The Girls Guide: Bethany Hamilton

Surfer Bethany Hamilton blogs live from the beautiful islands of Hawaii! During the summer months, it seems that girls all over the country want to look beachy. Fans often ask Bethany the secret to her sun kissed, surfer style. The secret? There is none! The key to looking great in the summertime (or anytime!) is not worrying about putting a lot of effort into your appearance.

Check out Bethany’s episode of Girl’s Guide below:

New accessories and clothes may help fitness efforts

What if you could improve your athleticism or physique just by wearing an accessory or an article of clothing? Thanks to a new crop of performance wear products, you actually may be able to do so. For the most part, the items sound too good to be true and in fact, none of them has been proven to produce actual results, but the buzz around this category is growing loud.

Power Balance Bands: Rubber bands with dual holograms worn around the wrist to optimize your body’s natural energy flow…is this new wave science or just a bunch of new age talk? Probably best to do “the test” and decide for yourself – but trend-jumping celebs and athletes alike are swearing by them. Advocates suggest that they work to enhance the body’s typical positive frequencies while helping to block out negative ones, like cell phone radiation. The consensus among users is that the body’s natural balance is restored by the energy that flows through the holograms, and that wearing the band works to increase balance, strength and flexibility, promoting better posture and overall performance efficiency.

Uniqlo Easy Exe: Uniqlo shoppers now have a little help when it comes to fitting into the store’s famous skinny jeans. Launched this past spring, the Japanese fast fashion retailer has added “calorie-burning” underwear to its style stable.  Called the ‘Easy Exe’ series, after a phonetic shortening of the word “exercise” in Japanese, the design of plastic dots and lines that traces the gluteus maximus and lower back is said to encourage better posture, which will lead to a more efficient way of walking, according to Uniqlo’s Japanese online shop.  Though the line is currently sold only in Japan (and is apparently made for men), it’s rumored to be hitting North American shores soon.

Reebok EasyTone Workout Clothing: Come November, Reebok will expand its wildly successful EasyTone sneaker line to women’s fitness wear. Like with the shoes, no evidence exists that just wearing the line actually will increase peoples’ flexibility while shaping and strengthening their butts, thighs and cores. However, chances are that consumers will buy in. After all, EasyTone sneakers (and their competitors) are part of the fastest-growing segment (projected to expand 500% this year) in the otherwise stagnant athletic shoe business. While the idea that certain athletic wear can help consumers exercise more intensely, burn more calories and tone up just by wearing it sounds pretty appealing, we’re pretty sure that such products would be really effective only for someone who’s already active.

(h/t Trend Central)

[Video] Interview with Supergirl Nastia Liukin

We met up with Olympic Gold Medal gymnast Nastia Liukin at the Supergirl Jam in Venice Beach, Calif. last weekend. Born Anastasia Valeryevna Liukin, “Nastia” won five medals at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, including gold in the individual all-around. She hasn’t decided yet whether she’ll go for gold in 2012 but is working hard supporting an apparel line she developed with Warner Bros. Check out what she had to say about her fave designer, what superpower she’d like to have, guest-starring on “Gossip Girl” and more.

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Surf’s Up: Urban surf trends

While clothing companies whose histories lie beneath the curl of the waves added streetwear to their repertoires long ago, the surf theme further is saturating urban environments in settings ranging from coffee bars to nightlife destinations. As with the beach music trend, the appropriation of surfing as a totem for an idealistically chill way of life ultimately may extend the carefree spirit of summer into cooler seasons.

Trend Central reports that in New York, the cool kids in SoHo are taking their coffee breaks at Saturdays, an espresso bar/urban surf shop. Owned by a quartet of downtown dudes who also work in the fashion industry, Saturdays’ style pedigree is reflected in both its clientele and its stock. The multifunctional space – which includes a Manhattan rarity in the form of a hidden, plant ensconced backyard deck – is usually inhabited by NYC surfers fueling up on cold-pressed iced coffee in between trips out to the Rockaways. Boutique selections include not only a new house line of color-blocked swim trunks and Breton-striped sweatshirts, but also Levi’s’ high end Vintage Clothing collection and designer wetsuits emblazoned with still trendy triangle graphics.

