SkirtSports Skirt Breaker Jacket
October 1, 2010
FINALLY! An jacket the guys don’t get to have, and one that they want, too. This is SkirtSports, people, and all their stuff is made for CHICKS. When the Skirt Breaker jacket arrived, the Gearguy was all over it (I didn’t even have it on yet, if that’s what you’re thinking), talking about how cool it was. Well, too bad, dudes, because this one is only for the ladies.
Definitely an eye-catching piece, the Skirt Breaker is a transparent grey with hot pink accents. This means that you can see what you’re wearing underneath the jacket when it’s on, so that people can see all your other super cute SkirtSports gear even with a jacket over top. I have to admit that even function-focused me was really attracted to the look of this jacket. First off, it’s grey. I just love grey. If you want me to like something, send it to me in grey. I’m really not kidding here. And I REALLY love the transparent grey! It’s so uber fashionable and futuristic; how could I not? But the fact is that the Skirt Breaker is functional as well. It’s windproof and water resistant, and built for running with well-placed vents to keep the sweat moving on out. I suspect that without the underarm vents, the Skirt Breaker would be close to waterproof, but you don’t want to drown in your runner’s sweat, so you are better off with the vents. It is well-stocked with reflective bits for safety. Naturally it tucks into one of its own pockets for ease of transport; that’s kind of a must-have for jackets these days.
The fit is a highlight of this piece. I have a thing for well-fitting jackets, mostly because there are few things worse than an ill-fitting jacket. Too long or too short just kills the whole thing. And I remember a period in which all jackets had too-tight arms; now THAT was a dark time. Thankfully designers have realized that women have muscles in their arms and they’ve started making perfectly-fitted jackets, and the Skirt Breaker is a standout. The torso is nicely trim and sized well – my regular size small fits me just perfectly – and the length will hit you just below your hipbones, just perfect for sports stuff. Any longer and it gets in the way, any shorter and you get gaps when you move your arms around. A too-short jacket will also leave your ass wet, because the water runs off the jacket and hits your ass, instead of missing and just falling to the ground.
Because this is a lightweight piece, features are few. No side pockets; just the small-of-back pocket which doubles as a stuff sack. And best of all: NO VELCRO! I love it. The cuffs are sized just perfectly so that they don’t need it. What can I say, I’m just not a velcro cuff person. They bug me. They bugged me 15 years ago when the velcro on cuffs was two inches wide and they bug me now when they’re called “rip and stick” and are four millimeters wide. They’re just not necessary and they get stuck on stuff. So yes. I am happy that the Skirt Breaker has no velcro. I am happy with pretty much everything about the Skirt Breaker. I’m a little unhappy to publish this review because I like having a unique jacket and if the word gets out about this piece, I’ll see them all over the place.
SkirtSports Gym Girl Ultra Skirt
September 24, 2010
Yes, that is an exclamation point you see in the title. How can I call something “ultra skirt” without an exclamation point?
And it does indeed deserve one, as this skirt is awesome. It arrived in the mail the day I had a run planned with some girlfriends, so naturally I had to give it a go. I had run into a woman running in a Gym Girl Ultra out on the trails a few months ago, and she told me that she’s never been able to go back to shorts. Therefore, I had high hopes for the Gym Girl and I was not disappointed. I loved running in it – so comfortable, with a great quick drying fabric that wicked sweat away and kept me looking fresh and sharp. There was really something fun about knowing that not only was I getting a great workout but I was also looking really cute while doing it.
The undershorts (“shorties” in Skirtsports parlance) hit me at about mid-thigh, enough to corral any bulginess while staying flattering and cool. The skirt itself hit a few inches above the knee and was a little longer in the back for an extra-flattering look. There is a slit on each side for ease of running, which also adds a cute bit of sassy flippiness. Best of all, the waist on the shorts is nice and low, just above the hipbones. It’s very comfortable and flattering, and helps keep you cool when you’re working hard. The shorties each had a little pocket on the outside of the leg to hold a car key or an mp3 player – and if it’s an mp3 player, there’s even a little grommet hole on the side of the skirt to properly route the headphones cord. Nicole DeBoom, founder of SkirtSports, thought of everything! And I had to find a way to get her into this review because is there a last name better than “DeBoom”? No! There’s not! It’s better than mine, even, and mine is pretty good too.
Sizing is slightly tricky and will depend on your preference. I am usually a size small but I found the small in the Gym Girl to be a little too clingy, so I opted for the medium, which is juuuuust ever so slightly too roomy, but it’s really probably only me that notices, and it’s better than worrying about panty lines. Oh! One other cool thing I noticed is that the shorties have a contrasting inner panel in the front so that it’s easy to tell whether you are putting your skirt on backwards. If you don’t understand why that is super useful, you probably don’t have enough going on in your life and can get dressed in luxurious leisure every day for every activity, and I don’t relate to you.
