow get-up and took the jokes about the Lifeboat Institution in good faith. Also thanks to "Lardtarget" who brought our attention to these snowboarding pants by Burton (pictured) - that are designed to look like they are falling down, but in actual fact, have a built in feature which prevents you from getting wet. Now that's a whole new article in itself…

Image
Burton's new design allows you to get the pants falling down look - without exposing your ass to the masses

The article also seemed to stike a chord with most members of SnowboardClub.co.uk - another large UK online snowboarding community:

"The guy speaks the truth"
"Lots of truth within"
"Here here! The man has a point. I don't care how gangster you look. It is blatantly obvious that most of the teens riding the domes are just spoilt little rich kids".

But again there was a flip side with other members in disagreement:

"I think he got out of the wrong side of bed."

And one member perhaps a little behind the times with their comment: "What's a doo-rag?".

However, our favourite comment from this forum was from "Speciallyblended" who said: "You can't put a price on steeeeeeez".

Powderroom.net - a snowboarding forum for the ladies had a fair bit to say on the subject:

"Well written" ,
"A good read. The last couple of paragraphs sum it up perfectly for me".
"An interesting article".

But some of the posters' comments clearly showed they had failed to properly read or fully understand the article:

"I think he's perched up there on his soap box and needs to come down with the rest of us"
"Stop worrying about silly stuff like what the kid in the lift line ahead is wearing".

Fear not girls, nobody's worrying.

An article like this is always going to ruffle some feathers but that's what also gets people thinking, talking and writing about it.

Park Princess "Tas" from Powderroom clearly did get the article, as her response to fellow forum members showed:

"Have I misread this article? The writer [is saying]…wear what you want, but speak with your snowboarding."

Tas - you got it spot on.

The bottom line, which some people appeared to miss, is that this article wasn't an attack on those who follow fashion, or an attempt to dictate what people should or shouldn't wear - it was simply an observation of the ironic and somewhat fickle nature of the fashion world (which goes way beyond the snowboard industry) - and how one minute we are mocking a certain look and the next we are wearing it ourselves.

It was also a comment on those who seem to put more time, energy and money into the snowboarding look, than actually snowboarding itself - and SnowSphere Magazine stands by this.

Here at SnowSphere Magazine, readers always have the "right to reply" so if anyone wants to write a well constructed reprisal article - get in touch, let us know your angle and we'd be happy to consider it for publication.

READ MORE SNOWSPHERE NEWS HERE

 
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