Surf the Webster: Despite what the current season of Jersey Shore may have viewers believing, there’s more to the Miami lifestyle than clubs and drunken catfights. Hoping to enlighten the uneducated about the oft-ignored Floridian surf culture, Surf the Webster is a pop-up store and museum inhabiting South Beach luxury shop The Webster through the end of the month. In addition to stocking ocean ready wares like boards by the aforementioned Saturdays and swimsuits by Basta, the space also marks the beginning of a larger documentation effort, called the Miami Surf Archive Project. Helmed by Michael Laas, a Surfrider Foundation volunteer (10% of the store’s proceeds go to the conservationist organization), the temporary museum includes photos, boards, and video footage of the South Beach surf scene, from the ’60s through the ’80s. Cowabunga.

ASR: 2011 women’s surf & skate fashion

Last weekend, the San Diego Convention Center hosted ASR Marketplace, an action sports trade show with over 700 surf, skate and street brands showcasing their Spring 2011 lines.  The location couldn’t have been sweeter with beaches nearby and the historic Gaslamp Quarter right across the street.

If you couldn’t make it to SoCal  for the event, find out what next season’s trends for swim and young contemporary look like more than six months before they hit stores.

What to expect next Spring from all your favorite brands?   Vans is always a leader in signature shoes and for spring, they’re introducing the Cedar, a sleek low-profile low-top with a  a field of embroidered strawberries.

Vans has always been known for its roots in skating, but they dabble in surf items as well. For Spring/Summer 2011, the label is putting a little more emphasis on its surf and swim collection and getting serious about it.

Most of Vans new garments have  a well-worn comfortable look and feel, using heathered and burned out fabrics, raw seams, washed out graphics, and deconstruction. Accessories  focused on the beach, with a straw market bag and a surf-inspired “Hang Loose” graphic canvas tote.  Vans still kept it close to their skate roots with a cute novelty trucker hat coin purse and a crosshatch weave on the faux leather purses, very reminiscent of their famous checkerboard designs.

On the footwear front,  Native Shoes showed that lightweight and comfortable doesn’t have to mean a compromise on style. The company heads  into Spring 2011 with new colorways and remakes of classic summer silhouettes– the slip-on boat shoe. While the classic laceless slip-on with decorative lace plackets gets a fun remake in monochromatic shades, the laceless boat shoe-styling are eye-catching and perfect for the summer heat. Also for Spring 2011, the label is launching a children’s collection.

For years, Roxy has dominated the girl’s surf world and they’re always a staple at ASR. For Spring 2011, the girl’s brand is introducing the “Fakie”, a board short that doubles as a destructed denim cut-off.   The holes and shreds look completely real, as does the denim, but when you feel the fabric, it’s definitely an easy-wearing pair of shorts for the surf.

For the Spring collection, Roxy takes it back to the beach  by also offering a more technical short with a 4-way stretch and a no-rash Diamond Dobby material. The swim collection features a lot of polka dots, stripes, brights, and black and whites.

Roxy also had beach in mind when creating “Cruiser” slip-on shoes that fit as comfortable as a sandal. The super flexible outsole twists, folds, and bends, making it easy to wear and even easier to carry in your beach bag. In case Spring doesn’t look as sunny as you’d like, Roxy has colorful laced rain boots. The designs match some pieces from the clothing collection, so you can mix and match your boots to your fit.

Spring 2011′s hottest looks were in motion on the ASR Marketplace runway and you can check many of them out here:

Special events provided a dose of entertainment including a roller derby competition and an indoor skate ramp. Volcom summoned the rave scene for their Techno Beach Party and deejays on an elevated platform kept the vibe moving throughout the day.

