Dirtbag Darling friends and uber-talented filmmakers Fran Derham and Clare Plueckhahn of CosWeCan reached out to share some stills from their shoot with Alana Blanchard for Rip Curl (see the behind-the-scenes video here). The Alana's Closet collection and the Mirage Bikini are some of the best bikinis I've ever tried on—seriously! The fit is perfect, the material feels like silk, and everything stays put, even if the waves are knocking you off your board. If you don't have one, save up and get one for next surf season. I'm dying to get myself the Tiki Goddess bottoms and Mirage Solid Revo Bra top in black!


The collection is available now at RipCurl.com and at Rip Curl stores and stockists. 

Oh, and stay tuned for more from these amazing filmmakers right here!

Adventure Log: Old Rag and Little El Cap, VA

So this weekend Corporate Dirtbagger and I took off for Virginia. Yes, it was a long drive. Yes, I'm still exhausted from it. But that's a small price to pay for a weekend of hiking and climbing in a new location (and the bruises and blisters to prove it). Here's a little visual diary of our weekend:

Get Gear: Lorna Jane Workout Apparel

Me in my Lorna Jane leggings at the top of Little El Cap in Virginia!

Don't get me wrong, I love my Colombia/North Face/Patagonia/Mountain Hardware/EMS/REI gear, but sometimes I just need a little color when I'm packing for a weekend warrior trip. That's where my obsession with Lorna Jane comes in.

I need the Work for Chocolate T-shirt...it's true!

LJ is an Australian active apparel company founded by a fitness guru who just wanted cuter workout gear. Now the brand, created on the principle "Move. Nourish. Believe," offers a wide range of sweat-wicking form-fitting goodness including tanks, tees, jackets, pants, shorts, yoga mats, motivational bracelets and more. I personally own a few items and can confirm they fit well, are made from the best materials, resist sweat and moisture and make your butt look out-of-this-world by providing support in all the right places.

Done!

The brand also offers up an entire lifestyle experience with their blog MoveNourishBelieve.com, which serves up a giant dish of inspiration and motivation to get active and eat right. The visuals are as bright and full of life as the clothing!

This is Lorna behind the scenes on a LJ shoot.

The woman behind it all is cute as a button with toned arms to spare, with a (almost) rags to riches story that proves hard work pays off, in the gym and out. Check it out, you won't be disappointed!

Girl Gone Wild: CO Babe Alex Swanson

There are plenty of amazing women out there, but I've only met a few that are truly exceptional in every way. Alex Swanson is one of these ladies. She's inherently kind, outgoing, inspiring, adventurous and loyal, and has that rare quality that makes you feel like she's really listening when you talk. It doesn't hurt that she has legs for miles and supermodel good looks to match. But what I really love about Al, who works as a marketing manager for nature-loving label Element Eden? She's a true dirtbagger. Oh, and fellas...she's single:

Her favorite outdoor activity:
If it involves the outdoors and a moving body, it's my favorite.

The most adventurous thing she's ever done:
It started in the third grade when my older brother told me my dearest boy crush would date me if I jumped off the garage roof...and I believed him. Turns out it was all a lie, but it did result in a new passion for "flying" by way of snowboarding off the roof, cliff jumping into water, and skate ramp bungee launches into the lake. I still have yet to find a dream guy with enough balls to hold up his half of the deal.

Girl Gone Wild: Slackline Girl Dominique Harrison

Photo by Charles Yacoub

Slacklining may just be the most challenging thing I've ever tried (if you don't know what it is, check out my post on getting inspired to try it here). Still, when I see women like Dominique Harrison walking gracefully across the line, I can't help but envision myself there. So I caught up with the well-balanced lady to learn a little more about her sport and chat about slacking with elephants and challenging the guys:

Tell me about yourself, Dominique.
I was born in Scotland and grew up in Uganda, Indonesia and Kenya (where home is at the moment). I'm 20 years old and at university in Brighton, England where I'm training to be a teacher.

How did you get into slacklining?
Someone told me about it and I went along to a session that was linked with my university, and as soon as I tried it I was addicted.

Darling Ambassador: Introducing Dirtbag Darling's Fashion Editor, Lizbeth!

