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Contents
Gift
Guide 2
clothing
guide
Scene
Stealers
It
Girls
4th-Grade
Somethings
Little
Women
Action
Jacksons
Shredding
Bettys
Boys
to Men
Edge
of 17
Dads
Who Dig
Hip
Mamas
Gift
Guide 1
$35 and
up
Fun
and Games
Literary License
Windows Shopping
Kitchen Aid
Get Out
Gremlin-Free Gizmos
Discmen
Skintillating
Eat, Drink and
Be Merry
Gifts That Keep On Giving
Child's Play
Well-Furnished
Gimcracks and Geegaws
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shredding
bettys
BY MICHAELA
LOWTHIAN
In Switzerland, there's an Alpine playground for the rich
and famous called Gstaad, where big-lipped beautiful people
go to get some sun and cozy up to flaming drinks and pots
of fondue.
Alas, in Oregon we have winter vacation spots that are
a little more, shall we say, gritty. On the way to the coast,
an ax-wielding lumberjack hovers over the pickups in the
Onie's parking lot. Menacing elk trophies hang from the
walls of roadside diners. The Shining was filmed
at Timberline Lodge, for crying out loud. Enough already
with "Northwest Noir!" Let's return to a gentler place and
time, one described by Oregon license plates as a "Pacific
Wonderland." In this snow-covered land, we'll give up our
scratchy dark woolens for shimmering winter whites.
Girls don't have to dress like guys to hang with them.
Tough snowbunnies like Julie Dodanville, 27, temper practical
mountain gear with flashes of prettiness. A PSU grad student
in pursuit of her MBA, Julie is an all-season outdoor enthusiast
who climbs with the Mazamas and skis and snowboards with
friends. Her wish list includes useful items such as fleece
long johns, but something about her said "sparkly pompom
purse" to us.
Jessi Conner represents the action-girl faction that likes
to stick to terra firma--sort of. When not out curb-crushing
(Jessi practices her skateboard skills at night to avoid
being hassled by boys), 18-year-old Jessi spends her time
practicing martial arts, welding and selling home niceties
at Cargo on Northwest 23rd Avenue. The epitome of a tomboy
skatergirl, her main fashion requirements are durability,
functionality and looks that are more than just a little
dope. She doesn't wear a lot of "chick clothes," but she
does indeed have a feminine side. Sources say that she takes
hand-me-down dresses and makes them even prettier than they
were to begin with.
the
goods:
icing on the cupcake
Chicks can weather the outdoors just fine, but they
need a little more insulation than guys on the range. As much
as Julie loves skiing and winter climbing, she does not like
to be cold. The Seattle company Kavu knows that the best way
to keep heat in is with a smart hat. Their Broiler cap
has an ultrasoft microfleece lining that wicks away sweat.
More important, it looks fetching, succeeding where other
practical toppers fizzle. $17.95 at Oregon Mountain Community,
60 NW Davis St., 227-1038.
hand-to-hand
combat
These are pricey, but you're not gonna go backcountry in
a pair of rag mittens, are ya? God only gave us one pair
of hands, and if Marmot Randonnée gloves don't
keep them from falling to pieces, I don't know what will.
Cordura nylon (shell), digital leather (palm and fingers,
natch), primaloft (insulation), driclime (lining) and Gore-Tex
(insert) lie down on top of one another to put up quite
a fight against frostbite. $99 at The Mountain Shop, 628
NE Broadway, 288-6768.
silken
stockings
Sport socks aren't a girl's most fashion-forward
accessory, but snowbunnies know better than to mess around
with feet anyway. Blisters are never sexy. Frozen toes are
never fun. Smartwool Expedition Trekker socks take
the guesswork out of choosing footgear.
The long, silky Merino wool fibers wick away sweat and provide
a mosslike cushion for your soles. And these socks are itch-free,
unless of course, you're allergic to wool, in which case
Smartwool is not so brilliant. $14.95 at Oregon Mountain
Community.
bunny-ears
Furry white ear muffs are an imperative for any self-respecting
snowbunny. These black and white muffs will keep her ears
warm and her hair smooth. Also good for filtering out the
pounding noise of construction sounds on downtown streets.
Available at most department stores. $1 at Newberry J.J.
Co., 1420 Lloyd Center, 288-6353.
tinsel
togs
Watch the ice melt when you pull this sparkly
Lucky Wang pompom cosmetic purse (gotta have lip balm)
from your ski bag. Remember, it's OK to be frou-frou--think
Pacific Wonderland, not Puddletown--so carry it 'round the
lodge, city or ice rink with pride and suddenly, you're
a triple-axle superstar. $14 at Dish 'n' Dat, 827 NW 23rd
Ave., 279-8946.
bunny-feathers
Down jackets from Express? The same chain that brings us
respectable Euro-trash fashions also delivers the cheapest
way to stay warm. The Technopuff Parka in white,
of course, epitomizes those ski resorts that have hot tubs
right on the slopes. It'll keep any bunny toasty as a marshmallow,
and if she's worried about looking like one, the hood and
sleeves zip off to reveal a sexy, action-ready puff vest.
A cozy polar-fleece lining is done in contrasting black.
$98 at Express, 700 SW 5th Ave., 223-8629.
full
coverage
Snowpants that don't make you look like the Yeti? Hard to
come by, since necessary insulation adds considerable bulk.
But these Lowe Alpine Bibs are pretty streamlined--and
very solid. Made with triple-point ceramic dry-yarn technology,
they don't let any moisture in but do let your gams breathe
(just like Gore-Tex). Plus they come in slimming black.
$225 at The Mountain Shop.
good
grip
Of course the first thing she wears out are her shoes. Skateboarding
shoes have come a long way from the low-profile Vans Slip
Ons of 20 years ago. Contemporary Vans like the Kobyashi
and kicks made by Etnies are built to last longer than a
rib stays cracked. The Etnies Cyprus sneaker, shown
here in orange and slate, packs all the heel support and
quality cushioning you'd expect in a Nike Air-anything.
A double-padded tongue and stitched outsole spell durability
in skaters' sweet spots. $79 at Exit Real World, 820 NW
Glisan St., 226-3948.
monkey
on your head
The skater-girl counterpart to Kavu's Broiler, this Paul
Frank skullcap will keep any pavement mistress warm
as long as she doesn't pull any 180s in Calgary. Paul Frank,
a San Francisco newsstand operator turned fashion designer,
hit a nerve with his Hello Kitty-meets-Curious George aesthetic.
Also popular are his rocker wristbands in soft vinyl that
make looking tough fun--if sporting a smiling monkey fits
your idea of being brash. $18 at Exit Real World.
carpenter
chic
Still crazy for Carhartts? You bet. It doesn't matter
that this construction/carpenter/treeclimber apparel hit
the streetwear saturation point three years ago; classics
weather trends like Carhartts withstand car crashes. True,
we found this pair at Urban Outfitters and they're a thin,
indigo version of their tough-as-tacks progenitor, but they're
also a little more wearable and subtle. These jeans will
certainly bounce back from a few wipeouts and get points
for their extra pockets and tools trappers--plus no chafing.
$38 at Urban Outfitters, 2320 NW Westover Road, 248-0020.
Y2K
preparedness?
Jessi requested a Spitfire hoodie, but they were
sold out all over town at the time, so we came up with this
stand-in sweatshirt. Those are Kanji characters on
the front, spelling Exit Real World 2000. Be prepared. $40
at Exit Real World.
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