Fashion makeover: Wimbledon waives all-white dress code for Olympic tennis 2012

Wimbledon is brightening its wardrobe for the 2012 Olympics.

Organizers of the venerable tournament said Friday the traditional all-white dress rule will be waived for the tennis competition at the London Games.

Wimbledon is the only one of tennis’s four Grand Slam tournaments that asks competitors to wear predominantly white clothing.

Players must still wear white during the Grand Slam earlier in the month but the rules will change when the Olympics take place in the same venue shortly thereafter. All England Club chief executive Ian Ritchie said Wimbledon had no hesitation in loosening its rules.

“We have been very supportive to the Olympic organizers throughout the process,” he said. “We hope to some extent there will be a different type of audience. It is not a repeat of the Championships. It will be its own competition, have its own style and it will play out in its own way.”

One tradition, however, will remain: no scheduled night sessions. Play will begin at 11 a.m. local time, and is expected to continue until about 8 p.m. As is the case during Wimbledon, play could carry on under the roof on Centre Court if circumstances demand.

The Olympic tennis event is set to begin July 28, 2012 — 20 days after the end of the Grand Slam tournament. The All England Club last week made assurances that the grass courts would be resurfaced in time following a successful test this year.

The 2012 tennis event will be the first to include mixed doubles, meaning there will be five gold medals up for grabs at Wimbledon.

Four years ago in Beijing, Elena Dementieva of Russia won the singles and American sisters Venus and Serena Williams captured the doubles.

So for those unable to get tickets for the Wimbledon Championships, the London Games will provide another chance to see the best players in the world. Tickets for the event go on sale next year.

[Updated] Teen Choice Awards 2010

It’s time once again for the Teen Choice Awards.  Vote for your faves and find out the winners on August 9th at 8:00 pm (Fox).

Hosted by Katy Perry, TEEN CHOICE 2010 celebrates the hottest teen icons in film, television, music, sports and fashion. Sandra Bullock, Robert Pattinson, Leighton Meester and Ashley Greene will join previously announced participants David Archuleta, Kristen Bell, John Cena, Miranda Cosgrove, Zac Efron, Victoria Justice, Khloe Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Ryan Sheckler and Shailene Woodley on the star-studded special.

After the final wave of  nominees, “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” and “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” lead the pack overall with a combined 17 nominations, while GLEE and Miley Cyrus each earned 13 nods and Taylor Lautner garnered 11.

New categories include Choice Movie Scene Stealer, Choice Celebrity Fashion Line, Choice Web Star, Choice Smile, Choice American Idol Alum, Choice Country Song and Choice Country Album.

Fans ages 13 – 19 can vote for their favorite nominees Online until Friday, August 6th.

Your Female Athlete choices include.

Choice Athlete: Female
Candace Parker (Basketball)
Danica Patrick (Auto Racing)
Misty May Treanor (Volleyball)
Lindsey Vonn (Skiing)
Serena Williams (Tennis)

Choice Action Sports Athlete: Female
Torah Bright (Snowboarding)
Sarah Burke (Skiing)
Ashley Fiolek (Motocross)
Maya Gabeira (Surfing)
Hannah Teter (Snowboarding)

And some of  other our fave categories include these nominees:

Choice Music: R&B Artist
Beyonce
Alicia Keys
Rihanna

Choice Music: Female Artist
Miley Cyrus
Ke$ha
Lady Gaga
Shakira
Taylor Swift

Be sure to vote by August 6th to have your voice heard.

WINNERS (Aug. 10, 2010)

Choice Athlete: Female
Serena Williams (Tennis)
Choice Action Sports Athlete: Female
Maya Gabeira (Surfing)

Summer camps inspired by hit TV shows

Television shows have long depicted life at summer camp but now specialty camps are modeling themselves after television shows.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting a number of summer camps can be found across the country based on popular prime-time shows such as C.S.I., The Apprentice, and Survivor. “In place of kayaking, swimming and capturing the flag, campers are solving crimes, playing with polymers and honing their kitchen-knife skills.” the Journal reports.

