From feeling the burn, to breath-taking views, this is why you should be booking your 2014 ski trip.
Ski season is here again and all your friends will be soon be packing up their faux fur hats and thick winter socks for a week of snow, socialising and skiing.
Every year they invite you, and every year you decide to stay at home rather than brave going down a mountain on two planks of wood for the first time in your life. But this is the year that instead of being disappointed when they return with tales of mulled wine on the mountainside, you’re going to take the plunge and try skiing. And this is why…
1. Get a buff body like Kate Middleton
Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to look like Kate Middleton? But anyone who's ever endured a hard-core spinning class will know it’s easier said than done. Skiing is a really fun way to tone up your legs and burn some calories (see the Duchess above), and after you spend a week flying down the slopes you’ll be amazed how good you'll look and feel. Time to feel the burn, ladies. 2. Party all night long with the après ski experience
If you thought your last girls' holiday was messy then you definitely haven’t experienced an après ski night out. From the moment the slopes close, and sometimes before, the party starts. Warm up with some mulled wine and make friends with the rest of the resort, as you enjoy one of the best parts of a ski holiday. Who knows, you might even meet someone special... Now you just have to master dancing in your ski boots.
3. Be in awe of the breath-taking landscapes
Your usual holiday sight-seeing might be good, but you haven’t seen anything until you’ve stood on top of a snowy mountain and looked across the horizon, as far as the eye can see. If you want to stare at blue seas and sandy beaches (again) then head on another summer holiday, but if you want to see amazing views like the one above every day, all day, then it’s time to book your ski trip.
4. Amp up your cool factor
Skiing might be a fairly common winter activity but it’s still classed as an extreme sport, so while you might not be ready to jump out of a helicopter and ski down Everest, you can definitely bank some extra cool points for skiing in the Alps. Plus, the thrill of speeding down the slopes might even get your adrenaline pumping enough to make you into a real extreme sport fan, and don’t forget the Winter Olympics are only around the corner... 5. Shop a whole new wardrobe
It’s not all about what you wear, but just think of all the new fashion possibilities once you decide to go on a skiing trip. Swap the agonising months of trying to the find the perfect bikini, for comfy knits and one seriously chic ski suit. Berska, H&M, Topshop and loads more of your fashion favourites have some seriously fashionable skiwear collections, so you can hit the slopes in style.
6. Enjoy a friends' holiday with a twist
We all love sitting on a beach with our besties getting a tan but after a few years it can get a bit repetitive. Swap sun, sea and sand, for mountainside skiing and experience a friends holiday like no other. After a day stretching your extreme sports muscles and relaxing in your chalet's hottub, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.
All this has got to better than staying in rainy England, right? Don’t put it off any longer, grab your laptop, start searching ski trips, and get ready for the holiday of a lifetime.
Are you sold? Here are 8 ski wear brands that'll make you look the part on the slopes (no matter how rubbish you are).