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Ski and snowboarding

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Ski pants vs salopettes?

21 replies

clam · 09/01/2012 17:31

OK, so I'm a little fat wide around the beam and padded salopettes don't exactly help. Was wondering if ski pants would look better, but the pair I tried on don't have those gaiter (?) things inside the trouser to stop snow going up your legs. Is this standard? And are they as warm as salopettes?
Or should I just accept I'm never going to look as stylish on the slopes as I would wish unless I lose a few stone and squeeze back into the frumpy things I've been wearing for a few years now.

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deste · 09/01/2012 20:05

I bought the Lidl ones and to be honest I never checked if they have the gaiters inside. I think they do make you look slimmer. If you can find them they were only £17.99 so a good price. They were selling them last week.

clam · 09/01/2012 21:09

Just wondering where my nearest Lidl would be. I was looking in TKMaxx.

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deste · 09/01/2012 22:59

TK Maxx are good as well, I got my salopettes there.

PattiMayor · 09/01/2012 23:02

I got ski pants with gaiters from Tchibo (RIP). TBH, you don't really need gaiters nowadays unless you're doing off piste because ski boots come so far up your shins and pistes are so well groomed.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 10/01/2012 10:06

I like salopettes to keep them up and keep the draughts out Grin.

They don't have to be bulky to keep you warm, you just end up spending a bit more to get more warm, slimmer fitting ones ime

ujjayi · 10/01/2012 11:53

Clam I am in awe of your attention to bum size on the piste. I am so focussed on keeping upright and out of everyone's way that "does my bum look big in this?" is the least of my worries :o

AlpinePony · 10/01/2012 12:03

The trouble with 'pants' is that rather than make you not stand out, people will stare because you'll look like a throwback to Italian piste fashion circa 1987. Not a good look, really!

Wear salopettes and ski hard so you tone up. :)

Pants are a crappy optical illusion, e.g., like when they say if you've got a big bum to wear jeans with no back pockets? Total fail, people stare more because you look weird.

If you want to look prettier, make sure your jacket falls on your hip, not your saddlebag, wear colour, a touch of make-up and avoid hat/helmet wear - I.e., be ready to pull your hair back in to a pretty pony-tail at lunch.

AlpinePony · 10/01/2012 12:04

Hat/helmet hair, not wear!

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 10/01/2012 13:14

Just came back from Courchevel where there were some very glamorous yumski mumskis in ski pants. Wanna buy some, did not want to pay oligarch pries in Courchevel but can't find any online...

LieInsAreRarerThanTigers · 10/01/2012 13:33

Debenhams sale has some black ones - just ordered some online for my dd.

clam · 10/01/2012 15:06

Am afraid that it's not a question of "does my bum look big in this?"^ We're talking eclipse of the sun size!
Can't do ponytails - hair a bit too short and doesn't "sit right" off the face like that anyway. But I do the colours thing OK, with the right shade of jacket and snood/scarf, lippy etc.. nice hat (ooh, in fact, followed the link on here a few weeks back for one of those fur helmet covers - too vain to wear a helmet otherwise).
Will take a look at Debenhams site...

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MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 10/01/2012 16:57

just went on the debenhams site - no longer showing Sad

clam · 10/01/2012 18:04

Story of my life, MrsGuy!
Will keep on with the fitness regime and see if I can shift a bit more in the next few weeks.
Have the current Snow & Rock brochure here. Lovely stuff, but a tad more expensive than Lidl, I think!

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ujjayi · 10/01/2012 19:42

Clam - are the fur helmet covers good then? Have been coveting one in the hope it would bestow a little piste-chic upon my ski helmet but am concerned I might actually look like a mushroom instead Hmm

clam · 10/01/2012 21:47

Hmm, well, I am in possession of the cover (courtesy DH, Xmas) but haven't actually tried it on a helmet yet as I don't own one! Will either borrow or hire one.
And oh dear! Mine is mushroom-coloured as well. Blush

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MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 11/01/2012 19:24

hmm - quite fancy that cover idea. Have had a helmet for a coupla years, since I fell over on my head, twice, and DH read about Natasha (Richardson ???) Sad and insisted. Now seems natural to wear, and keep my head warm.

Shoutymomma · 11/01/2012 19:32

There'll be no Swiss chic for me in a few weeks; I'll be bulky, hair like the bride of frankenstein, bimbling along like a London bus and, braving the occasional red having a fucking marvellous time.

FannyBazaar · 12/01/2012 20:19

I coveted the helmet cosie but at the end of the day I couldn't bring myself to part with £40 for a hat that I'd wear for one week of the year. I did however manage to stretch a large knitted furry yarn type hat over my helmet. It worked, I was complimented on my first morning on the slopes and it did have that is it a hat?/is it a helmet? look. DS said he would spot me on the slopes because I had 'the best hat'. That'll do me.

clam · 12/01/2012 20:45

London bus! Grin That's exactly me, too!

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PigletJohn · 24/01/2012 17:05

salopettes will be warmer and more snow resistant if you should ever have the misfortune to fall over

IMO ski pants are only suitable for the trimmer bum.

clam · 24/01/2012 19:31

Well, that's me out then.
But anyway, I've found that I can still fit into the old salopettes anyway, so will make do for another year.

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