Stylin’ on the slopes

Don’t let the cold fool you – The white snow on the ski hills is a perfect canvass for a fashion show. But whether those carefully chosen outfits are practical is another matter. “The young kids drive the style,” said Rick Brown, formerly an employee at the now-defunct Lou Lou’s Ski Shop in Spokane and currently the director of the ski school at 49 Degrees North. Ski and snowboard fashions are a slowly evolving cycle. This year, jackets, pants and even goggles featuring printed patterns like plaids or argyles are popular, Brown said. The latest fashions are, not surprisingly, found at some of the more upscale resorts, but many locals have their own unique style on the slopes. Donning a red Santa hat with leopard print fringe, a denim work jacket, camouflage hunting pants and leather work gloves, Scott Austin said, “This is what happens when someone takes your snowboarding stuff out of the car overnight.” Austin, a 42-year-old worker at Spokane Tin and Sheet Iron and a self-proclaimed “snowboarder extraordinaire,” said he could care less what he wears, just as long as he is having fun – and staying warm. That attitude is common among more aged skiers, Brown said. “With the kids, it’s more style than technical,” he said. “The adults want both.”