What’s Better than One Girl Dropping In?

3 girls drop in

What’s better than one girl dropping in?  That’s easy – more than one girl dropping in is even better.

Jannicaback shared this picture from a ramp in Umea.  And if you don’t know where Umea is – you’re not alone I had to google it.  Umea is in Sweden.

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This blog and its Instagram are all about more girls skateboarding because they see girls skateboarding and having fun.  I’m always inspired by the number of real skater girls I see around the world.  And by real I mean on a skateboard because they want to be not because it’s a prop in a photo shoot.

Skateboarding popularity goes in trends and we are on an upswing now – I hope it levels out high because I believe skateboarding at any level on any board is good for the mind and body.  Skateboard because it’s fun and skate with people who skate just because it’s fun.

Fun is always in style!  Doing things just because they are “popular” not so stylish.  So till next time keep it stylish on & off the board!

What Were You Wearing at Your First Skateboard Lesson

stripes lesson 1

What were you wearing at your first skateboard lesson?  I actually don’t know what I was wearing – but I know Faeryn was wearing stripes thank to amythebrat for sharing.

There are people who think skateboarding shouldn’t be taught.  I respect their opinion and maybe for them it’s true – I know you can be an incredible skater without taking lessons.  But if you have the opportunity for lessons – why not?

I totally believe in positive vibes & doing better at something because someone is encouraging you – someone who’s been there, done that, and knows you’ll live!

The other part of the story I love – Faeryn wanted to try skateboarding because she watched big kids around the county!  Please keep sharing your pictures and stories – someone might not have “neighbors” to see skateboarding but they can see you in this blog & be inspired to give it a try themselves.

 

 

Where does Skateboarding Take You?

longboard travels

A skateboard is transportation – it’s actually the best transportation for the beach & school – no worries on parking & you can take it with you to keep it safe.

Tay_abeyta shares this picture with the caption I love where longboarding takes me.  I agree skating has taken me to places where I never would have gone or even known about.  I haven’t traveled to all the places I’ve blogged about – or even to Colorado where this picture is from – I have seen the beauty out there in the world – thanks skateboarding for opening my horizons.

Traveling and/or knowing about the world is stylish on & off the board.  Keep sharing where you go with your skateboard!

Big Concrete Skateparks & Amazing Skater Girls in Texas

vert wall

When I think of a vert ramp – I think wood – Jordan aka extremelife2003 has opened my eyes by sharing this picture of North Houston Skatepark which used to be called Spring Skatepark.

Things really are big in Texas because there’s another large vert ramp at the Downtown Skatepark known as the Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark

Jordan started skateboarding when she met Christian Hosoi for the first time when she was 5 years old.   On her first day, Christian Hosoi was so awesome to ask everyone to step out of the bowl so that he could take her by the hands and roll her back and forth in the bowl.
holding hands
Jordan’s mom Israel says “It all started when I saw Christian Hosoi ‘s documentary on Showtime Rising Son, “The Legend of Skateboarder Christian Hosoi”, a very moving documentary that any skateboarder should see. I was so moved and inspired by his documentary that I told myself that I just had to meet him, and bring him to Houston, Texas to share his story.  It took a while to get him to Houston because Christian was so much in demand then and even now. Since then, Jordan and Christian share a special friendship, he as a mentor for a little girl who aspires to one day be the female version of Christian Hosoi. As you can tell by her wardrobe style. Lol!”

Thanks to Christian’s teaching and watching his video’s – Jordan now loves airs just like him.
One of the biggest compliments that we get is when people ask me when they see her skate, “how old is he?”  And when I answer that Jordan is a she, they say, but she skates like a boy!  And I say “yes she does”!  Israel

hoisoi3

I feel blessed that Jordan and her supportive mom Israel shared these pictures and her story with us.  Where are you skateboarding?  More girls do skateboard as they see girls skateboarding!

