Snow time like the present

10:00pm Wednesday 13th January 2010

By SEE - Real fashion (from Journalist Works)

Whether you’re hitting the slopes this winter or staying at home in frozen Britain, it’s time to get serious about skiwear. The snow seems to be with us for the long haul so whack out your wellies and embrace this crazy weather while it lasts.

As the bruises turn an ever more disgusting shade of yellow, soon only my memories will remind me of the pain I endured while snowboarding last week. One moment I would be standing upright and the next I would be down again. With gritted teeth and throbbing head, I was determined to master the sport and pull myself back up every time. Master it I did not, but I did come back in one piece and with a smile on my face.

I like a challenge and snowboarding is definitely that. Harder to learn, easier to master, as they say, became my mantra as I repeatedly dusted snow off my poor bruised bum. Now though, in the comfort of my own home, I can safely say my snowboarding skills were much improved by the end of the holiday, if you can call it that — mastery enough for me.

As a first timer, the cost of the holiday, ski pass and equipment hire far exceeded my original expectations, and that was before even thinking about what to wear on the slopes. Luckily, I thought, I vaguely knew where the ski stuff was sold. But it wasn’t until I returned from the high street that I realised how narrow minded I had been in my quest. Topshop and Primark have their own skiwear ranges now, and with all my favourite charity shops stocking up too, part of me wished I had stuck to my roots, visited my normal shopping haunts and bought some more 'me' items.

If you’re going skiing this year, London’s Brick Lane has some great bargains on offer in its array of vintage and discount stores. Or, if you’re on a particularly tight budget, don’t forget to ask your friends and family — there’s bound to be some skiwear knocking about that you can get your hands on for free. Most importantly, have a good look around and avoid dedicated ski gear shops if you can — they’re always much, much more expensive.

While I’m here, I must also give credit to some dear friends of mine, who not only lent me their ski stuff, but have also endured my moans and groans about my injured knee since my return home.

My ski jacket and gloves are from TKmaxx and the goggles are Cotswold. My salopettes were borrowed from a friend and the hat, boots and board were all hired at the ski resort.

Emma: "I haven’t hit the slopes since I quite literally hit the slopes and (you guessed it) broke my arm back in 1996. These days my idea of a holiday is much more likely to feature a sun-drenched beach than a snow-capped mountain. With England in the grip of a seemingly unrelenting arctic spell, however, I’m finding the already brilliant concept of après-ski (minus the skiing, naturally) increasingly appealing. Cue staying in, cosying up in front of the fire and hot chocolates aplenty. Oh, and some retro snuggle socks like these super-duper snowflaked ones from Primark (£1). They double up as boot warmers too, putting some much needed winter sparkle back into your trusty Uggs and Hunters — pom-pom-tastic."

Ellie: "Brrr... I've had enough of this snow. But a load of white stuff is no excuse to stay in or go out looking any less than fashionable so, as I’m staying at home this ski season, I’m dragging out my warmest winter staples to get ready for the great outdoors.

"My top tip for looking good in the snow is simple — wrap up warm. Being suitably dressed for the weather always makes me feel better about myself. The last thing you want is to be caught out in a snowstorm in skyscraper heels and a flimsy jacket. I know I sound like my mother, but sensible shoes are a must. Ballet slippers or pumps are a no-go and beware also the deceptive Ugg boot. They may look as though they're made to tackle anything but after a very snowy trek from Hove to North Street the other day, thanks to a lack of buses, both my boots and feet were soaking wet and completely frozen. In this bleak mid-winter weather, wellies are king — shun them at your peril.

"I'm wearing New Look leggings over tights for extra warmth, a grey jumper from George at Asda and a knitted hoody from Zara layered up with my most prized possession, a leather jacket I picked up on a trip to Florence many years ago. My leopard print scarf was a Christmas present from Santa and my wellies, slightly muddy from attempting to drag some very stubborn horses out of their field and into a stable while knee deep in mud and snow last week, are from Toggi."

Send us your stylish snowgear pictures at seerealfashion@hotmail.co.uk and we'll see you next week with a look ahead at one of Spring/Summer's hottest trends. In the meantime, ladies, stay warm in the snow and try out a ski trend or two if you dare — we promise you'll thank us for it!