This Ain’t California: Skateboarding Fashion

Skateboarding fashion. As some of you may know VIFF (Vancouver International Film Festival) is on right now. I’ve been really lucky to go to several film this year and my favourite by far has been, This Ain’t California directed by Martin Persiel. It’s a coming of age documentary about youth in East Berlin, centered around the skateboarding-punk revolution that took place during the 70’s and into the 80’s. It’s a bit of a sad tale, a group of friends reminiscing about the life of one of their group. At the same time it’s a very inspirational story about being a catalyst for change depicting the cyclical nature of our society . It’s a story about the generational challenge, of youth struggling against the status quo. The story of one boy becoming a man against the backdrop of the Eastern bloc, discovering that regardless of what people say in the end we are all the same.

One line in the movie that struck me was when they said that skateboarding and architecture are intrinsically linked because skateboarders need the concrete desert with its angles and curves. I find that to be such a fantastic image.

Of course the movie integrates fashion into the story, which is also an integral part of skateboarding, much like a boarder, weaving its way through the scene…funny how none of this has changed in all these years.

Vancouver has a very strong skateboarding scene, including skateboarding fashion. I’m probably particularly sensitive to it because my gigantic 15lbs dog is out for blood every single time she sees a boarder flying down the street.  So I’m not a part of the skateboarding scene at all but I can really appreciate and respect it (okay fine I kinda like some the fashions associated with it as well). The physicality and sheer guts are amazing to me but the no fear part? Uh yeah, lots.

I do actually own a board, have to admit it’s something that I’ve always wanted to try but at the same time it terrifies me just a little, maybe a lot.  My hubby bought me a board a few years ago, he picked out all the components….and yes it’s Pink! Woohoo. One of these days I will get on it and learn, that is a promise.

A little hard to tell from the picture but yes I swear it’s actually pink!

Yeah okay I just had to add this picture…. I wear this hat whenever I want to feel like a star! (Ha!).

Finally, I highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves skateboarding, history, a great personal tale and the Youth Culture.

Do you love skateboarding fashion?

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