Ta Da! My first video on YouTube. If you missed the live stream of my seminar earlier this week, now you can watch it on my youtube channel: youtube.com/gearchic
Since it was shot using my laptop webcam, it was pretty crummy video, only 480p, hardly high definition. I hope to be able to do it again and with a much better camera and audio. Thanks for watching, feedback is welcome!
At Horizons Unlimited in October, I met Erin before she and her husband left for their wild adventure from the Sierra Nevadas all the way down to Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost tip of South America via motorcycles.
She needed help finding the perfect outfit to carry her through the chilly temperatures she was about to face. And an outfit that would fit into her $500 budget.
Although something like the Legacy GTX jacket and pants would've been perfect, they were also way out of her price range (almost $1,000). She emailed me about some used Airglide pants but after telling me that she is always cold and wanted something that would definitely keep her warm, I googled a bit and found gently used Olympia Pro Max waterproof pants on good ole Craigslist for $100 in her size. She preferred to find something on the warmer side, than the cooler, so these would work well. Excellent!
She and her husband then visited me at Scuderia West's fall open house and we found her the perfect jacket, the REVIT Indigo. Priced at ~$330, it fit her perfectly and best of all, met her budget and riding needs.
Piece of cake :)
Have a safe and fantastic trip you two!
To follow their journey, visit and like their facebook page, DesdelaSierraHastaLaTierra.
Ebay and Craigslist can be a goldmine when it comes to finding a good deal on gear. I know that not everyone has the budget for full priced and/or new gear. But before you buy something online that may or may not fit right, email me.
No one will tell you what the right fit/size/brand is for your body type, riding style, needs and/or budget.
If you need help deciding which size to get, which brand is best for you, which boots are going to fit your narrow feet, which pants are going to have enough space in the hips, or which jacket will fit you, email me. I'll do my best to help you make the right decision and find the best deal.
Who knew shopping for a bra was like shopping for women's motorcycle gear?
Last night I went to the mall to return something. Somehow I ended up in Victorias Secret.
Having lost weight recently, I was a little excited to see if my sizing had changed since I noticed a significant difference in fit with my current bra stash. As soon as I walked in I was approached by happy, friendly girls dying to measure my bust.
They told me that I was a size larger than I had expected, due to the fact that VS' sizing runs smaller than its competitors. For some reason, I didn't believe them at first, but I figured what does it hurt to try stuff on and see how they fit? I kicked my ego to the curb and hit the dressing room with an array of lace, silk and satin.
Sadly, I don't have photographic evidence of my fitting session (well I do, but those pictures are the property of Mr Donn). But it went really well. I didn't expect any of their fancy bras or outfits to fit me.
I was pleasantly surprised and realized that seeing how things Fit for myself was the only way to be fully convinced that they were indeed the right size. Numbers often lie, as least when it comes to clothes. Unfortunately, you have to know that one size with one company might mean something completely different with another. In the case of VS, they run one full size larger than anyone else. Go up one full size from another brand and you'll notice the difference. (just remember to squash your ego back into its box, otherwise it'll make you miss out on some really sexy lingerie).
The last time I was fitted for a brassiere was over 5 years ago. And I've never had that done at VS. I have been to a few different department stores, but everyone carries something different and every (company) seems to have a different way of sizing you up. They were pretty knowledgable and I walked away with a couple of comfy, cute pairs in my hand.
If you walk into a motorcycle dealership and walk out without having been properly fitted or sized for your gear, there's a really good chance you're wearing the wrong size, or the wrong fit/shape.
Whether it's gloves, helmets, boots, jackets or pants. If you're not sure, take a picture and text (415-857-GEAR) or email me and I can help. Or download a copy of my shopping tips and take them with you the next time you go shopping for gear.
Wouldn't it be awesome if there was an online resource to help identify the right bra shape for your body type? A la GearChic for boobs? :D
I had to go back to the mall to exchange the sizes for my fancy new bras. Turns out they were too BIG. Yep. too big. The way I figured that out is after 1 day of wearing one, it started to give a little so I had to put the strap on the tightest one. Bad sign. If they stretched out more, (which they always do) I knew they'd be too big.
After losing almost 20lbs, I knew that I should've gone down at least a bust size but thought maybe I was just not good at this whole bra shopping thing. They were semi helpful in helping me get the right size in explaining that when you go down in the bust, you have to go up a cup. Who knew? Now, the last person who helped me (at a different VS location) was really nice. But she told me something that simply isn't true. That VS bras run a full size smaller than other brands. She was wrong. I tried on the same size at VS as at Macy's and they both fit the same. I ended up exchanging the two that I bought at VS.
I also ended up going to our huge (7 story) Macy's in downtown SF since they have a bit more to choose from. Of course, I fell in love with the higher end, designer ones because they fit so much better.
I was a little afraid that my new bras would be to tight, but I knew they would break in a little bit. It took about a half day of wearing one to feel it really give.
Now my girls are super happy, comfortable and look better than ever. :)
