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As most of you probably know, summer is my absolutely favourite time of the year. Longboarding, surfing, sunsets and pier beers: all things I could never live without. So when I make my move back up to Grand Bend for the summer, these are the things I'll be packing and that I could not live without. 

1. Whether you're having a bad hair day or you just need to spice up a plain outfit, a printed ball cap is definitely the way to go. 

2. Flips! These are comfy and casual but you can dress them up if you need to. These Roxy Cirque flip flops were my number one pair of footwear last summer.

3. Sun sauce: the one essential no beach bum can live without. My personal favourite is Sun Bum because it smells tropical, beachy and doesn't have as many chemicals as other SPF products tend to have. Pick yours up at Archies Surf Shop.

4. Whether you're surfing, skating, working (out) or just wanting to make a statement, these Roxy POP Surf leggings are an A+ piece for your summer wardrobe. Grab a pair HERE before they're sold out.

5. A good bikini for beach days is a must. This set above is also from the Roxy POP Surf collection. My have is a strapless top so I can avoid unnecessary tan lines. 

6. I love rocking a gold watch in the summer because it tends to match the colour story of my wardrobe better than silver (it's also a nice way to accent your tan). Above is the Nixon Cannon and has been one of my have pieces for years.

7. What would a girl do without a good pair of denim shorts? You can grab a pair of these just about anywhere, or make a pair of your own from an old pair of jeans.

8. Whether you go boating or not, Sperry topsider boat shoes are one of the easiest pairs of footwear to have kicking around. Perfect for festivals, rainy days, or boarding; these babies are an amazing pair of leather kicks that will last. 

9. Sunnies! Obviously. Protect those eyes with a good polarized pair or just grab a cheap set that you won't be broken-hearted about if you lose them at a festival (or in the lake, in my case). 

10. Conversation tanks are the most fun in the summer, and a perfect way to sass up any outfit. You can find them just about anywhere, and Etsy even has some Yoncé inspired ones that won't cost you an arm and a leg.

11. Last but not least, my FAVOURITE part of summer: longboarding. This is my go-to mode of transportation and my most valued past-time. Pick yours up at Archies Surf Shop in London. 

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Gettin' stoked

As someone who uses the phrases "stoked" and "gnarly" on a daily (if not hourly) basis, this was definitely one of my favourite reads from the Sochi games. Click HERE to check out a sweet article about snowboarder lingo. 

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And today, in satirical Olympic news...

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Mark and Coco: A Boardriding Power Couple

From a silver medal win at the Winter X Games to an Olympic bronze medal at Sochi, Mark McMorris is on a hot streak. But you know what might be even hotter? McMorris’ girlfriend, Coco Ho. McMorris has been on my radar since he started taping a reality TV show with his brother, Craig, in 2013, but what I didn’t know until Sochi is that he and his girlfriend are a total power couple.

For those of you who aren’t aware, Mark’s girlfriend Coco is a Hawaiian pro surfer who has been shredding waves since the age of seven. From her fit bod to her blonde locks, the 21-year-old is a poster girl for the sport of surfing and has a long track record of ASP wins including:

2011 World Qualifying Champion

2011 Women's Legendary Pacific Coast Pro, (Newcastle, Australia) WQS 6 Star Champion

2011 ASP Pro Junior Champion

2009 ASP Rookie of the Year

Between the two of them, McMorris and Ho have more sponsors than I can even list, a record of victories that would take you hours to read through, and a radical posse of industry pros that would make any boardriding fan envious. From the mountains to the waves, Red Bull to Volcom, and Shaun White to Monyca Eleogram, these two are hooked up.

What I can’t figure out, though, is who I have a bigger crush on. McMorris is one of the hottest topics of Canadian talent since his broken-ribbed, bronze medal win at Sochi, and an undeniable treat for the eyes. Meanwhile, Coco is an unbelievably talented wave rider, ripping up barrels with incredible style, who is also an absolute babe in the looks department. 

No wonder the two are dating - they’re absolutely perfect for each other! It’s almost a bit of a yin yang situation, no? If you want to see how adorbs these two are together (and why wouldn’t you?), check out this video of them on Vimeo.

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Floridian palmz

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The Eddie: Officially a no go for this Wednesday

According to Quiksilver Live, The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave invitational is again a no go for this week.  Organizers had previously predicted promising conditions that might see The Eddie go off, but due to "strong, adverse winds", the competition will continue to wait for the perfect day.  

Though the waves are looking big enough for Wednesday, it doesn't appear that they'll hold out for the ideal, necessary wind conditions that Glen Moncata, event coordinator, says won't arrive until Thursday.

The Eddie is a one-day invitational big wave surfing event held in Waimea Bay, Oahu, Hawaii.  It requires waves with face heights upwards of 40 feet, and has only happened eight times during it's 29-year legacy.  The waiting period typically lasts for about 3 months and this year it ends February 28th, so until then . . . pray for surf. 

To find out more about Eddie Aikau and his legacy, click HERE.  You can also sign up for e-mail alerts to get the most up to date information on the competition by clicking HERE.  

Above is a photo of Kelly Slater during the 2009-2010 Eddie competition.  Click the photo to see a gallery of other shots from the day.  

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Click HERE for Surfing Magazine's 2013 Triple Crown of Surfing Flipbook. These gorgeous shots were taken at Haliewa, Sunset Beach and Pipeline and are already getting me absolutely stoked for the ASP '14 tour.  

