Live Boldly Blog — Apres

There is nothing better than a girls ski weekend, and lucky me I had a great one in Steamboat Springs, Colorado this past weekend.  Steamboat Springs is home to 89 Olympians and known for it's "Champagne Powder".  Colorado is so dry (meaning little to no humidity), most days our snow is dry and fluffy powder.  This time of year, however, the sun will melt the snow a bit and refreeze overnight giving you super fast corduroy on the groomed runs.

The first thing I always make sure to pack is stuff for our hot springs visit.  Steamboat Springs lies against the western ridge of the Continental Divide and is surrounded by national forest and wilderness area.  Evidently, there are 150 natural mineral springs in the area!  There are two popular soaking hot springs one in downtown with a water slide and then there is Strawberry Hot Springs just out of town.  I've been to both and a nice soak in the hot springs is always so welcomed at the end of a great ski day.  For this trip, I've packed my new Krimson Klover Leia Sweater, shorts, bikini and flip-flops.  If going to the Strawberry Hot Springs, you'll also want to bring a headlamp (as there is no electricity after dark) and if it's been warm and melty maybe footwear that you're OK getting muddy...and don't forget your towel! (p.s. the Leia sweater is sold out on krimsonklover.com but you can find it at our Boulder Showroom and local retailers!  A great back-up online is our Harbor Hoody)

Strawberry Hot Springs

The steam is so inviting in cold temperatures!

Old Town Hot Springs, perfect if you want to get in a workout too!

A few of my essentials I pack for any weekend away is this new Sherpani bag and MyChelle skin care.

The Sonora Sherpani bag is large enough to carry my iPad mini, Kindle, toiletries and an extra bottle of water.  It's made from a coated cotton which looks like leather and has great pockets everywhere to stash all your important things.  It's super sturdy and the coating on the cotton makes it stain resistant, perfect for whatever you throw at it.  The tassels are a cute bonus.  I love that Sherpani is a local Boulder company, and I usually fall for their new bags every season.

Another Boulder (well, Louisville) Colorado company, MyChelle Dermaceuticals, they make my most favorite skincare.  Not only does their stuff keep my Colorado skin moisturized -- but their sun care line is perfect for all of the sunny days here.  My favorites are the sun shield stick, this little stick is perfect for throwing into your ski jacket and keeping your face protected while skiing, shopping or enjoying some sunny après ski cocktails.  The sun shield stick has a great consistency and is easy to blend and doesn't leave you with zinc-y white marks on your face.  I always have one of these sticks on me -- in my cycling jersey, my purse, and my SUP dry bag!  The sun shield stick now comes in a tinted version, I've not tried it yet, but I'm guessing I'm going to love it.  Also on my must-have list is the liquid tint in nude, the sugar scrub and the lip hint in berry.  Bonus:  This little blue zip pack is TSA approved!

Après Anyone? Base Layer and Socks

Krimson Klover Lightweight Base Layers and the girls at Four Points Lodge

 The view from Four Points Lodge

Of course, you have to bring your ski gear.  I love the Krimson Klover lightweight base layers for spring skiing.  They are so soft and the perfect weight to keep you warm on the ski lift and so adorable to show off at lunch.  I love hanging out on the Adirondack chairs at Four Points lodge on our lunch break.  With 3,000 skiable acres, there is something for everyone and the mountain is big enough that it never seems crowded.  You can even see on Saturday, we basically had the mountain to ourselves.  Bonus:  These base layers are printed with original artwork that have a fun retro ski vibe.

Our friend Amy, skinned up the mountain (hiked up the mountain in her AT skis) and met us at the top of the gondola for a day of skiing.  Let me tell you -- she's definitely a bad a$$.  Steamboat Springs Ski resort lets you hike up anytime, some resorts have rules or restrictions around skinning, so make sure to check them out before you head up.  Don't worry, I took the gondy up so I could get to skiing down faster. Après Cocktails! With the ski resort in the background.

After a full day of skiing and before we hit the hot springs, it's time for a little après cocktails and dinner.  Our favorite places for happy hour in town are Laundry and Salt and Lime.  Both have a great happy hour, great food and delicious cocktails!

We don't dress up often, but on a girls weekend, it's a must.  In this photo, we've all got on our Krimson Klover favorites.  From left to right:  Jen is wearing our Rita dress made from a beautiful blend of cotton/silk and carrying the Sonora bag, I've got on a Fall 18 sample, it's a little too big for me and the wrong colors, but too cute to pass up --it's called the Pearl dress and I'm carrying the Vibe bag, Amy is wearing our Marta sweater made with 100% ultrafine merino wool (one of our best-sellers) and carrying the Tempest.  Bonus: the Tempest turns into a backpack and can also be worn cross-body!  Double Bonus: 5% of the sales from the Marta sweater are donated to First Descents.