I met Lizbeth while working for a fashion and lifestyle magazine in Los Angeles, and since then she's gone on to work for some major fashion publications! So who else to be Dirtbag Darling's newest Darling Ambassador and our official Fashion Editor? Liz will help you dress for any outdoor occasion with style and comfort (and convince you fashion IS important, even out in the woods.) Welcome Liz!

Tell us where you've worked and what you have going on that makes you a fashion guru?
I think what makes me a fashion guru is the fact that I've had an interest in fashion since I was a tot and have taken a variety of fashion-related classes that helped me evolve into somewhat of a guru, but a variety of other opportunities did, too. I've had a blog for a few years, worked on my knack for styling and fashion photography, was a fashion curator for Myspace, worked for a PR company in LA, interned for two fabulous fashion magazines and am currently a media intern for College Fashionista and Luv AJ.

What's your favorite outdoor activity?
Running and snowboarding when the winter rolls around. I also love Piyo and hot yoga, but that's why I love Dirtbag Darling, because I'm inspired everyday to get out there and make time for outdoor activities that embrace the beauty of nature. You'll definitely be hearing more about my adventures and outdoor activities. I'm super interested in camping (how sad is it that I've never been camping?) and paddle boarding.

As someone who balances a love for fashion with an active lifestyle, how do you build your outfits to make sense for you?
I think the best way to balance my fashion-loving life and active lifestyle is by creating outfits that are comfortable. Comfort is always key for me, especially since I'm a SoCal native. A chillaxed style is inherent, so it's natural for me to build outfits that can be both fashionable and functional. I love that these days a female can rock both and still be fashion-forward. Some of my go-to staples are skinny jeans, sneakers, chunky knits, comfy tees, pajama shorts, layers of random jewels and a unique pair of sunnies.

Lizbeth's perfect outfit for an afternoon skating around

How can we keep an element of style in our camping/hiking/surfing/climbing wardrobes?
I think it's easy to keep an element of style when it comes to all these activities these days, because so many active lifestyle brands are realizing Darlings like us are joining forces. Fashion is important to females, and we want an outfit that fits our figures and is not constricting. There are awesome prints and styles for every active girl out there and cuts that embrace our fabulous figures and femininity. We have the ability to maintain our individualized selves with chic gear, yet continue to master an activity without style taking the best of us.

When it comes to camping and climbing, you can keep as warm or as cool as you need with lightweight fabrics and pieces that not only transition from a day at work to a day of nature seeking, but look great for daily outings if you're a city slicker, too. I love the unique prints and styles of bikinis and wetsuits. It's so easy to maintain an element of style when it comes to your Dirtbag Darling self and I'm super excited to be here and help you figure out how!

Top ten must-own pieces for an active girl?
1. Unique sneakers (obsessed with my Nike Skyhigh Dunks)
2. Nike 2 boy shorts
3. J. Crew toothpick denim
4. SEE sunglasses
5. L'OREAL Sublime sunblock spf 50
6. Caudalie lip balm
7. Gaiam Grippy yoga mat towel
8. Sigg water bottle
9. Korres blush
10. Vintage or comfortable T-shirts

Want to see a cute camping outfit? Need help picking out the right pair of hiking pants? Have another style question for Liz? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or right here in the comments below.

Practicing Tonglen To Feel Happier

Me getting my "ohm" on in Oahu. 

Today I visited one of my favorite places—the library—and picked up a book called Tranquilista by Kimberly Wilson, the author of Hip Tranquil Chick. It's a manual for doing "enlightened work" and practicing "mindful play," so that you can rid yourself of harmful habits and start living a more fulfilling life.

In it I found a section on practicing Tonglen ("Go Totally Tonglen," page 13), a Buddhist practice that's easy to do throughout your entire day.

Picture this: There's a crying baby on your airplane. Or a disgruntled businessman behind you in line at the bank. Maybe your mom is giving you a hard time about a recent career move. Close your eyes and picture yourself breathing in their pain. Visualize their suffering as a big, dark cloud. Draw that cloud in, then exhale slowly, picturing yourself sending them a big cloud of compassion.

