Sophiavagrant shared this rad video of her first drop in. She’s only been skating for 5-6 months – she’s great inspiration that you can start skateboarding when you feel like it.
Too many people think skateboarding is for children. Skateboarding is for anyone who wants it and is willing to get out there with a board.
Sophia is the creator and designer of Vagrant Life Clothing – trying new things and taking charge both on & off the board is super stylish!
This picture was captured Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice reduces the imperfection. lizettemv
Ok I was sold on the picture making the blog when I saw the shorts with stars plus I love leggings under shorts – so the advice just made this even better.
Skateboarding has taught me a few important life lessons like
1 Try, try again
2 Try something different each time
3 Somedays it just doesn’t work
Some how it gets in our heads that we can practice and be perfect. If we have any interest in grades we want A’s – if we play a game we want to win – etc. We forget that practice itself should be fun – the time I spend skateboard practicing is fun – if I go on to skate a competition or not does not change the experience of the practice.
There have been practices where everything has gone wrong and I still had fun – maybe because I was with friends or whatever reason. I can’t imagine having to practice with the pressure to nail down a trick because I need to have it ready.
There’s nothing wrong with setting goals, holding yourself accountable, and challenging yourself – there’s also nothing wrong with having fun and just being present in the moment. Truth is you could land it a million times at practices to bale at a contest but you could also do the opposite so just have fun every time you skate. Be happy with your skateboarding – there’s really no such thing as perfect skateboarding or perfect anything else.
EXPOSURE 2015 went off on Saturday, November 7th at the Encinitas Community Park at 425 Santa Fe Drive. It was EXPOSURE’s 4th year and the park’s first major skate event.
The park is new having just opened in 2015 and has a bowl and street course. Tony Hawk’s vert ramp was brought in so there could be three contests – actually nine because each style had three categories – two amateur and one pro.
There are tons of articles and videos out there on the amazing skating that happened during the contests. And I’m super stoked that so many girls came from so many places to compete – but what I love about EXPOSURE is the Learn-to-Skate Clinic.
I know Learn-to-Skate Clinics aren’t glamourous – no OMG moves or flips or many tricks at all. What makes them so special is that for many of the participants it’s their first time on a board or maybe they are coming back to give skating a second chance or just have some questions or want some tips.
Learn-to-Skate is the perfect place to get skate advice – besides being run by Neal Mims a skate pro and founder of a premier skate academy in North County San Diego – there are tons of other pros.
All these skaters plus more came out at 8am on a Saturday to share skateboarding. At least for me 8am on a Saturday is a huge commitment – yet each one of these rad people were there and ready to help.
And help they did these are just a few of the pictures. Thanks to Bridge to Skate and SkateXS there was enough gear for everyone. Plus those that needed a board to continue skateboarding got to take one home.
I came expecting to help girls find the fun of skateboarding – which I did. I was probably as happy & excited as she was when she dropped in.
I was surprised to help a boy too. I first went to EXPOSURE in 2013 where I was so excited and inspired because I got help at the Learn-to-Skate Clinic and saw girls skateboarding. It actually helped me get over my fear of skater boys and believe #girlscanskate. Until then I thought skater boys hated girls at the skatepark.
Maybe I thought that because there were so few girls and so many boys or because the boys were so much better than me or because of things I was told – it doesn’t really matter why I thought it – when you think something it’s true for you. So when I went to the park I was afraid of skater boys. It’s hard to skate when you’re scared and at least for me it’s impossible to have fun when I’m scared. So skateboarding wasn’t even something I enjoyed – it was something I did to make my dad happy.
I got over my fear of skater boys when they helped me at EXPOSURE 2013. When my fear was gone my skating got better. How much better is relative – I don’t believe you have to be a super shredder to have fun skateboarding.
So with a focus on fun – I started my blog skatingfashionista.com because more girls skate when they see girls skate – after all I was inspired by the girls I saw at EXPOSURE 2013 – seeing is believing!