I’m actually going to meet Jordan when she comes to EXPOSURE Skate 2015 in Encinitas, CA her board sponsor Hosoi Skateboards is a Silver Sponsor – who else is coming on November 7th?  Whether you’re coming or not share your skate pictures because #girlscanskate!

UPDATED 5/20/16

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Engineer & Skateboarder

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charz1995 – Charolette is a civil engineer, photographer & skateboarder – love to see girls being who they want to be.  It’s so inspiring to see others succeed at their dreams.

Definitely take the time to check out her IG where she encourages other skater girls.

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Gloria’s quote is just one of the powerful quotes by women on the Red Shoe Movement.

I totally agree – successful women encourage each other – what are you doing to encourage more girls to skateboard for fun & keep it stylish on and off the board?

 

Active Ride Shop for Girls ?????

active is

But did you know you can shop Active Ride Shop for girls clothes. For real – I had the pleasure of meeting Eric from Active when they brought a vert ramp for the Super Girl Event in Oceanside. He brought prizes for the girls riding vert – pieces from the Active collection for girls.

As a fashionista I had to follow the source to see what other treasures Active has. First stop the website – where I found super cute accessories – especially the socks.

active womens online

But tanks – Eric had come bearing stylish Active tanks so to the store I went. The first Active store started in 1989 in Chino, California – today there are over 25 store locations.

active store locations

I went to the Escondido store where on a rainy October day I met Lexi Villar, the Assistant Store Manager – the girl in the know about all clothes Active. She’s been with Active for over five years at several locations and she’s seen the growth of Active & Active’s girls selection.

In addition to what’s on-line, the stores carry a various assortment of on point clothes from the brands we all love like: Brixton, Herschel, Obey, RVCA, Volcom to brands that I’m just starting to learn about and fall in love with like: Dark Seas, Flying Monkeys, and Jolie. Plus Active has its own full line of clothing: graphic tees, sweaters, button-ups, socks, hats & the tanks I saw at Super Girl.

This is wonderful both for the selection and affordability. I don’t ever like to think money when I’m putting an outfit together – but it’s nice to know that Active has something for everyone’s budget & that everything looks current and works together.

Speaking of working together – Lexi & I challenged ourselves to come up with two outfits – one that could go from school to skate park (it is school time) and one that’s a little dressier.

Outfit One – school to skate park – Lexi did this one and she had an emphasis on layering – the San Diego weather has been running hot, but that day it was raining plus it’s always best to be prepared.

 

lexy outfit

This outfit really is set up to be more than one outfit and its pieces easily coordinate with hundreds of other items.

To begin with it has the Brixton Wesley fedora in olive black. Yes, the beanie is a staple in everyone’s wardrobe but for this season add a fedora & mix it up.

Then comes the button back sweater/cardigan by Jack – a name I was introduced to and very impressed with. Going under we find the desert coast plaid shirt by Volcom – ‘tis the season must have some flannel in the closet – this one is perfect because of its colors. And finally the RVCA tonal jersey high neck tank, which if it’s hot outside is perfect by itself.

De stressed skinny blue jeans by Flying Monkeys and Converse shoes in sumner gray complete the look. If you go right now these Converse are such a steal – the store was filled with great prices, sales, and steals like these shoes.

Definitely take the time to sign up for their e-mails and follow them on social media. I recommend following both the main Active & the one closest to you – just today I saw this from Active Escondido.

active escondido ig

Instagram alerts you to sales, discounts, new product arrivals, and in store events. Like when your favorite pros are going to be there.

active riley

So definitely worth your while to follow and I’ve got to follow up with Eric so I can cover the in store events. The skatingfashionista after all is about skateboarding for fun, keeping it stylish & reporting the news!

Now on to Outfit Two – a little dressier maybe you have a presentation or a job or there’s really no wrong reason to dress up – if you like it and it fits wear it.

active outfit 2

The top is Volcom’s grey free to crew – that lends itself to adding the RVCA tonal jersey high neck tank from Outfit 1 or any of hundreds of tees under it and the bottom is Lira pants with a black pattern. Shoes are simple Toms in ash canvas – which looks good and lets you give back with every purchase.