So basically, you aren't absorbing their pain, but changing it into love and compassion. I know, I know...sounds funny, but think about how much better you'll feel trying to send that person love rather than getting yourself all upset about their behavior. I need to try this next time I get an annoying email!

What other rituals or practices should I try out? I need more of this! Leave a comment below. 

Gear Shop: Roxy

Courtesy of Roxy

There are a few brands I've held in high-esteem since I was a teenager, and Roxy continues to impress. Instead of falling into the memory banks of my closet as a brand for young girls, Roxy has stayed an integral part of my active-life wardrobe, even in my mid-20s.

I think it has to do with Roxy's unique ability to blend trends with actual performance. Their hiking boots and backpacks look cute (plaid lining, bright red laces) but instead of fraying at the seams after a few seasons of travel like you might expect, they hold up. And get compliments. Lots and lots of compliments.

Courtesy of Roxy.

So I'm sticking to my guns as a Roxy lover and spreading the word wherever I can: If you're itching for some plaid, a new wetsuit or some comfortable jeans, rethink Roxy.

Courtesy of Roxy

What other brands do you love that maybe I wrote off when I hit college-age? I want to give them another try! Let me know @DirtbagDarling on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook. Thanks!

Girl Gone Wild: Danny Clayton of Salty Gypsy

Gripe about technology all you want, but I love the way it can connect you with someone all the way across the globe. Take Danny Clayton for example: I would never have known about her had it not been for her blog, Salt Gypsy. Now, I'm writing an article about her surf leggings and chatting with her about her life on the water and shaking our booties to some salsa music. Danny sleeps, eats and breathes surfing, a lifestyle that's taken her from the corporate offices of Billabong New Zealand to the freewheeling life of a surf guide in the Maldives. I just can't get enough of this girl!

My name is Danny and I live in the Maldives on a surfari boat. I'm originally from New Zealand, where I grew up learning to duck dive on the ferocious West Coast and to follow my passion.

Get Fed: Campfire Cones Recipe

Photo by Dirtbag Darling

I love camping for many reasons (incredible backdrops, sleeping under the stars, the smell of pine needles) but my biggest draw to the great outdoors could quite possibly be campfire treats, like these mess-free campfire cones from when I was a kid. They’re a little less sticky than s’mores and you can add other textures and flavors like fruit or nuts. Read the recipe on my guest post at Free People! 

DIY Altoids Tin Garden

Sometimes, the best things come in small packages, especially when they’re as cute as this DIY party favor idea! Succulents are an apartment or office gardner’s best friends because they need minimal care and thrive in harsh conditions (aka when you forget to care for them).

I'm the newest guest blogger over on the Free People blog! Check out the rest of this DIY project here.

Girl Gone Wild: Rhea Cortado

 I met Rhea during a summer party thrown by Insight at their Venice Beach store last year. I was there with a friend who worked at Surfer, so I figured I'd be listening to surf talk all night (not that I mind, but I was in need of a little girl talk that night). Luckily, the two of us got to talking by the bar and I realized girl talk could be surf talk, too! We chatted about our experience, the boards we wanted and, yes, her really cute shoes. By the end of the night, we were having so much fun we decided to go to another location to continue our chat. It's been a few months since then, so I emailed up my long-lost friend so she could share some of her ocean-based wisdom with you:

My name is Rhea Cortado and I live in Venice Beach, California. I'm originally from Watsonville in Northern California where I grew up learning to love the beaches and redwoods of Santa Cruz and local, farm fresh produce.

I'm a scatterbrain and can only comprehend today, in the present. I’m also a writer as an occupation and can only work for a very efficient five to six hours in front of the computer before I hit a wall and have to go outside and do something active.

I admire women who make their livelihood by pursuing their passion and love it so much that you can feel it, energetically from them. I like to call it “palpable stoke.” I love women who have palpable stoke. I also love women who are self-confident, independent, totally happy, alone but not lonely.

When I have a weekend off from working, I usually spend it surfing and sunning at the beach in the morning until I reach physical exhaustion and then trying some new cooking experiment for dinner and dessert with my favorite girlfriends and/or my boyfriend. 