My other outfit was the Krimson Klover Classical Beauty dress -- it's made from a plant-based viscose yarn that is super yummy and flattering.

Included in my outfit is Bronwen Jewelry -- their cascade earrings in long and cascade necklace.  These are staples in my waredrobe, I love all of my Bronwen peices because they can be casual or dressy.  Bronwen is based in Bend, Oregon and their jewelry is made to withstand sweat and activity.  I wear my necklaces running, swimming and for happy hour.  They add a feminine touch to all of my outfits...even when I'm feeling super tom-boy-ish.

Ski Lift Selfie

View of the Continental Divide

Lunch!

The Pearl Dress coming out this fall, fits Jen way better! Look how cute she is!

Good Friends

On our way out of town, we had breakfast at Winona's...only so we could order a cinnamon roll as big as our head!

My other favorite eateries in town are Mountain Tap, Rootz, Johnny B. Goods Diner and of course the business fries at Carl's Tavern.

This weekend was a fun get-away, so thankful I have some great friends that help me #liveboldly.

Photo cred goes to Amy's husband Matt, we let him join us from time to time mostly because he takes teasing well and a good photo.

Submitted by:  Emelie, marketing maven

Fall is a season of transition. Light summer clothes are replaced with heavier fall layers, sweaters are needed in the mornings and probably again at night, the leaves are changing from green to an array of autumn colors, and care-free summer days are sadly turning back into long hours of work.

Besides the change in temperature one of the most prominent characteristics of fall is the break out of sweaters and light knits. For the first few weeks, it’s easy to get away with topping an outfit with a sweater but eventually we have to ditch our sundresses and sandals and start wearing pants and several layers.

Of course, we all want to make a smooth transition without losing our easy, breezy style. So here at Krimson Klover, we came up with some tips to mastering the change of seasons.

1. Don’t ditch color. Keep bringing in pops of fun colors to your daily outfits through prints and patterns. Search for those subtle sweaters with vibrant yellow or blue mingled into the print.
2. Wear skirts! Don’t lose that luxury of just throwing on a dress, try to supplement that ease with skirts. Dress them up with sleek materials or down with simple tops. Skirts have the ability to be our most versatile item in the fall, there are endless possibilities with a skirt. 
3. Start pulling in those great accessories! Add some flare to a simple sweater with a bold statement necklace or a chunky scarf, and dress up your plain pants with a nice belt. Don’t forget that shoes can pull an outfit together, find a pair of boots or flats that can take a plain jane outfit and make it a head turner.

Keep having fun with your outfits and you’ll never lose that summer spirit!

Our favorite fall item is the Palisade Skirt. It is a wonderful transitional piece, with a variety of color options; spruce, nutmeg, and charcoal. There are infinite outfit options with this singular skirt.

One of our favorite looks is the Palisade skirt in spruce with the Wild Hearts V-neck sweater in spruce as well. Tossing the Duet Mohair Infinity scarf in citron on top brings more of a bold flare to this easy autumn ensemble.

Another option with the Palisade skirt is to pair the Nutmeg skirt with the Snow Globe Dolman Sweater in Bordeaux. And then opt for some nice brown boots and the Duet Mohair Infinity scarf in Almond.

Ski Stylishly

Ah, it’s that time of year again where the ski slopes of Colorado get snow almost daily and us locals live for weekends in the mountains and those powdery Saturdays and Sundays.

While most days are blue-sky and temperate (or as temperate as they can be in the winter), you never know when a day will turn windy and bitter while riding. Therefore, we know the importance of a great base layer. The Banded Merino Base Layer Top and Bottom set are perfect for stylish skiers to rock on the slopes. Made of a Merino/Lycra blend they are breathable and self-wicking, but warm.

Another base layer set that we adore is the Ski Village Base Layer Top and Bottom. It is the ideal outfit for a skier with the travel bug. The Ski Village pair is inscribed with several well-known ski towns that could double as a checklist. A skier could travel from Whistler to Vail checking off ski resorts from their bucket list with inspiration from our base layer set.

Stay Warm

If you tend to be cold while skiing, opt for one of our ski sweaters instead of a base layer top. The Ace Stretch Zip Cardigan and the Ravenswood Side Zip Pullover are two of our favorites to pack for a weekend in the mountains. These sweaters will make any ski bunny the most stylish member of the group while skiing or wandering around town at night.

