Costumes: a Beginners Guide to Selecting the Right Outfit

After a long day at the office, the first thing everyone does when they get home is remove all their clothes. Hey, it’s natural. Humans are meant to live free and non-constricted, and a suit and tie or pantsuit just doesn’t cut it. And because of preconceived notions of the real world, wearing whatever we want every day is not as acceptable as we would like. But there is one exception to this rule, and that is when you're on the mountain.

When you are on the ski hill, people cannot recognize you. We all look like our own little cat burglars hiding our identity behind tinted lenses and ski masks. So when the time comes for a weekend trip to the mountains with a group of your friends, naturally, there is a need to take it one step further; costumes.

If you are new to the costume game or have been doing it for years but haven’t quite found your niche yet, here is a beginners guide to finding a costume that best 'suits' you.

If you are here to have fun but don’t want to draw too much attention to yourself
One constant classic, yet subtle costume, is the retro 80s onesie snowsuit. These are generally bright and loud, but are seen so often at ski resorts people usually just have a good laugh about it and continue on their way. The nice thing about this costume is you can go as all wild as you want; from tamer colours to melt-your-face-off neons depending on how much attention you are looking for. I would recommend hitting up Fritz Ski Haus in Edmonton, as Fritz carries an alarmingly good selection of these suits or jacket and snow pant combos. Also, he is a ski legend in the Edmonton ski scene so it’s worth meeting him at the very least.

If you just want to be comfortable
The classic onesie is your go-to for this. Especially good for spring skiing, these costumes are easy to come across, and if you can get the whole group to wear them, then you know you are in for a good time. Animal themed onesies are the best way to go, and my personal favourite is the flying squirrel, complete with wings - so if you ever find one, please let me know. Check out Value Village during Halloween for cheap animal onesies right before the ski season.

If you want to be noticed – Sasquatch 
The best costume hands down for getting noticed is a giant furry yeti suit. Now, if you don’t have one of those lying around, you can be like my good pal and excellent Backside organizer Darcy (pictured below) and have your mom sew you one. Though it is at least 100 degrees in the suit, it is definitely something that will make people stop and stare time and time again. You will also be approached by multiple children wondering what creature you had to kill to make it; don’t worry kids, no animals were harmed in the making of this film. Oh, and don't go out in this during hunting season.

If you don’t give two hoots about what anyone thinks of you
This one is dedicated to the one and only Shane McConkey, may he rest in peace. Hands down one of the best skiers of our time, Shane was the epitome of doing whatever the heck he wanted and not thinking twice about what others would think. And that’s how Saucer Boy was born. Armed with snowblades, a sled, and a 2-6 of liquor, Shane’s alter ego was one of the best and funniest persona’s I have ever seen. So, if you have no shame, be someone else for a weekend. But be responsible…you are not Shane McConkey and can’t get away with everything he did. Know your limits oh Saucer Boy protégé.

Costumes are definitely a personal preference, but they create the space for meeting people and being social. In fact, Backside organizers have come up with so many different costumed themed ski trips, we now have a list of over 100 ski trip themes we share each season with our new trip organizers.

I hope this little guide helped you decide your costume for your next weekend getaway to the mountains. Maybe this even gave you some inspiration to create something we can include in our next blog about ski weekend shenanigans? Costumes or themes are a great way to bring a group of people closer together, and an even better icebreaker on a trip where you may not know a lot of people. And we like bringing passionate riders and skiers together, so don’t be afraid to share some pics with us, because we like a good laugh just as much as you do. 

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