My favorite place to spend time outdoors is the beach because I love the water and someone told me that the ions released when water crashes is scientifically proven to be relaxing. Even just walking on the beach or walking around mountainous areas where you can see the coastline in the distance feels like everything will be all right with the world.

Surfing has taught me patience, discipline, humbleness, payoff for work and commitment, and that whatever was bothering you in the parking lot doesn’t matter anymore when you’re floating out in the middle of the wild ocean. 

One luxury item I always have with me is my Shiseido sunscreen while I’m outdoors. And a Hermes bracelet my sister gave me for when I’m doing the city girl thing.

This fall I'll be in the southwest of France cooking up a storm as the in-house chef for Surf Sistas and Big Friday surf camps through September and October.

One thing I'd love to learn to do is commit to a yoga practice because I like how there is a spiritual and physical component to it and I always feel refreshed after class. I'd also love to learn how to get over being scared of falling from tall heights because I would love to get out to the desert and learn how to rock climb!

My favorite piece of advice for living a healthy lifestyle is to care and pay attention about what you put into your body. Many ailments and illnesses originate from poor diet. And take some time for yourself every day—whether it’s preparing your own food, doing something active outside, having a crafty creative hour or book-and-hammock time. Your work life will be more productive and your personal relationships more mutually rewarding when you’re a happy, mentally and physically well-balanced person.

Thanks Rhea! If you want to see more of the radness Rhea's putting out everyday, check out her blog TheSurftorialist.com. 

Images by Allan Nadel and Kate Czuczman

My Best Beauty Secret

Me: Messy bun, no makeup, scaly feet in Oahu.

When you live (or decide to start living) an outdoor-loving lifestyle, there are certain things you have to give up and wrinkle-free skin, smooth feet, immaculate hair and manicured nails are all on the list. Maintaining your beauty routine is just unrealistic when you're camping out on a beach in Hawaii with no mirrors, downpours and back-to-basics pluming!

That's not to say I don't try my best to look presentable when I'm back in civilization. I still trim my hair, put on mascara and pluck my brows—I am a girl, after all. There are even certain things I bring with me on the trail, like facial wipes and lip balm.

But my ultimate beauty secret? Stop caring so much about what you look like. Chances are the people you're with out there are the ones who love you no matter what, and the reason you're out there is to experience something new and test your limits. You're out there to reconnect with nature and remember what's important, and let me tell you this right now: What you look like is NOT.

So let it all go when you lace up your boots or put on your bikini—let your hair get frizzy or tie it up in a bun or braid. Wear sunscreen but don't obsess over it if you get a sunglass tan line. No one wants to worry about runny mascara when you spot a rope swing, and you can fix it all up on Monday (if it really comes down to it, there's always that lip balm in your back pocket).

Gear Shop: OluKai

Phot: OluKai.com

Hawaii is one of my all-time favorite places (duh, everyone probably says that, right?). The landscape is so varied and rugged, the people are so faithful to their home and family, and the adventure options for an outdoor lover are just endless. So it's a no brainer that I'm a big fan of OluKai Footwear, a company with values and design principles based in the tight-knit community and island-swelling lifestyle of Polynesian culture.

They make footwear for someone wants to explore the beach and the jungle in the same day, even designing the soles of their shoes to mimic the way bare feet feel on wet sand. Each shoe is made with contoured footbeds for comfort and durability, so you can kayak out to your own little island and still be able to scramble around on the rocks when you get there.

Photo: Olukai.com

I just wish I could go back in time and gift myself a pair before I had actually gone to Hawaii! Next time...

Get Gear: Made By Dawn Swimwear

Photo of my bum by Esther Choi.

Let me say this first: I'm really happy with my body because it's deceivingly strong (seriously guys!). I can lift heavy, run far and climb high without too much trouble. But I've also been called scrawny more than once and fact of the matter is, it's hard to find a bathing suit that doesn't hang off of me like a trash bag.

Enter Made By Dawn, a line of figure-hugging bathing suits for smaller girls. She recently sent me her Shell Picker bikini as a thank you and I'm in love! It fits well, doesn't budge and—get this—has little pockets for collecting shells at the beach! If you're a smaller girl, do yourself a favor and get yourself a Made By Dawn swimsuit. 

See? Pockets!