So Your First Skateboarding Experience Sucked

Skateboarding is fun.  Skateboarding also involves falling.  Believe me I don’t like falling.  If the first time you go skateboarding you fall it can be hard to try again – falling is not failing – even if it’s not the same day I encourage you to try again.

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Kaylabirddd shares this video and her story.

I have always wanted a skateboard but ever since I was little and had a bad accident with my brothers board I’ve been so afraid to get back on one but I’ve been wanting to learn for a few years now.  At work the other night I decided to grab one and just try riding around and I did it!  I’m so proud of myself you have no idea.  I was still a little scared but I was ecstatic!  So here is a crappy lame little video I put together of me riding it around.

Welcome back Kayla – there’s no such thing as a crappy lame little video – I’m glad you shared & like your bio.

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Gratitude is Always in Style – on & off the board

Gratitude is always in style and kintsugiyoga is a shining example.

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She captioned her video – Many thanks my friends!! I just wanted to thank everyone who helped me out with my longboard endeavors and liked my video. I didn’t make it past the final round but what’s important to me is that I tried. And even more important, all the time, love and effort everyone put in – y’all are amazing!

Thanks @pacifictribeskateboards for the opportunity. I wish the final three all the luck in the world. Keep on keepin on!

I also want to thank Pacific Tribe Skateboards for showing the world #girlscanskate – more girls do skate as they see girls skating.

 

Skateboarders Are Fierce – Especially the Girls

My friend cheetahzita, who I met when I first started blogged has released a film.  Fierce!

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Above a behind the scenes look of her film.  Below her summary:

This is a longboard project with a filmmaker & longboard shop in Thailand.  It’s a short lifestyle documentary of a longboard girl, free runner &  dancer.  My part is passion for longboarding and showing girls can downhill longboard.  The project’s name is “Fierce” supported by Volcom & Emerica brands from NY.LA shop in Thailand  My video will open at every NY.LA shop in Thailand

Productions was amazing it’s the first time I went downhill with a drone camera.   During production I had an accident on a steep hill,  my chin and left shoulder were hurt, but I’m okay and it was still fantastic & fun.   

It’s such a beautiful video on Vimeo production by Wise Lama Filmmaker – hope you check the video on Wise Lama Channels.

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Check out her film and know why she’s called cheetahzita!

BTW April 27th is her birthday – Happy Birthday cheetahzita

 

Skateboarding in South Africa

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Almost_larissa shares this picture of her skateboarding in Northcliff, Gauteng a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa.

I’m seeing a lot more girls skateboarding in South Africa – thanks to girlscanskate_sa – on a mission to get more ladies skating and longboardinggirlssa – promoting & connecting female long boarders across South Africa.   If you’re skating in South Africa or anywhere else please share because more girls skate when they see stylish girls skateboarding.

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Earth Day 2016 – with Etnies, Element & Active Ride

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Screen shot 2016-04-23 at 10.48.42 AMEarth Day 2016 – April 22nd – was a huge celebration at the Active Ride Shop in Costa Mesa.  It was the launch of the etnies x Element collaboration and I got to sit down with both skaters – Julian Davidson & Nick Garcia –  to chat about their new collections.

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Above I’m with Eric from Active Ride, Don from etnies, and my filmer Courtney.  I knew Courtney was a huge etnies fan (the IG gives it away) but I didn’t know she’d be there so I was super pumped because it meant I could blog & make videos.  Look below for links to the video. So yes to all those who wonder if I come to an event with a plan.  Nope,  I really go to events and what happens is what I blog about.  At least for me if you plan to much you lose spontaneity – I want to live and blog about the moment.

Both etnies & Element are environmentally conscious.  Five years ago, etnies started the Buy a Shoe, Plant a Tree reforestation project – 1 million trees later this new line will plant many more.  Starting with everyone who attended the launch.

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Yes – everyone, not just skaters, who turned out to the event received a Redwood sapling to plant .  Change starts with one person and really gets moving as more get involved.

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There was skating outside and inside the store.

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The Element No Board Left Behind was also going on.

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I’d heard about the No Board Left Behind but actually seeing it happen and watching people ride their new cruisers – super stylish.  It’s a program that’s good for the environment – recycle don’t add to a landfill plus it’s super good deal – you buy a new Element deck (which you needed anyway because your deck was thrashed) and Element reshapes your old deck plus gives you free wheels, trucks, bearings, & bolts.

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Above my last memory of the event – Julian thanking some skaters for stopping by.  I’m grateful to skate – immensely grateful to get to blog & share skateboarding and love that I continue to meet people with such positive vibes.

