Blading Brah - Rollerblading Through the Eyes of a Girl

So, I have a lot of friends as well as my boyfriend included who rollerblade. I have to admit that I feel inspired by the culture behind rollerblading. I have attended the World Rolling Series 2010 and have been extremely impressed with the likes of all in attendance from the amateurs to the pros. This was the first time I was able to see Chris Haffey, Jeff Stockwell, and Erik Bailey pop out from the videos my boyfriend always had me watch. I know little about the technicality of rollerblading but am ever fascinated with the large spins, grabs, and pure fashion of the sport (if i'm allowed to say so).

The companies of Print Brigade and Casualty who specialize in sponsoring rollerbladers have become two of my favorite brands, who I believe are counting down to the Bittercold Showdown competition and tradeshow that takes place this weekend. These two brands, are to me, definitely at the forefront and propelling the culture of rollerblading. Here are just a few of my favorite tees from Print Brigade and Casualty:

Blue and White Tie Dyed Memento Mori tee by Casualty

Aurora tee by Casualty

Skull tee from Print Brigade

I Love My Bike tee by Print Brigade

Create Originals have come up with a product in which you can customize your rollerblade frames. Valo, USD, Razor, Nimh and Vibralux continue to come out with clothing and blades. Obviously rollerbladers are going to be more than a little interested in both their style on their blades as much as the style of their blades. Everyone has a preference from fit to brand (often correlating). The set-up is key for rollerbladers and they are constantly sharing their set-up with other rollerbladers. I cannot tell you how many times either my boyfriend or my friends have had discussions on which rollerblades to invest in next. I've also heard a number of stories of rollerbladers who have transitioned from wearing baggy clothing while blading to tighter jeans, maybe it is for the aerodynamic aspect but if you ask me a lot of it has to do with the look. Not only is this a culture set up through style but via a number of media. Rollerbladers are able to connect and see new edits and videos through Be-mag, Valo, One-magazine, Twitter, Facebook, and other sources. 

Not only is style and media important to rollerbladers (or that is how I see it), but the identity of the culture is greatly enhanced due to film and photography. Since rollerblading is not as popular as mainstreamed skateboarding many rollerbladers have had to rely on their own friends and abilities to showcase their talents. My boyfriend and friends alike are all photographers and videographers of rollerblading. These photographers and videographers are not only invested in snapping shots and getting clips of different tricks, these are some of the most talented individuals in their fields. The following is a trailer shot by my friends for one of their blading videos - Breakfast. 

Oh, and don't forget music. Music is a huge part of rollerblading. Not only is it used to inspire those that rollerblade but used in many edits, and no one wants to have the same song as another blader.

Here are a few photos that showcase my thoughts on rollerblading style:

Alex Broskow was immediately recognizable to me (a non-blader) by his signature blue valo with zebra blades and his mullet-esque hairdo. 

I saw Chris Farmer at the World Rolling Series and he definitely has his own style from his long black hair (with sick headband at times) to his kicks. 

I definitely do not claim to be any sort of expert on rollerblading, but this is just how I tend to see it. I hope that for those of you who are totally unfamiliar with rollerblading, that this has opened your eyes to more of what rollerblading truly is. I think that there is a lot of inspiration through rollerblading and I think I may need to start housing some of that towards some sort of project on my end. - Little Lo Hood