I started out wanting to show girls other girls skateboarding so I wouldn’t be alone at the park. What I found out at this years Learn-to-Skate is that skateboarding really is for everyone.
So two years into this I’m inspired again – to get more girls skateboarding for fun and help get the message out there that it doesn’t have to be about the boy skaters and the girls skaters – we are all skaters. That was so rad of Clive to come with his dad to EXPOSURE – because skateboarding is for everyone who wants to skate.
Thank you so much to Neal Mims for being with me through both those years – Allie Wagner/KUSI for putting Learn-to-Skate on the news -because yes more girls do skate when they see girls skateboarding, and Clive my new five year old buddy who helped me realize we are all just skaters.
XOXO
skatingfashionista
note: EXPOSURE Skate is a non-profit founded by Amelia Brodka and Lesli Cohn all proceeds go to Carol’s House to help victims of domestic violence – please give generously so this event can continue.
Cinalufran shares this photo from her skate video down the streets in Zug, Switzerland.
Now that I know about Zug – I’ll definitely add it as a place I’d love to skate. Where are you skating? More girls skate as they see girls skate – make me want to do a travel show on skate holidays.
I find it so inspiring when girls from around the world share their pictures – I just know more girls skate when they see girls skate.
This is Megzi aka meggggomyeggo skating with style in Clemson South Carolina. She’s also a student at Clemson University – girls really can multi task!
Megzi also has some wise advice on her instagram – I love this quote she shared from the artist Mod Sun! “So many people think that finding yourself is narrowed down to one specific answer. There is NO limit on how many “you’s” you can find within. I finally accepted the array of different people I was and became an i n d i v i d u a l .”
Thanks Megzi!
Petra_surf is showing us some serious air in Austria – at the Cradle Skatepark – Austrian Bowl Masters 2015.
The Austrian Bowl Masters Championship held their 9th Bowl Contest on 8/8/15 at The Cradle Skatepark for under 16, women, and over 16/sponsored.
I don’t know about you – but I’m thinking it would be nice to go the 10th. I love finding out about more events that support girls skateboarding. One girl is strong – many girls working together are unstoppable.
Went to EXPOSURE Skate 2015 yesterday- my report on that coming soon!
Element Eden was born from the desire to make a difference. Based around the advocate program, our mission is to inspire girls to follow their own path and to find a different perspective from the old standard. Genuine, creative, and passionate, Element Eden lets you express yourself without saying a word. You are what you wear because you wear what you are.
Even if I did NOT skateboard, I would still love the Element Eden collection. From their graphic tees – many of which inspire the wearer to embark on the next adventure – to their dresses which easily move from daytime casual to nighttime chic – I love their designs.
I read more about Element Eden – which I do for all organizations I’m interested in. I want to know what the organizations I support stand for & believe in.
I found out about their team of advocates. Their advocates are women who turns dreams into reality. In 1999, Kori Schillereff turned her design dreams into action by creating the first legitimate girls clothing line in skateboarding.
Today Element Eden is one of the leading women’s youth lifestyle brands. They have a goal of creating message and product that make a difference in our world.
When I reached out to Kori to invite her to EXPOSURE Skate, the non-profit that originally inspired me on my mission to get more girls skateboarding for fun and keeping it fashionable, she immediately responded with a fabulous and priceless donation.
After the Fourth Annual EXPOSURE event on 11/7 in Encinitas, CA – the world will be able to bid on an incredible deck donated by Element Eden. The deck is signed by the entire Element Skateboard Team.
I’m excited to share a sneak peak of the board that will be on the EXPOSURE Skate on-line auction after 11/8. Proceeds from the on-line auction benefit victims of domestic violence .
Thank you Element Eden for believing girls can skateboard and keep it fashionable.
XOXO
skatingfashionista
To see Deborah_keser hanging on 10 to 5 to shove-it watch the video – love it.
Deborah is a team rider and if you check out her IG you’ll know why. Where are you skateboarding – take time to share like Deborah did – it inspires all of us! More girls skateboard when they see stylish girls skateboarding!