Julian has my favorite piece in the new collection – Jameson Bomber.

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And it looks like their favorites were the boards.

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Let me know what your favorites are.

Interviews with Julian & Nick

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nick

 

Women’s Longboard Camp

I take skateboard lessons because they’re fun and I go and help at camps because that’s fun.   Can you learn to skate on your own – sure, but why would you want to when you can skate with friends!

Here’s a camp that I feel has the right idea.

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The caption – We love what we do and we do it together!

I think that’s stylish on & off the board.  By the way the March camp was in Portugal, June will be Stuttgart, and August in France.  Traveling is super stylish with your board!

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Clothing that Speaks – Homebase Organics

No secret here – clothes are important to me both on & off the skateboard.  What I love about skateboarding is there is no uniform – so really it’s ok to skate in leggings or a skirt or whatever you look/feel good in.

Along my blogging journey I’ve made friends who also have a love for fashion.  One I did a post on was Jacky Wasserman – founder/designer of Beet X Beet – post 8/26/15.

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What intrigued me about Jacky is that she uses fashion to communicate her passion.  She’s a passionate vegan who let’s people know how she feels/thinks through her clothing line.

And now thru her I’ve been introduced to Home Base Organics.

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Home Base Organics is passionate about protecting endangered animals and giving individuals a way to do something about the extinction crisis. Our shirts are meant to spark conversation and spread awareness for these animals and the earth.

With a cause I can support – it was time to look at their clothes.

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I like the designs plus there’s options – colors – tee, tanks, etc.  When I spoke to Kirsten – the founder I found out that:

  • A Voice for the Animals: Each design is linked to a nonprofit organization that fights for the animals – WildAid, Cowspiracy, and The Xerces Society.
  • Eco-friendly: We use organic hemp and bamboo because our environmental impact is just as important to us as our cause. Our shirts work with the Earth, not against it.
  • Beautiful Designs: The intricacy of our hand-drawn designs is meant to reflect the complexity of these creatures.
  • 100% Cruelty-Free: Everything we do is 100% plant-based and rooted in love for all species and the planet we call home.

I believe that every individual is powerful enough to share their passions and that by communicating truth, positive action happens, and the world becomes better.  Can a tee shirt really make a difference?  Can a blog by a teenage fashionista skater girl really get more people skateboarding?

All things become possible when you’re aware.  Hope you check them out & I also hope that what you wear both on & off the board is what really represents you.

xoxo – skatingfashionista

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Skateboarding Helped Me

If you want to do something, then do it. If it requires you learning an entirely new craft, learn it. Take the time to push yourself.

Growing up, if I ever failed something, or fell down, or wasn’t an expert on the first try, I would immediately abandon ship. Skating was the first thing in my life that I actually challenged myself to learn and complete, and because of that, I complete so many super important things and it makes me feel fulfilled.

When I started learning how to board, I couldn’t balance on one leg on flat ground if my life depended on it. But I didn’t give up, and I didn’t let mental or physical barriers stop me. I learned to finish what I start, and learned a skill that makes me look badass.

It’s okay to be scared. Just be scared, and do it anyway. You have nothing to lose if you think about it.  – Catie

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Why do you skateboard or how has skateboarding helped you?  The stories of why you love skateboarding and how you are having fun & growing as a person – that’s what inspires other girls to skate.

xoxo – skatingfashionista

Amazing Videos from Houston

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Hopefully when you click the photo it takes you to the video of Charity.  If for any reason it doesn’t – take the time to check out

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You’ll see amazing videos and she’ll keep you updated on the opening of

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More girls skateboard when they see girls skating & get encouragement – please share your pictures/stories/encouragement!

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Charity sharing skateboarding – she’s super stylish on & off the board.

Ballerinas on Wheels

Alma shares this from Sweden

Hey!
Ella Kennedy from Sweden, age 11. Who said skateboarding and
ballet didn’t go together ? We worked hard to get girls
skate going in Karlstad Sweden. We went from 4 girls to 30
during the autumn. We are mighty proud over this ☺️
Peace
Alma 

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Where is Karlstad?

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According to the web, Karlstad is about 8,800 km from San Diego (where I am).  That I got an email from Sweden to let me know more girls are skateboarding there – fabulous.  More girls skate when they see girls skateboarding and we encourage each other.

Do ballet and skateboarding work together?  Yes – skateboarding is sport and art – adding your ballet, yoga, who you are into your skateboarding is what makes watching skateboarding beautiful and skating fun.

Thanks Alma & Ella for sharing.  And thanks for your patience – they first shared in January, by now there’s more girls skateboarding in Sweden & Happy Belated Birthday to Ella who is now 12!