Ski style: how to look like a pro on the slopes

Imagine it now: the majestic mountainous landscape and beautiful snow surrounding you; the rush of adrenalin and exhilaration propelling you down the slopes, feeling the cold alpine winds pushing you on faster.

As any beginner skier will know, the reality is far from this enchanting vision: newbies to the slopes are more likely to feel goofy with their oversized planks of wood for feet, constant falling over, verging on terror…

We’ve got you covered. Here is our guide to looking like a pro and standing out on the slopes, from basic skiing tips to this season’s hottest ski wear trends.

Look the part

Gone are the days of baggy, oversized ski gear and garish neon colours. This season, the ski wear is far more stylish, with slope-to-street looks making a comeback. Expect a wider range of colours, tighter fits and more breathable, stretchy materials.

If buying new ski boots, be sure to visit a specialised ski wear store with an emphasis on good service. It’s likely that only specialists will know how to fit ski boots properly, and what you spend on the initial outlay, you will make up for in reduced medical costs: skiing in cheap, ill-fitting boots can be incredibly painful.

Helmets are on their way to becoming standard equipment. Don’t be afraid of looking over-prepared or silly by wearing one, as they are increasingly common on the snowfields these days – not to mention worth their weight in gold for safety benefits. Goggles are also a must.

Plan a strategy

This one starts before you even arrive at the snowfields. Maintaining optimum fitness will considerably help your body to deal with the pressures of skiing and could prevent muscle spasms in deep snow, and even potentially hazardous injuries. Working the thigh muscles in particular will help you get more out of your ski trip, so it’s a good idea to take up cycling or running before you leave.

When you’ve gotten to the piste, remember that you are not a pro (yet) and be kind to your body: set aside your first run, ideally on a beginner’s ‘bunny hill’ as a warm up. Make sure you stretch it out before moving onto tougher runs. Chances of injury are significantly lessened by simply taking the time to stretch and warm up properly. Be sure to keep yourself well-hydrated too, to prevent muscle stiffening.

Get the basics

For all the impressions of utmost freedom and ease that experienced skiers ooze, skiing is a highly technical sport. There’s no way an online article could possibly help teach the basics better than dedicated lessons and personalised feedback from experienced ski instructors.

If you’ve never skied before, expect to fall down frequently and, often, struggle to get back up. Oh, and that kids younger than your shoe size will ski circles around you. But with the right instructor and plenty of persistence, you will have the basics of skiing under your belt in a matter of days, from correct skiing stance to shifting your weight, stopping and turning.

The illusion of confidence

Once you’ve mastered the basics of skiing, the key to pulling off the confident, capable look of the pro is relatively simple: simply look ahead to where you’re actually going, and be confident that your feet and skis will take you there. This improves balance and steering control, as well as preventing the commonly clumsy look of the beginner skier who can’t take their eyes off their feet for fear of falling over.

Another valuable tip is to simply relax your toes. Though it’s common to clench your toes when you’re nervous, relaxing them will help make your lower body looser and better able to absorb variations in the terrain.

Know the conditions

As you would imagine, the snow quality and skiing conditions vary considerably between ski regions. For instance, the Australian snowfields are better suited to beginners, and the European Alps is best for adventurous alpine skiing. North American ski opportunities are immensely varied.

When skiing in Japan with Niseko Powder Connection, the up-and-coming ski and snowboarding destination, you should be aware that Japan boasts the world’s deepest, driest snow. This more dangerous powder snow requires a different skiing technique.