Suits, sweaters, and cat costumes: A trek through the ski scene
Sure, skiing is all about exhilarating thrills — but it's also kind of about fashion, too. Let's go on a sartorial journey through the local ski scene, from the late 19th century to modern day.
We're looking back at more than a century of fashion on the local hills
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A ski instructor gives a lesson in this undated photo, which Library and Archives Canada believes was likely taken at Camp Fortune near Ottawa. (Rosemary Gilliat Eaton/Library and Archives Canada)
Sure, skiing is all about those exhilarating thrills, that rush of adrenaline that comes with careening down the side of a snow-covered mountain.
But it's sort of about fashion too.
Today we embark on a sartorial journey through the Ottawa-Gatineau ski scene, from the sport's humble beginnings to the current day.
Let's kick things off in the late 19th-century, when big hats and mustaches were clearly in.
Skiing at Rockcliffe Park, likely in the late 19th century. The sport was introduced to Ottawa in 1887. (Library and Archives Canada)
Fast forward to the 1930s — note the pants and suspenders.
Skiers at Camp Fortune in 1931. The lodge, seen here, was later destroyed by a fire. (Gatineau Valley Historical Society)
Onto the 1940s! Plaid has always been cool.
A pair of skiers make their way through the Gatineau Hills in this archival photo from 1946. (Library and Archives Canada)
This dapper gent from the mid-50s broke out his suit and tie before hitting the local slopes.
Two skiers, a man and a woman, stand around a wooden bench in this 1956 photo. (City of Ottawa Archives)
Another 1950s shot, but we'll be honest: we're not really sure what's going on here.
Two skiers dressed in elaborate costumes sit beside each other on a railing at Camp Fortune in this photo from 1955. (City of Ottawa Archives)
This guy was a Redblacks fan before there were Redblacks.
A man and a woman ski in the Gatineau Hills, north of Ottawa. (Gar Lunney/Library and Archives Canada)
And these skiers at Camp Fortune had strong sweater games.
Two men and one woman ski in the Gatineau Hills in this photo from March 1952. (Gar Lunney/Library and Archives Canada)
A young skier, likely skiing at the Camp Fortune hill near Ottawa. (Rosemary Gilliat Eaton/Library and Archives Canada)
Let's end with two thoroughly modern shots to show how far we've come.
Sagar Soni fiddles with his very modern ski helmet in this 2018 shot from Camp Fortune. (Matthew Kupfer/CBC)
Five-year-old Zoe Meldrum smiles with delight — understandably so, given her cool headgear — at Camp Fortune in March 2018. (Matthew Kupfer/CBC)