All of these layers will add a pop of color and look fabulous underneath the Skea Didi Jacket and the Kira Pant – both in white. Be sure to add one of our Snowy Bunny cable headbands under your helmet for extra warmth!

After a long day of riding, slip our Herringbone skirt on, with our Signature light layering piece and head out for après. Add our Bundled vest under your ski jacket for extra warmth on those chilly nights.

We hope that we'll see you on the slopes of Vail or one of your favorite mountains!

The Director's Invitational Ski Classic (DISC), for those of you who don't know, is a fun three-day invitational ski race that raises money for charity. This year's benefactor - the US Ski & Snowboard Team Foundation (USSA).

There was a ton of fun to be had at this year's event as the ladies of the US Ski Team (above), showed of their skills both on the slopes and on the dance floor! The Krimson Klover team is passionate about knitwear, but we're also eager to give back and support the people and organizations that promote the sport we love - skiing!

Teams of 8 to 10 skiers, including novice to experts as well as legends and Pros (ex-World Cup and Olympians) compete head-to-head against others of the same skill level in a dual GS format race. The team with the most points is awarded the top spot.

But before race day, the teams had to be determined. The Pros, which consisted of some serious female athletes, had to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Let the games begin!

In no particular order, Amanda McDonald, Jess Kelley, Laura Littman, Andra Nedelcu, Julia Littman, Anastasia Skryabina, Libby Ludlow, Keeley Kelleher, and Megan McJames take their places on the auction block.

All of these lovely ladies are clad in Krimson Klover's Fall '15 Slope Style Collection. Krimson Klover donated $2500 worth of prizes for the race winners and each attendee received sweet deals on future Krimson Klover purchases.

There's no better way to showcase this collection of vintage inspired knitwear than to let the professionals strut their stuff. They wore it well! Just check out these beautiful hand-painted base layers.

Jess Kelley is wearing the beautiful Apres-Ski Sleigh Ride Sweater in the finest merino wool.

Jilyne Higgins in the Krimson Klover Heart Breaker hand-painted base layer.

Nice hustle! Oh, and nice sweater!

Even the guys got in on the fashion show...we're guessing that's his best ski-bunny face.

We agree Jilyne, Krimson Klover will stick to women's wear for now.

Sorry buddy, let's leave the modeling to the ladies!

And to celebrate the beginning of some good, clean, downhill fun....Shotski!

It was a full weekend of loud dance parties, silent auctions, good friends and great athletes. We are proud to be a sponsor of these amazing women and the Director's Cup 2015. A big thanks to Deb Doyle from Aspen Eventworks for making this event happen and a hats off to Pat Smith at On Target PR for connecting Krimson Klover with this wonderful group of ski enthusiasts.

Whether you are after spring skiing, a spa getaway or desert sun, Colorado offers it all.

Spring has the kid in all of us longing for a spring break. Even if you can only afford a weekend off, it is time to make the most of spring with a brief staycation.

Photo Credit: Denver.org

Spring skiing is here.  The Rockies have had a great snow season; you are just as likely to have a powder day as a sunny bluebird day this spring. Head for the hills to take in the snow one last time.  A mere 2-hour drive from Denver, Vail is the perfect place to play in the snow and indulge in good food.  Starting the weekend of April 11th through closing day April 20th “Spring Back to Vail” offers various festivities, including free concerts from Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, STS9 and Steel Pulse and the annual pond skimming competition.

Photo Credit: Destination360.com

Colorado Springs is another great place to getaway this spring.  A weekend at the Broadmoor Hotel will give you the calm you have been craving. Grab a few girlfriends for the Women’s Wellness Retreat May 1st- 4th. Spend the morning hiking and doing yoga, choose from a variety of day time lectures on the healthy living and wrap up your day with a cooking demonstration and a delicious healthy meal.  The relaxing retreat will have you back on track in time for the sunny months and give you the calm you need to tackle work with a clear head.

Photo Credit: DiscoverMoab.com

If you are craving the sun, head west to Utah for a change of scenery. Moab is sunny, warm and ripe for outdoor adventures.  Bring your bike to explore the extensive trails, climb up the sandstone towers or hike to your hearts content. Home to Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, there is plenty keep you occupied. The desert is the perfect way to get a tan and ready yourself for spring. You may comeback tired, but you will surely be reinvigorated for your workweek!

Whatever your weekend can afford you, the Colorado (and Utah) spring is an excellent time to get outside and enjoy the change of seasons.  We all need a little R&R now and then and the Broadmoor will certainly get you prepared to take on spring with a rejuvenated spirit.