If you can see Mt. Baker, you are part of The Experience
Courtesy photoHere in Bellingham, many of us seek the flow state. You know it: That sensation where you’re fully immersed in the moment, sea salt breeze in your face, cosmos aligned, all worries and woes lifted. Maybe you’re surfing a loamy steep corner, hopping among pillows of powder, or wandering through a forest after the rain has stopped, but the trees are still dripping.
Flow states are all about feelings. And in order to feel good, it helps to, well, feel good. That’s what inspired Ashley and Heather to create their outdoor apparel brand this past year. The two women initially connected via Instagram, where they bonded over their frustrations with exclusivity in the outdoor industry — especially when it came to clothes. “I've been riding bikes most of my adult life, and have never really had good outdoor clothing that fits me,” Ashley says.
They were longing for apparel that made you feel “shreddy,” badass and stylish all at the same time. The kind of apparel that facilitates your flow state. To address this, Ashley and Heather linked up with Anna — an experienced and talented designer who shared many of the same ideas — and together they fashioned Cosmic Dirt. A mountain apparel and accessories brand that offers bombproof, affordable, diverse in style, ethically produced and eco-friendly products, Cosmic Dirt most importantly comes in all sizes (XS – 4X).
Courtesy photo“A lot of women’s gear is either overly technical or overly girly,” Ashley remarks.
This is especially apparent in the mountain bike clothing industry, where Ashley asserts that most apparel has been designed “for men, by men.” This has led to shorts with waistbands that sit too low, an extreme shortage of women-specific mountain bike pants, and sizes that don’t include bodies that fall outside of the standard range.
Courtesy photo“There’s not much great functional clothing for action sports that we want to wear off the trail,” Ashley adds, with something in mind. It’s Cosmic Dirt’s plan to design a full line of clothing, coined the ‘Mountain Biker’s Capsule Wardrobe.’ Expected to launch at the end of the year, the line sets out to provide everything needed for a full weekend of shredding, camping and hanging out. We can look forward to mountain bike pants that are appropriate for both bunny hops and roasting s’mores, and tech tees that wick sweat on long singletrack pedals, but also feel good at the brewery.
In bringing Cosmic Dirt into the world, Ashley hopes to break down some of the stereotypes that are ingrained into the outdoor apparel industry. Cosmic Dirt isn’t just a cool new clothing brand, it’s a statement and a revolution. For Ashley, Cosmic Dirt seeks to show people that mountain bikers (and all mountain athletes) come in all sizes, and you don’t have to look like a pro or play like a pro to belong in the outdoors.
Who’s Cosmic Dirt for?
“People who are interested in supporting a company that's trying to do everything differently, because we really are. People who love the more edgy, wild aesthetic. People who don't fit in with other people. People who just want to wear rad clothes in the woods and not look like a motocross racer or a Tour de France winner. Yeah.” Singletrack for all!
Ridecosmicdirt.com.
When Elizabeth Kimberly isn’t teaching geology at WCC, you can find her seeking alpine powder turns, winding through forests on a bicycle or writing in a notebook and drinking kombucha. x
