Add more style + cool tunes to your winter workout!
You have no excuse to wait until warmer days to kickstart your workout. Why? Because I'm about to tell you how to spark your ski-style with some very luxe gear! Bamboo ski poles and a silky headphone-headband might not be your typical ski attire but we're totally loving them here at MizzFIT! And the best part is that we're giving one of these luxe items away! All you have to do is Follow me on Facebook and leave a comment on this article (keep reading for details). I promise you it's worth it!
(1) SOUL POLES
After checking out these gorgeous ski poles that were featured in Vogue Magazine, I was excited to talk to Bryon Friedman, the founder and owner of Soul Poles. His philosophy is that skiing is soulful and should be expressed in all aspects of your experience including your ski poles. He decided to create these stylish, high performance ski poles out of bamboo and recycled materials after witnessing during his years spent as a US. Ski Team racer, all the ski equipment made of environmentally detrimental plastic and metal being thrown away. He thought, “Why not make equipment out of bamboo which is one of the fastest renewable resources on the planet”. In fact, ski poles back in the day were actually made out of bamboo.
Although most Americans view bamboo as a design piece, it was surprising and exciting to learn that these bamboo poles aren’t just gorgeous and eco-friendly but they are 25% stronger than aluminum poles. Due to their high performance functionality, they are used by some top name skiers including Alex Schlopy, Tatum Monod, Reggie Crist and Zach Halverson.
Style is just as important as sustainability for Bryon Friedman and the Soul Poles team. That’s why they teamed up with the acclaimed artist R. Nelson Parrish to create Limited Edition poles every year.
> THIS IS AN AMAZING GIVEAWAY!! WIN A PAIR OF SOUL POLES <
We love this company's commitment to creating such fashionable, functional and eco-friendly gear...so much that we want a Musique reader to get lucky in luxe this winter and win a pair of Soul Poles to accentuate their ski style. We are giving away one set of Soul Poles to whoever follows me on the Musique Facebook Page and comments below at the end of this article with the most inspiring description of their best skiing experience. So make sure to do that in the comments section below!!!
Molami headphones and earphones achieve a major fitness fashion feat: they get you working out to your fave tunes while sneaking in some major style points. Molami accessories are designed with form and function in mind. Industrial designer Maria von Euler created these headphones to suit the feminine silhouette unlike most clunky headphones you see. Molami headphones and earphones come in white and black featuring gold, silver and silk accents. This is what I call luxurious workout style!
A Freeskier Weighs In On Music & Style
I talked to freeskier Rosalind Groenewoud (known as Roz G), one of the top freeskiers in the world, about how she gets amped up and styled to ski. Her name should be on your radar because she's aiming for the 2014 Winter Olympics team where the freeskiing competition will be included for the first time EVER.
In December of 2011, Roz finished 3rd in the women’s half pipe at the Dew Tour in Breckenridge, Colorado and to top it all off, she's the 1st female freeskier to get a Target sponsorship (hence the logo on her hat).
Photo by Jordan Loyd Photography
Here's what she shared with me about her world champion style:
ME: What are your go-to songs for getting pumped up to compete?
Roz: I have a ritual group of songs that I play on competition days. (It has changed over the years but usually doesn’t change during the competition season.) Before I start skiing, I listen to music for particular lyrics. The lyrics in Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” like “Success is the only m***f**ng* option” make me feel fierce. As soon as I get on my skis, I want a strong beat. A long time favorite has been Dr. Dre “Still Dre”.
ME: Do you listen to music when you ski and what sort of music gear do you use on the slopes?
Roz: I am loving my new Monster iSport ear buds. They stay in my ears while I am skiing (and fit easily under my goggles and helmet) and working out, plus are comfortable and the sound quality is awesome. My iPod is loaded with all kinds of music so I can mix it up as needed.
ME: Compared to other skiers, I see that freeskiers have to wear loose and baggier clothing but those styles have come a long way for women. How do you dress?
Roz: Fashion for free skiing has changed and evolved, just like all fashion. The clothes used to be extra baggy (and some still wear that look) but it has gotten more trim. I guess it has followed the fashion for young people generally – for example, jeans used to be super baggy 10 years ago and now they have become quite skinny. Some of my competitors are now wearing very skinny ski pants. We often joke amongst ourselves that we need to look good in order to ski well. I am currently wearing a Spyder outfit that is gold and black. It is unique, which is always really important to me.
ME: For our readers getting excited to hit the slopes this season and participate in other outdoor wintertime sports, do you have any insider ski champion tips on how to stay warm and still look cool?
Roz: Wear base layers made of “technical” fabric that keeps you warm and dry. They make a huge difference and there are many choices of styles and colors...Don’t ski in jeans (even though a few professionals do!) as they’ll hold onto the snow if you fall or are skiing in powder. I like to layer under my ski suit so I can adjust if the weather warms up or I’m doing a lot of hiking. I think the Spyder ski suits are really attractive plus they are functional and long lasting. If you really feel the cold, investigate electric boot warmers and electric gloves – they are expensive but make the difference for some people.
ME: I noticed in a lot of your photos that you love red lipstick. Do you have a favorite makeup brand? What's your opinion about wearing makeup when you compete or exercise?
Roz: I always wear some specific makeup when I compete – on competition morning, I love forcing my heart rate to slow down enough to draw a clean line of eyeliner. It has become one of my pre-competition rituals to put on red lipstick. My favorite red lipstick right now is from Makeup Forever (color: Moulin Rouge) and my favorite lip gloss is Vincent Longo (any/all of the red shades) because they aren’t sticky on my lips.
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Soooooo, What Do You Think?
Into the luxe gear I'm feelin'? Inspired by Roz G? Itching for a new pair of ski poles? Enter my Soul Poles giveaway because I'm picking a winner on February 1st, 2013. And please, don't be shy! Shout at me on Facebook & Twitter. Excited to hear your thoughts!
Don't Forget 2 Enter The Giveaway (scroll up for details on how to enter!)