What I found when putting these outfits together were all the amazing and affordable accessories Active offers. It’s the perfect place to stop in and pick something up to make an old outfit new or gift shopping (better to give than receive).

accessories

In this picture just a few of the finds: a purple Neff beanie, a Hershel backpack with blue print, Active women’s crew pink socks plus the cutest socks in the store Active’s o’deer crew, and Triple 7s black chain fringe cross body bag.

Plus because it’s October – Breast Cancer Awareness Month – Active has teamed up with B4BC Boarding for Breast Cancer to offer pink items.

b4bc

The pink crew socks are just one item in the collection. For every item purchased from the Active/B4BC collection Active donates $2 to B4BC. The goal for the month is to raise 30,000 dollars – for more details definitely check out the site.

Included in the Active/B4BC collection is a Lock Up Pink Deck – which got Lexi and I on the topic of skateboards. Active offers everything from Penny Boards to complete customized set ups. They really have expert advice and there’s no charge to build any board.

build boards

The smallest deck Lexi had was a 7.5 deck but sometimes around the holidays they even have 7s. And if it’s an item carried in any other Active store or on-line – you can have it shipped for free to your Active store. Which is extremely helpful if you’re a girl because the flagships stores may carry more girl items – but why drive around when you can have it shipped right to your store for free.

As to knowing what the flagships stores might have – here’s an insider’s tip from Lexi ask your store for the Look Book.

active look book

Look Books for girls are published regularly. I just took a pic of my favorite page from the Women’s Fall 2015. Plus product arrives regularly at all store locations – Lexi was expecting another shipment of fall finds the next day.

After my fabulous visit, I plan on being a regular at the Escondido Active – loved the styles & Lexi. And I have a feeling you’ll see Active doing more and more for girls. They are a Bowl Sponsor for EXPOSURE Skate 2015 – coming up on November 7th at the new Encinitas Community Park. EXPOSURE Skate is a non-profit that donates all proceeds to support survivors of domestic violence – I’m truly thrilled that Active is a partner. I’ll be at the event helping in the free Learn to Skate Clinic and can’t wait to see Eric again.

Till next time – keep skateboarding for fun & keep it stylish on & off the board.

Skatingfashionista

xoxo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Helping Someone with Their First Step on a Skateboard

2 on a board

I love skateboarding for fun and I love sharing skateboarding.  Thanks valeriakechichian for sharing skateboarding and this picture.

I’ve probably said it a million times but it never gets old More Girls Skateboard when they see Girls Skateboarding & we Encourage each other!

Valeria Kechichian is Longboard Girls Crew CEO and TedX Speaker. She definitely supports women in action sports & I find her super inspiring.  Keep being stylish on & off the board Valeria – I know you’re inspiring lots of other girls to do the same!

From Italy

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Beautiful hill could be anywhere – but this hill is in Florence Italy.  Mckaywilsonskate took her board and went on an adventure.  Photo credits to Tommaso Orlandi.

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That’s right if you’re going to travel – travel in style with your board.  I recommend taking your skateboard as a carry on – it’s too precious to risk on the carousel of suitcase bumper cars.

More girl skate when they see girls skateboarding so where are you having fun with your skateboard?????

Sunset Skates in South Africa

friends tag both

Of all the types of skateboarding there are – cruising with a friend at sunset has to be one of the most beautiful.

Thanks to Carly & her friend Sarah for sharing this beautiful shot in South Africa.  More girls skateboard when they see girls skateboarding – I appreciate the shared pictures and encourage all skater girls to tag me or e-mail me – let’s see where you are keeping it stylish on & off the board.