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Click HERE for some of my favourite photos from the 2013 Billabong Pipe Masters, courtesy of Surfing Magazine and photographer Jimmicane.

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Insane aerial video footage of surfers from the North Shore of Oahu, Pipeline.  

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Craig Anderson catching some tasty waves

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Click HERE for a behind the scenes video of Stephanie Gilmore as she models the new POPSURF Roxy Swim collection for Elle Australia.  I have two words . . . GIRL CRUSH.  

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Orlando Surf Expo: In Search of the Endless Summer

As you probably know, I'm a self-proclaimed beach creature and lover of the sun.  That’s why I instantaneously accepted an invitation to join my old bosses from Archies on their trip to the Orlando Surf Expo last week.  Get a taste of summer for five days?  Yes please.  

The Surf Expo is the largest and longest-running boardsports, beach lifestyle, and fashion trade show in the world.  This means half of the event is souvenir and beach lifestyle exhibitors, and the other half is surf/skate brands. For a company like Archies who sells a ton of product from each category, this is a perfect place to preview and identify solid buys for the upcoming year.  

Because I've worked with Archies for over 11 years, my knowledge of their product and clientele is pretty insane, and therefore the reason they invited me to come along.  

Each day at the expo would typically be eight hours long and we'd try to see as many exhibitors as possible to get a well-rounded sense of what the trends in selling will be for 2014.

Seeing the surf product was definitely the salt and pepper of the show, but the advice I was given and the stories I heard from industry leaders like Tom Holbrooke and Brian white were the real meat and potatoes of the whole thing. 

There was an almost tangible energy of laid back radness that surrounded these incredible dudes and betties I was surrounded by and it was certainly contagious.  The blonde haired, blue eyed Californian reps looked like something straight out of a magazine, the hardcore-yet-hip boarders at the Volcom skate park added a funky edge, and the sales reps from the surf brands brought an absolute stoke to the product previews coming down the pike for 2014. 

By the end of the experience, I realized two absolute things.  First of all, that hard work and dedication pay off incredibly well.  After 11 years, this was  great way to end my career at Archies and I am so grateful for my bosses to have taken me with them.  

Second of all, that the beach, surf, and skate industry is absolutely, without-a-doubt, the place for me to continue growing my roots in. The lingo, the look, the product - there's just nothing that turns me off of this lifestyle.  The hip reps cruising from booth to booth on their longboards are living advertisements that ooze the certain sense of cool I’ve always envied.  You'll see them decked out with the perfect balance of business/casual attire in an industry specific way; backwards caps paired with floral wovens and graphic tees, usually accented by the perfect tan.  

I know that not every aspect of their job is as glamourous as what I observed at the expo, but it always revolves around a sense of summer and that's what a bonafide beach chick like myself is after most.  If these are the types of people I’ll continue to work with and be inspired by in the future of this industry, then this is where I need to be.   

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Chip Slip: Lululemon Wardrobe Malfunctions

This year has been one of many hot-topics for Canadian apparel company, Lululemon.  It all started in March when it was forced to recall a large chunk of women’s yoga pants that were deemed “too sheer” to be worn.    The company blamed the sheerness on production problems and style changes, which cost Lululemon an estimated $57-67 million.  As you could imagine, this did not sit well with investors in stakeholders who, in turn, filed class action lawsuits against the company.  This also caused uproar among Lululemon customers – both who purchased the pants or were merely disappointed in the decreasing quality of the Lululemon product itself.  

At the time, the company was quoted as saying customers were buying the pants too small, and should perhaps try a larger size in order to guarantee the pants would be opaque when being worn.  

The company responded again in October with what some called a “genius marketing move” by turning the sheer pants into a new product called the Second Chance Pant.  The Second Chance Pant used the material from the sheer pants but added a mesh strip down the side and extra material to the bottom in order to make the pants more functional and totally opaque.  Some consumers loved the pants and applauded Lululemon for the efforts to recycle the initially un-wearable product. 

At the same time, the company received some negative feedback with regards to continued sheerness and pilling problems with the Second Chance Pant. 

In early November, Lululemon co-founder and interim CEO Chip Wilson addressed the issues with the pants in a Bloomberg interview.  When asked about the pilling and sheerness problems, Chip responded by saying, "some women's bodies just actually don't work for [the pants]”.  “[The pants] don't work for certain-some women's bodies…It's really about the rubbing through the thighs, how much pressure is there,” said Wilson. 

He also notes in the interview that the pants are a “technical” product and it’s difficult to gauge what problems might arise (i.e. sheerness or pilling) in the varying scenarios of how the pants are used, who is wearing them, and how they’re being expected to function.  

Many reactions to his comments surfaced in the media in the days following the interview.  Many were upset with Wilson and accused him of “fat shaming” women who’s thighs touched, or were too big to wear the pants. 

A mere three days later, Chip issued an apology via YouTube.  Once again, his apology was met with some despair and mixed reviews in the media. 

Although he wasn’t exactly savvy in his Bloomberg interview, and perhaps somewhat artificial in his apology, there is indeed a technical aspect with the pants that lies at the foundation of the sheerness and pilling problems.  Had Chip addressed the issues in a more sensitive fashion from the start (perhaps with a little media coaching), the fallout from the interview might not have been so intense.

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