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Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to drink alcohol to have a great apres-ski party. But you do need the right clothing to keep you warm and cozy so you can hang outside with your friends long after last chair.
How We Tested
Number of testers: 3
Number of resort parking lots tested at: 5
Number of Coors Lights consumed: 54
Number of hot tubs involved: 2
Our Gen-Z and Millennial crew put a slew of warm-yet-stylish pieces to the test in the parking lots at Taos, Sipapu, Sun Valley, Sugar Bowl, and Palisades-Tahoe. We encountered everything: freezing high-country evenings after early-season ski days in New Mexico, sunny afternoons during an early Spring trip to Idaho, and even June rainstorms in the southern Montana backcountry. The winning products were the ones that kept us feeling both comfortable and stylish.
Reviews: The Best Women’s Apres-Ski Apparel of 2023
Ripton Deluxe Overalls ($219)
Performance denim, meet apres ski. You can debate all you want about whether Ripton’s performance denim shorts are real jorts or not, but there’s no denying these overalls are easier to ski in than any others we’ve tested. Translation: they’re ideal for a few laps followed by beers. Thank the stretchy blend of cotton, polyester, modal, nylon, and elastane that’s shred (or sled) ready, and also warm enough to wear outside in temperatures 35 degrees and up. I wore them for a final party lap on the last day of our Ski Test in Sun Valley last season, and kept them on until the last beer at the end of the evening. I’d recommend sizing up so you can wear base layers and a crew-neck sweatshirt or midlayer underneath. Once things get chillier later in the evening, throw on a puffy jacket and you’re good to go.
Paka Socks ($16)
These were the softest and warmest socks I tested this season. The star is a thin blend of baby alpaca wool, bamboo fiber, nylon, and Spandex. Even in the soggiest conditions, I barely felt like I had them on. Case in point: a stormy June weekend of skiing in Montana’s Beartooth Mountains (that day, about 20 miles away, the Yellowstone river and Red Lodge flooded). I wore them for 24 hours straight, while setting up camp, sitting around the fire, skiing and snowmobiling around the rain-drenched highway, drinking beers near the summit during a brief yet windy moment of sunshine. The rain inevitably seeped through my boots during the 45-minute bootpack from the road to the drop-in, but my feet were still warm at the end of the day. On a separate trip, I wore them for three days in a row, and when I got home the socks still didn’t smell. Baby alpaca might just be the secret ingredient we didn’t know we needed.
Picture Ovilerra Shirt ($82)
Everyone needs a solid flannel to throw over your base layers after skiing—and this 100 percent cotton shirt is one of your best options. The boxy cut is on trend and makes layering easy. On evenings that are chilly—but not cold enough for a puffy jacket—add a hoody sweatshirt underneath. Two big pockets on the chest fit an iPhone, wallet, handwarmers, and a beer.
Autumn Headwear Mtn Goat Beanie ($30)
I have always assumed that the thicker the beanie, the warmer it will be. But this season, I kept reaching for the thinner Mtn Goat beanie. Made with only polar fleece, this simple toque has a retro, pyramid-esque shape that’s reminiscent of my dad’s old hats from the eighties, with a nine-inch peak and two-and-a-half inch cuff. It consistently kept me warm enough throughout the entire ski season, except for a few zero-degree days in Taos when I reached for Autumn’ thicker Blocked Y Beanie instead.
Bearded Goat Sherpa Full Zip Jacket ($198)
Last winter, on days that called for a warm jacket to throw on over my bibs—but not a hefty down jacket—I reached for the Sherpa Full Zip. With a sherpa-fleece exterior and a soft wool-polyester-acrylic fabric lining, this layer is much cozier than its low-profile fit suggests. It’s also subtly stylish, with a ripstop patch pocket on the chest (it fits a three-by-four-inch wallet) and angled cutouts on the bottom hem at the zipper. Pair the Sherpa Full Zip with joggers, a beanie, and blundstones for a cool, casual look, or just throw it over your ski pants right off the mountain.
Holden Women’s Hybrid Down Jogger ($280)
These down joggers combine the best of warmth and breathability. On the front, 600 fill power down keeps you toasty; meanwhile, the back is a stretchy fleece fabric. The result is a welcome departure from the Michelin-man effect of most down pants—better looking, easier to move in, and still plenty warm for hanging around a tailgate on all but the most frigid. Our crew also appreciated the high-rise cut, which sat around our natural waists to eliminate gaps between layers where cold air would otherwise leak through. During a ten degree dawn patrol lap with sideways snow and wind, these were the pants our tester was thinking about pulling on back at the car.
More 2023 Gear Reviews
The best women’s ski jackets of 2023
The best women’s ski pants and bibs of the year
The best women’s ski boots of 2023