Skateboarding Sucks
I’m still trying to figure out where July went, yet here we are in the first few brisk days of October. In Wyoming, that means that the snow is on its way to ruin any and all outdoor fun for the next 6 solid months. I finally decided that this year I would get over my winter denial syndrome (WDS) and possibly purchase some warm clothes in order to retain all my digits. I originally browsed around online to try and find a good hooded sweatshirt on some of my favorite bands’ sites, but was suddenly hit with the desire to purchase skateboard brand clothing, which I haven’t done since high school. Knowing that I didn’t have much choice in good ol’ Casper, I swallowed my pride and headed to Zumiez, the trendiest, most overpriced, worst-thing-to-happen-to-skateboarding-ever “skate shop”.
I wanted a hooded sweatshirt and a beanie. That’s it. Two fairly common articles of clothing. You’d think a “skate shop” that was really a trendy clothing store cleverly disguised as a skate shop might have some clothing…with skateboard brands on it. Not the case. With the exception of Mystery and Element, skateboard culture is now completely defined by a select few brands that really have nothing to do with skateboarding at all, aside from having been marketed as “alternative” or “extreme” brands. The hoodie rack had at least a hundred sweatshirts on it, featuring about 8 total different designs from about 4 total different brands. Zumiez also carried about a hundred beanies on a giant display rack, featuring the same 4 brands in ONE style:
“Do you guys have normal beanies?”
“What do you mean?”
“Umm…a beanie without that stupid fucking bill on it?”
They don’t.
I also asked if they had any skateboarding clothes that featured actual skateboard companies. The kid laughed and said, “You mean besides Element?” Thanks, Bam Margera. You fuck.
What the hell happened? Hurley and Volcom are slowly homogenizing the entire skateboarding counterculture, taking the focus away from the discipline itself (yes, I refuse to call skateboarding a sport; it’s a discipline) and giving it to the skater “image”. The skatepark swarms with identical, shaggy-haired 13-16 year olds wearing puffy shoes, 80 dollar jeans, one of three sweatshirt designs and matching studded white belts, performing lipslides and hardflips in perfect synchronicity. Skateboarding isn’t about having fun anymore, it’s about looking good while you appear to have fun.
I returned to my computer and browsed skateboarding sites online, finally purchasing a hoodie and a beanie from companies that mean something to me, that I actually want to support, and that in one way or another, have supported me. My Plan B hoodie and Zero beanie should be here in a week or two. Wheee
October 4th, 2006 at 5:41 pm
It reminds me of the kid I saw at one of our shows at ILLUZUNSHUN. DC Shoes hat, DC Shoes shirt, DC Shoes Belt Buckle, DC SHOES, and I’m positive his socks were DC and his jeans were too. The hat was cocked the right with perfection. The hair with the perfect amount of “shag” to it. One would think he was fucking sponsored. This kid has never touched a deck in his life. It was repulsive. I may not skate as much as I did when I was a “kid” but goddamn it, it’s a LIFESTYLE that stays with you until you die. These fucking kids are like the Nazi’s encroaching on my Poland.
October 4th, 2006 at 9:52 pm
Remember what I said about intentionally misspelled business names? Count in cutesy spelled bullshit words also. I love how we sound like bitter jaded old schoolers bitching about “the kids”. Some of us can’t even land a trey dog.
October 6th, 2006 at 12:29 pm
I wore a Quicksilver shirt today because it was the only clean shirt I had left. I felt kind of shitty.
And you ALMOST made 20 days without a post. Good to see you again.