What's up with Warren Miller?

[ski diva]

Forgive me if I'm treading on sacred ground, but what's up with Warren Miller? Has he lost his mind???? On the last page of this month's Ski magazine, he blames a decline in skiing on the disappearance of STRETCH PANTS????????

Sex sells, he says, so since women don't wear stretch pants anymore, people don't perceive skiing as sexy; hence, fewer people are attracted to the sport.

Okay, maybe skiing fashion could use some improvement, but stretch pants?????? And SKI magazine prints this?

Am I the only one who thinks this is just a wee bit sexist? And nuts?

Who knew that a simple article of clothing could have such power over an entire industry????

 

[Robyn]

Personally, I saw a pair of stretch pants on a woman on the mountain this weekend and she certainly shouldn't have been wearing them, both for the fact that they are out of fashion but that her body couldn't handle them (for the record neither could mine!). I really hope those things don't come back.

 

[Jilly]

We had a retro/bad ski movie night back in November. One of the guys stretched out his stretch pants to get into them. Interesting, but I don't want to go back to them. A few reasons - COLD - wind blows right through, Too many pounds - look like a sausage?, Rug burn - I fell once, slid and had wool/rug burn on my thighs. Just not interested. I've seen a lot of sexy women in the lastest fashions on the hill, so I don't think stretch pants alla Bogner need a come back. Has anyone seen the Pucci outfit that Rossi has. There is a women at Tremblant that has it. She can wear it alright and its a good thing she can ski too! (If you haven't seen it think 60's pysco print in hot colours!)

 

[dloveski]

Warren should go to Deer Valley where furs and stretch pants are still de' rigeur amongst the faux skiers who are there to be seen and not ski.

Real skiers wear working pants.

 

[dloveski]

I realize that my comment about D.V. was negative. There are no faux skiers--anyone who skis should be commended for their love of the sport. But---that said, I have problems with skiers wearing fur coats and gold lame and sequins on the slopes. It just baffles me.

 

[Robyn]

I realize that my comment about D.V. was negative. There are no faux skiers--anyone who skis should be commended for their love of the sport. But---that said, I have problems with skiers wearing fur coats and gold lame and sequins on the slopes. It just baffles me.

I always shake my head in wonderment at those people. Even more so about the folks at the bottom of Vail mountain who have come out of their condos in their 3/4 length fur coats to tromp over where people are flinging skis, poles and snowboards around. I'm always secretly hoping they'll biff it and get the precious fur muddy. (I know, it's terrible but I can't help it.)

 

[pinto]

Forgive me if I'm treading on sacred ground, but what's up with Warren Miller? Has he lost his mind???? On the last page of this month's Ski magazine, he blames a decline in skiing on the disappearance of STRETCH PANTS????????

Sex sells, he says, so since women don't wear stretch pants anymore, people don't perceive skiing as sexy; hence, fewer people are attracted to the sport.

Okay, maybe skiing fashion could use some improvement, but stretch pants?????? And SKI magazine prints this?

Am I the only one who thinks this is just a wee bit sexist? And nuts?

Who knew that a simple article of clothing could have such power over an entire industry????

Wasn't that article a repeat? I swear I've read that from him before ....

The last time I wore stretch pants was in the 80s, and I busted them, literally. Took a huge fall under a lift at A-Basin, and they ended up around my knees. Nothing but GoreTex ever since.

 

[Native Vail Gal]

Wasn't that article a repeat? I swear I've read that from him before ....

The last time I wore stretch pants was in the 80s, and I busted them, literally. Took a huge fall under a lift at A-Basin, and they ended up around my knees. Nothing but GoreTex ever since.

I agree....I feel like I've read that before!

 

[marta]

Remember he is 83 There may be a bit of "old man" in him.. It would also explain the repeat stories.

p.s What about men in stretch pants?? There are a few of those at my resort!

p.p.s. Speaking of "sex sells" check out this vintage link from Vernon Valley - scroll down to the part about the pretty girl lifties. "Cute young ladies in tight ski pants" It's an excerpt from skiing mag from 1969. https://www.skiernet.com/vernon-valley.html

 

[Lisamarie]

Yes, the article is a repeat. I used it as inspiration for a scene from a playwriting workshop. Here's an excerpt. Mariel has discovered a stack of letters that were written to her dad by former Women's Army Corps member named Kate. It seems that Kate and Mariel's dad were "involved" when they trained in the 10th Mountain Division at Camp Hale. Mariel has discovered that Kate is alive and well and working at Loveland.

David is a local filmmaker doing a documentary about Mariel's father. As the scene opens, the four characters are on their way to Loveland to meet Kate.

JONATHAN and MARIEL are parked outside David's house. DAVID stands outside. He looks upstairs, impatiently. He signals to MARIEL and JONATHAN, holding out his hand to indicate five minutes. SHERRI enters, totally made up and dressed in her Bogner and a pair of high-heeled lace up boots. She kisses DAVID and continues to make a rather public show of affection.

JONATHAN: WOO HOO. Check out La Vecchia's babe!

MARIEL: Check out Brunette Bogner Barbie. A one-piece with the stretch pants? Surprised David let her get away with that.

JONATHAN: Warren Miller says that stretch pants will revive the ski industry.

MARIEL: Revive it for whom? Men in the middle of a midlife crisis? Hope she doesn't break her neck in those heels!

JONATHAN: Do I detect a note of jealousy?

MARIEL: Why would I be jealous?

JONATHAN: (Serious) You tell me.

SHERRI and DAVID approach

DAVID: Sherri, this is Mariel and Jonathan.

JONATHAN and MARIEL: Hi.