Kellawggs – strange word for a wonderful new community

Kellawggs Supply Co is just a teeny tiny brand from Boston with two peeps (Erie & Dori) and a corgi named Aslan (the real worker). Together they want to build a community in #inpursuitofunicorns and support rad causes.

This bat is their logo & I interviewed Erie to find out more about unicorn chasing & giving back.

kellawggs logo

 

SF: What does Kellawggs stand for?

It’s embarrassing to admit, but the name Kellawggs is just a shake at the cereal (and it’s the name of the unicorn). It’s not such a surprise if you know me. I’m all about cartoons, children’s books, and yeah, colorful cereal.

kellawggs unicorn

SF: Love that you encourage people to “pursue your unicorn . . . ”  what’s your unicorn?

This whole brand. I’ve got little to gain and a lot to lose. When a dear friend told me what a bad idea they thought it was, I knew then I had to pursue it. They weren’t wrong, it is crazy. It is scary. But your happy place is outside of your comfort zone. You’ve got to choose.

SF: You’re making a generous donation of product to EXPOSURE Skate – why?

You can’t live life in one spot, you just can’t, but sometimes people need a push. Or even just a little inspiration, like the kind EXPOSURE Skate provides in spades. I can’t skate like those girls but I can help them inspire more girls.

SF: Why did you start to skate and where do you skate?

My friend Dori got me on a skateboard some years back, and suddenly I had this daily dose of freedom and inspiration that I needed to just do it (sorry, Nike).

Boston has a strong skate scene, but I mostly keep to myself. I’m probably a contender for world’s worst skater–which I have no problem admitting–but I cruise to work really early in the morning when the city is still asleep and the sun is just waking up. That feeling defines skating for me personally.

SF: You mentioned selling out of your skate decks by word of mouth – was it literally selling them out of your garage?

It would be an exaggeration to even call Kellawggs a garage operation. More like a bedroom closet operation. I did set aside a number of decks to donate. The rest were given to friends and friends of friends, or quietly sold on craigslist below cost, just to get that unicorn out there. Those were pretty standard decks with as minimal a design as you could get, but people liked it. We are excited to be stepping up to a way more rad manufacturer for our next run of board designs, but there’s no eta on those yet.

If I can let you in on a little secret . . . Aslan actually does all the work. He’s magical. Dori let’s us know whether she thinks it’s tight or not. I just pay the bills. That’s the team, for now.

kellwgs decks

SF: What are your hopes for the brand?

My hopes for the brand are modest. I would be happy if we could break even, if the brand could sustain itself, while supporting a larger cause.

I really want he brand to support a something. It’s always been important to me to support something – give back. That new-old-stock “smile more” sticker with the lion on it was originally silkscreened for an art show I had almost a decade ago, and right on the backing: “proceeds to charity.” That time I supported an animal rehabilitation center.

If you don’t stand for something, just sit down?

If it does well, if my silly cartoons and whack calligraphy somehow resonate with people, all the better. I need to contribute something, though.

SF: Where can people see & get your goods?

You can find us at http://shop.kellawggs.com/products or on Instagram.

kllwgs insta

SF:  Will you be able to make it to the EXPOSURE Skate November 7th event in Encinitas, CA?  How did you find out about it?

October-December is killer at my day job. Sadly, I won’t likely be able to make it to the event, which is part of why I decided to donate boards instead of sponsoring. I really wanted to do a sponsorship and be there – if anything changes I will definitely come.

kellawggs soft goods

If you want to learn and see more about Kellawggs look for an upcoming post in @folkmagazine which will have information on how Keallwggs is giving one shirt to a local women’s shelter for every shirt or hat sold during the month.  Or come to EXPOSURE Skate on November 7th in Encinitas,CA where the beautiful Kellawggs decks will go to some lucky winners.

Seriously if you’re looking for a cute gift for the fashionista in your life – who might already have everything – but really never has enough consider buying something from Kellawggs – a company who cares about everyone having clean clothes for the winter is a company worth caring about!

skatingfashionista

xoxo