"Long before "Après-ski" was a marketing term deployed to sell you on athleisure made from stretchy plastic, it simply meant any activity that followed a day on the slopes. The phrase started in the French Alps (hence, you know, the French words) and came into common use around the 1950s when resort skiing had its first commercial boom. Over the years, it's evolved to encompass more than just mountain chalets, champagne, and fondue."
"Some guiding principles: Pick a lane. Utah and Colorado have the westernwear meets skiwear world covered. Those who dream of Japanese powder retire to a paradise of Gorpcore and fashion-y silhouettes. The icy slopes of New Hampshire will see some preppy Shaggy Dogs. The Eastern Sierra has a mountaineering heritage. And, of course, the European slopes will have plenty of Moncler. Try to wear any of those in a knotty-pine Upper Peninsula dive bar, and you might accidentally start a fistfight. Choose your adventure wisely."
"Though Esquire loves Ralph Lauren's Team U.S.A. uniforms (which is already sold-out), the après-ski clothing clothing category still leans towards European luxury. You can mix in Americana, but the Euro brands still own the category. Generally though, there's a built-in practicality to ski clothing- warming materials, bright colors to spot against white snow, all of that. That's why my advice for après-ski looks is to stick close to what people wore in old Slim Aarons' photographs from mid-century resorts."
Après-ski originally meant any activity after skiing, originating in the French Alps and becoming common in the 1950s. The concept now includes eating, drinking, and especially clothing as a central pillar. Aprés-ski clothing blends practical ski features—warm materials and bright colors—with mid-century resort aesthetics for a playful, relaxed look. Regional variations shape styles: westernwear in Utah and Colorado, Gorpcore and fashion silhouettes for Japanese-powder enthusiasts, preppy Shaggy Dogs in New Hampshire, mountaineering roots in the Eastern Sierra, and European luxury like Moncler on Alpine slopes. The advice is to choose a coherent regional lane and emphasize fun.
Read at Esquire
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