SHERRI: I'm so excited to meet you. David's told me so much about you.

JONATHAN: I'm sure he has.

MARIEL: (Goes to help her with her skis) Here, let me help you load your…oh my God! Chanel skis? I've heard about them, but I thought it was a joke.

SHERRI: Aren't they beautiful. I got them really cheap at Gracie's in Aspen.

MARIEL: When Aspenites can't afford their expensive homes, they sell their Chanel skis at Gracie's. Is that where you found the Bogner one-piece?

SHERRI: No. I found that one here in Frisco at Rags to Riches.

 

[ski chick]

Let's chalk it up to being "a senior moment".

 

[tradygirl]

Warren Miller = old school.

The whole WM ship has sunk. The ski industry has totally left him in the dust. I had to stop going to the WM premiers because I couldn't stand the same old crap every year. Bloopers, over-commercialization, and skiing footage that's not keeping up with TGR, Matchstick, etc. I guess I can't say for sure since I haven't seen any of his movies for at least 5 years, but that's what I keep hearing.

I think he caters to the "casual" skier, i.e. the people that ski on vacation maybe once a year at Vail, DV, or other super-resorts. They like it because WM makes ski movies that don't push the envelope - they're just big travel ads. They can say "Oh, I've been there!" when they do a segment at such-and-such resort (even though, ironically, none of the filming is done in-bounds). It's obviously an older, more conservative audience....which is fine, it's just not my thing.

Just my $0.02.

 

[ISki]

My ski pants are helping the bottom line.

 

[Gloria]

I realize that my comment about D.V. was negative. There are no faux skiers--anyone who skis should be commended for their love of the sport. But---that said, I have problems with skiers wearing fur coats and gold lame and sequins on the slopes. It just baffles me.

I have a good friend whom has collected a number of such outfits in recent years. I was with her recently when she made one such purchase. I put my foot way in my mouth, she described the pants she was going to wear it with, and out of my mouth comes, You bought that to ski in???? I don't spend alot of time at resorts and I had no idea people went that far. I felt kind of bad, I didn't mean to insult her. I had no idea. I still can't imagine skiing in a 20# coat.

 

[pinto]

I have a good friend whom has collected a number of such outfits in recent years. I was with her recently when she made one such purchase. I put my foot way in my mouth, she described the pants she was going to wear it with, and out of my mouth comes, You bought that to ski in???? I don't spend alot of time at resorts and I had no idea people went that far. I felt kind of bad, I didn't mean to insult her. I had no idea. I still can't imagine skiing in a 20# coat.

It's the difference between treating skiing as a sport and treating it as leisure time.

It's okay, it takes all types. I think the big resorts need the full-price folks to subsidize the rest of us, so I do not begrudge them their fun.

As for Warren Miller, he just needs to get out more, apparently. Women wear tight pants (yoga pants, running tights, whatever) in public all the time now. Maybe that wasn't the case decades ago: people were a little more modest. I think you can see whatever you want pretty easily now without having to go skiing. Hell, what's the internet for?

 

[Gloria]

It's the difference between treating skiing as a sport and treating it as leisure time.

It's okay, it takes all types. I think the big resorts need the full-price folks to subsidize the rest of us, so I do not begrudge them their fun.

As for Warren Miller, he just needs to get out more, apparently. Women wear tight pants (yoga pants, running tights, whatever) in public all the time now. Maybe that wasn't the case decades ago: people were a little more modest. I think you can see whatever you want pretty easily now without having to go skiing. Hell, what's the internet for?

Yup, I agree, I should say though my friend actually does ski in these clothes and doesn't just sit around the lodge, she actually looks really good in them. The basic shell just isn't her thing. This particular coat though was just absolutely beautiful and looked so stunning on her, skiing in it or even apres ski just didn't even cross my mind....I was thinking business professional, fancy dinner parties, my mind was so far from skiing when she mentioned it I was stunned. But then again I can't even get a pair of skis off a dirty car without ruining a $200.00 coat, so skiing in something that nice isn't even an option for me.

As for Warren Miller, I haven't kept up at all on that scene to even know where he is coming from. He probably has realized that he is a little old school and was trying to spice his image up a little. I would say it was more of a publicity stunt than anything else. I am sure he wasn't expecting rave reviews, but wanted to be talked about at least.

 

[marta]

I pull out my Roffe stretch pants occasionally and wear them as a goof. They're navy with rainbow stripes down the sides and cost me $10 on ebay.

 

[pinto]

Yup, I agree, I should say though my friend actually does ski in these clothes and doesn't just sit around the lodge, she actually looks really good in them. ....

No, I didn't mean that. You still participate in leisure activities. It's just different than "doing a sport." The same goes for golf and tennis and lots of things.

I don't know if I can explain the difference. People doing a sport would pee in the woods; people participating in leisure would go to the lodge.

I'll shut up now.

 

[Kiragirl]

love all the comments, and yeah, I guess stretch pants are out, but I feel pretty good, have been wearing the same pants for years (!) and want to get stretch pants---I guess for the spring when it's warmer.

 

[Gloria]

No, I didn't mean that. You still participate in leisure activities. It's just different than "doing a sport." The same goes for golf and tennis and lots of things.

I don't know if I can explain the difference. People doing a sport would pee in the woods; people participating in leisure would go to the lodge.

I'll shut up now.

You are fine, my friend says exactly the same thing and then laughs hysterically at herself while peeing in the woods in white suits with fur collars etc...It is her drive for pushing the envelope and wearing the outfits in the first place. It really is funny in a way I don't know too many women who could pull off what she does and does well.