Men’s Skiwear: How to look Stylish on the Slope and What to Pack
With ski season well and truly underway, we sat down with our resident stylish skier (Philip Start, obviously) to talk about dressing to perfection on the pistes.
Did he have any wise words for us on his return from Cervinia this past week? Well, no. Men’s Skiwear can be pretty boring, and — much like a lot of men’s fashion — moves at a glacial pace. The ‘snowboarder’ look has been around for what feels like a lifetime, and the neon-coloured ‘retro’ look has had a bit of a revival in recent year.
That doesn’t mean you can’t have stylish skiwear, though. We corned Mr. Start himself for some tips to help you conquer the slopes in style.
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On-the-Slope Style
I wear a deep red North Face special edition jacket — I think it’s a good mix of practicality (it’s made from Gore-Tex… it’s suitable for all weather conditions...) and looks rather nice as well. If you ski regularly then jackets should be seen as a bit of an investment; I bought mine in Tignes ten years ago and it’s still going strong.
You can make a bit of a statement with a jacket. I pair mine with a pair of understated grey North Face salopettes (long johns underneath as well, of course) and some grey Salomon boots to complete the look.
The more layers, the better — on my last trip, I went for a Mr. Start merino jumper under my jacket, with thermal layers underneath.
The golden rule for creating a stylish skiwear look is to keep it simple. A loud jacket (so no-one ploughs into you during a whiteout…) with a pair of plain trousers is all it takes to look sharp.
Packing Tips
Well, you rarely have enough room for all your stuff, but bulky skiing clothes definitely come first. If you’re like me and like to go to the gym for stretching and warming down after a long day skiing (we’re on the first lift up at 7 am — no exceptions), then taking gym gear is essential.
And then there’s après-ski...
Dressing for Après
These days, après-ski consists of a nice dinner and a good night’s sleep, but even if your evening is a little heavier than that, you still need a decent dress code for the evening.
I usually pack two pairs of easy trousers — a cotton trouser from Mr. Start, and Nike technical trousers for maximum comfort — alongside some warm roll necks. I also take my casual Mr. Start ‘Truman’ shirts, with cotton t-shirts as an extra layer (again… you can never have too many.)
No overcoat necessary, though. I usually take an Engineered Garments wool jacket as it’s a little easier to pack.
Don’t Forget the Accessories
When it comes to footwear, practicality is key. I go for Trickers suede boots and their signature Vibram sole for extra grip (icy roads, and all that.)
As always, my signature Cutler and Gross glasses come with me for reading, and a pair of their sunglasses too.
If you’re off skiing this season, make sure you follow Philip’s tips for looking sharp on the slopes. Born in 2002, Mr. Start is a Shoreditch menswear institution— if you’re looking for more men’s fashion insights, or shopping for a few of the pieces mentioned here, take a look at the rest of our blog or shop the collection online.