These 2 pictures were direct messaged to me by lone-wolf_boarder with the caption:
Post it up spread the word! Girls Shred too!!
I absolutely love spreading the word & sharing the pictures – seeing is believing & more girls do skateboard as they see other girls skateboarding and having fun. We are all stronger people when we encourage each other.
These girls are shredding at Modern Skate & Surf Royal Oak Michigan! at a #grogirls #grogirlsmichigan event – if you haven’t checked out GRO – Girls Riders Organization – you should – they are all about getting girls like these rad ones in Michigan together to skateboard for fun.
Skateboarding is fun & it’s even more fun with friends. Love the style I’m seeing here – can’t wait to see more from these Michigan Skater Girls. My mom’s from Michigan – maybe it’s time I skate the “homeland”!
POM POM is a rad brand started by Sarah Cameron a skater, snowboarder, surfer who’s on a mission to inspire others to try something new, live for recess and to always #RIDE WITH YOUR FRIENDS!
SF: Was this the original line of products and what year did you start selling? Can you share details on where the “home office” is and where people can shop for Pom Pom?
Sarah: POM POM first started making skate wax and we made it right in our kitchen! We first started selling in 2008. Our “home office” is literally our home but we have dreams of building an office in an old barn someday. People can shop for POM POM at our online shop at www.iheartpompom.com and also tell your local shop to carry POM POM!
SF: When did you expand to longboards?
Sarah: We just recently launched the longboards this year and are really excited for the upcoming line of POPSTiCKS (mini cruiser boards) as well as the POPSTiCK Plus line coming out in the spring.
SF: And the incredible POPSTiCKS– how did that come about? And when are they available?
Sarah: My husband (Roger) and I developed this line of boards together. We wanted to create a fun board to cruise on but one that you could also easily ollie on as well. We went through a lot of R&D on this board to make sure the shape was right. The POPSTiCKS will be available this November and we have a line of POPSTiCK PLUS boards coming in the spring which are based on the same shape, but 30% bigger. All the boards come with light up LED wheels which make the experience even that much more FUN!
SF: What can you tell us about the Pom Pom Squad? What are the common characteristics of Pom Pom Riders? Can girls & boys apply – if so how? Should they tag you on IG or email you or ???
Sarah: We are very fortunate to have an amazing team of riders on the team. To be on the team, it takes more than skill—we look for a great, positive attitude and someone who naturally inspires and motivates others.
Our team right now is comprised mostly of girls, but we are honored to have Scott Stevens and Chris Beresford (founder of DANG Shades) as supporters of POM POM. POM POM isn’t about being ‘girls only,’ it’s about promoting equal participation in action sports. Scott and Chris back that mission, which is great for girls. Because we are small, we do need to keep the team small so that we can manage it and give our athletes the attention they deserve.
That being said, the best way to get our attention is to tag @iheartpompom and/or email me directly [email protected]
SF: I’m going to be participating in the #ridewithyourfriends campaign can you explain that and how others can get involved?
Sarah: We believe that you always have more fun when you #RideWithYourFriends. Friends are there to support, inspire and motivate you to try things that you might not otherwise try. We are super psyched to partner with you and the POMPOMPOPSTiCKS and follow your journey as you #RideWithYourFriends. Anyone can join the campaign! Just get yourself a POM POM POPSTiCK, share your journey, tag @iheartpompom and #RideWithYourFriends.
Thanks so much Sarah for your contribution & dedication to girls being active and working together. So glad I met you & look forward to sharing lots of posts about the POPSTiCKS – because you know more girls skateboard when they see girls skating & we encourage each other.
Speaking of encouragement – POM POM is a proud Sponsor of EXPOSURE Skate – several lucky people will be winning their own POPSTiCK on Saturday 11/7/15 in Encinitas, CA – really hope those winners share their travels with both POM POM and us!
XOXO – skatingfashionista