SCUBA Fashion

[CuriousMe]

I have a couple suits...one is black and grey, one is black with a purple accent, and one is black with a yellow accent. None of them were chosen for their colors. My fins are yellow...that was more about visability than anything else. One of my personal pet peeves are buddies with black and blue gear...it's like dang camaflouge in poor vis.

Personally, I get annoyed when dive shop staff assume that color choice will dictate my gear choice (happened a few times when I was first buying my gear....the first question they'd ask would be "So what color is the gear you have already...this model only comes in xx color"). Such nonsense......Would you expect someone to choose a soccer ball over another only because of color? How about shin guards?

I do agree with Aquagirl though...more gear that is designed for women would be appreciated.

My .02

Peace,
Cathie

 

[Dee]

Otter once bubbled...
Dee,
Well sorta. I am having a debate with my wife who says that 'someone' should do that very thing. At the same time, I talk with other female divers and I get varied responses. I am guessing that if there was an oppty, Uzzi et. al. would have already done it.

Otter

I think we all started out with some sort of color theme in mind. But as time goes on, we realize that functionality is way more important than the color, we all end up with rainbow themes!

What I would prefer to see instead is someone making gear to fit women! Especially masks and BC's. I'm a full believer in BP/wings as the ultimate custom fit but lots of women want other types of BC's. We need BC's to fit narrower shoulders, wider hips and shorter torsos. We need wetsuits that don't have that fantasy curvy Barbie doll shape! The shape of some men's wetsuits are OK but we need shorter legs and arms and maybe a very stretchy panel over the chest area. Those built in breast pockets womens suits have are never in the right place. Mine haven't been that high and pointy since I was in Jr. High school!

We can always hope for smaller fins but we aren't holding our breath! I have a friend who is of asian ancestry and is very small. She has the hardest time finding anything to fit. Most of her gear is made for children so the choices are almost nonexistant. I've come across alot of students who really need small and smaller gear but it's never available.

 

[wreckchick]

is for distinctive accent colors on wetsuits where another diver could actually see them. Seems like all the accents are on the torso where you very carefully cover them right up with a BC. What about doing something on the legs or arms where they'll actually show?

As for sizing, I'm kinda tall at 5'7" but I don't consider that freakish and at least some of the gear has me in a women's XL. Now that's silly for starters and I would have to be considerably bigger around to fit all the rest of the measurements.

Rachel

 

[Diver Lori]

Black, black and um....black. All my gear is black with the exception of my white tanks and my orange dry gloves. Black fins, black mask with a black skirt......no discoloration to worry about.

And I agree.....black is more slimming.

 

[song]

like Dee, I started out with a color theme (blue) plus a few pink accents. Hey, I was really young back then. As I've replaced my equipment piece by piece over the years nothing matches anymore. I try to get what works best, not what looks best. While taking my OW course 15 years ago I bought a bright pink heart-shaped weight because it was oh-so-cute. Found out that damned heart point would dig into the flesh, or at least feel like it. Never bought any other scuba stuff for appearance only. Shoes are another matter, but even then comfort counts.

Hey CuriouseMe, when I was shopping for a new car, specifically asking about important options like traction control, 5-speed vs 6-speed, ABS, etc the salesguy had the audacity to ignore all my questions (because he didn't know the answers) and focus on "what color car do you want?" utz:

 

[Mississippi]

I'm actually in the process of purchasing new suits for myself and dive hubby right now. Bright color accents on the arms and lower legs are important to both of us but not for a fashion statement-- we frequently dive in poor vis and it's just so much easier to see each other when wearing brighter colors. Even while diving in clear water with a group, it's easier to locate each other by looking for that familiar color pattern. In my search I have been disappointed that the women's suits that fit my shape best usually only come in plain black.

 

[divemistress]

As a newbie diver, I went for tasteful purple accents on my BC and lime mask and snorkel. Tasteful?

As a macho (macha?) divemaster, I wanted blackblackblack. So cool, I thought.

As a thoughtful AI, I decided I wanted to be visible: Back to lime fins, mask and snokel. My thought: I'd rather be seen, then left behind. :wacko:

I do like to make a fashion statement, however. Hence my obsession for divegoddess skins (www.divegoddess.com). No matter how softly I speak, I'm generally the loudest person on the boat!


Dee, you've accidentally wounded me to my soul -- "SMALLER FINS"??? I understand there are women out there with small feet. I understand -- intellectually -- that they have as much trouble finding shoes as I do. But when one is cursed with flipper-sized feet, as I am, it's so hard to feel sympathy.....JLS

Dee once bubbled...
We can always hope for smaller fins but we aren't holding our breath! I have a friend who is of asian ancestry and is very small. She has the hardest time finding anything to fit. Most of her gear is made for children so the choices are almost nonexistant. I've come across alot of students who really need small and smaller gear but it's never available.

 

[greenalien]

All my basic gear is blue and black (fins, suit, bcd, mask) but what I consider my safety gear is yellow (weight belt, knife, want yellow gloves). That way people can easily distinguish them if I or someone else needs help. Otherwise I don't care about color. I do like the idea of decals or stensils for fins or bcd. That would be a good way of adding individuality.

 

[Phish-phood]

If I want something I'll buy it regardless of colour although I admit I do ask if things are available in a colour that I like.

When I was looking for a drysuit to buy I came accross an absolute corker - and red and yellow candy cane suit. It got me thinking that maybe I could get one custom made with cow print pattern on it because I have a thing for cows My boyf and dive buddies thought it was hysterical, they all said they would have no problem being seen with me in a suit like that but no way would they dive with me if I bought a pink suit.

In the end I have settled on a black and grey suit my mask is clear and most of my other kit is blue, yellow or black. I don't really care if I am co-ordinated under the water as long as I can be seen and have all the kit I need

 

[divebunnie]

You see... women after my own heart!
I have been teased and harassed by my fellow divers (all in a very affectionate manner, I must add here) for liking the dreaded pink! I haven't gone overboard, I just co-ordinate... fins, mask etc. From day one on my open water course, the first comments were made.
However I have stuck to my guns, as I have motto:
Does something have to be ugly to actually make it work? No.
I must admit, I am not talking about wild garish patterns here, as I am sure every one of you will admit, that most of us prefer to look our sleekest whatever we are doing, which will certainly not happen if you are wearing a banana yellow wet suit together with integrated patterned panels!
Having said that, there may be women (and men of course!) out there who would like the world to really see them underwater, so to have the option would not be a bad thing. Maybe set up a custom suit centre, where people can choose their own colour ways?