At Money Academy Camp, a Texan program that takes its cues fromThe Apprentice, campers borrow $100 from the camp founder and use the loan to invent and market a product so that they can pay back the loan and maybe make a profit.

At C.S.I. camp, investigators tried to solve a murder by getting into the mind of the killer.

In Maine, Outdoor Survivor Camp plays off  Survivor, with campers making fires, building huts and racing to make homemade rafts. Materials for the raft include driftwood, rope, milk jugs, shoe laces and T-shirts (for sails). Unlike the TV show, campers are not voted off the island.

For those recently riveted by the X Games on TV,  there are a number of action sports camps where participants can shred to their heart’s delight. Woodward and Windells are two of the best known for pushing the envelope. Windells features the Northwest’s largest indoor and outdoor skate parks, totaling over 50,500 square foot. Windells also offers year-round snowboarding and  every US Olympic snowboard medalist to date has been a camper there at one time.

Looks like there’s no reason to be a coach potato and whine about  nothing to do this summer.

Related Posts:
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Questions to ask when choosing a sports camp

Win free Dez Clothing – stylish new line for sport & soccer fans

Do you love soccer? Are you a fashionista? If so, you don’t want to miss the chance to win a stylish top from new apparel company Dez Clothing.

Dez (“ten” in Portuguese) is a line of clothing inspired by and dedicated to players who not only wear the number 10 but who embody its profound meaning. These players do not just play the game but compose their movements and the movements of others into a manifest form of art – a poetic, momentous dance of skill and ingenuity – every time they set foot on the field.

If you relate to the mission, you’ll definitely want to enter to win a FREE signature top.

To win a Dez shirt, you must…

• Follow @prettytough on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/prettytough
• CLICK HERE to send the tweet that enters you in our contest.

Winners will be randomly drawn from the pool of entrants at midnight PST August 10, 2010 and contacted via Twitter direct message. Only residents of the U.S. and Canada are eligible to win. Please no P.O. boxes.

Good Luck to all!

North Face for all seasons

North Face seems an obvious choice for winter, but as one of the most widely recognized outdoor brands in the world, it’s a really great choice for all seasons. Launched in San Francisco in the 1960′s, The North Face mission partly lies in outfitting extreme alpinists and rock climbers, skiers and boarders, hikers and trail runners.

Even though their roots are in rugged gear, the casual adventurer is not forgotten. The North Face also outfits adventure travelers with apparel, footwear, tents, packs and sleeping bags that survive any conditions, any activity, any location. In particular, North Face offers a number of fleece and shell products that perform as well as other more technical garments at a great price.

A popular choice for a softshell/windproof jacket is the WindWall Fleece which packs in great features & quality. The genius of the WindWall Fleece – which is North Face’s exclusive fabric – is it allows a little bit of air through for breathability, but not so much that you can feel it, resulting in a seriously comfortable jacket whether climbing, hiking or walking. Insulation wise, WindWall Fleece is an excellent partner to a base layer or underneath a shell for when things get a bit nippy.

Another great choice is the North Face Resolve Jacket – a classic waterproof shell garment. If you’ re just starting to get outdoors on a regular basis, and want to have a jacket that doesn’t break the bank, but will let you perform well and keep dry, the Resolve Jacket is ideal. It does this by using North Faces’ own HyVent fabric which ensures water stays away and keep you comfortable when out in the elements. The technology utilizes a three-layer construction to stay simultaneously breathable and waterproof in a variety of conditions.

A fully adjustable hood folds neatly away into the collar for convenience while travelling and exploring. The Resolve also features a mesh lining that protects the interior surface from snagging. Overall this is a light and versatile shell which is best suited to Summer or Fall use but works well in the Winter for general urban use.

Both these jackets are all-purpose favorites of girls everywhere. They’re fashionable and functional for everything from walking to school  to weekend hiking.  And they’ll  look good even after a summer backpacking trip or camping adventure.

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