Holler

Guest Blogger: Brady Lange, a fashion designer from Portland, Oregon is a self-admitted hipster who leads an active life and finds knee pain relief by (finally!) listening to his big sister’s advice. A bum knee can really cramp your style, after all.

Brady Lange

From Brady:

Too hip to quit

A little home stencil job makes rad tape even radder

People tend to think that hipsters are lazy schmucks who sit around all day drinking PBR, go to parties, and sleep in until 2pm.  Well, that’s partially true for some, (stereotypes have to start somewhere right?) but the truth of the matter is that a huge number of hipsters lead in impressively active lifestyle.  It’s not easy getting up, going to work at some menial job, coming home, being creative in some fashion or another be it music, art, etc. until about 8 or 9, having a drink or two at a bar (see and be seen) attending a show, going to the after party, rolling into bed at 3 am and doing it all over again the next day.  It sounds like all fun and games but the reality is it is all about making connections, networking and becoming known in your respected creative industry.  It takes stamina, dedication and above all you have to be in decent shape.  Any given night you will have walked up to five miles, biked ten, and probably climbed a tree or two somehow.  I should know, I’m one of those hipsters.

There is a reason I’m able to wear my skinny jeans and still be able to drink frat boys under the table without the slightest bit of a beer gut. It’s because I’m physically fit and work hard at it.  I run regularly, ride my bike everywhere and don’t sit in front of the TV for hours at a time.  I’m active.  At the same time however, I’m also one of the most clumsy people I know, and as a result injury riddled.  My knee is screwed up and it’s painful to run on most of the time.  It could be a result of falling down the stairs back stage at a fashion event, or possibly getting shoved in to the front of the stage at a concert, or maybe from the time the van door shut on it while helping my roommate’s band during load-in; whatever the cause my knee hurts.  I refuse to stop leading an active life, however, and have tried to remedy the pain.

I tried using a knee brace but that didn’t work at all.  It was restricting, sweaty, and when I took it off it smelled like death.  Creams and gels were a joke; they just left me greasy and smelling like a hospital.  I had all but gotten to a point of acceptance that I would never have a pain free run again when while on the phone with Hilary griping about my knee she asked if I had tried KT Tape.  Like an idiot I slapped my head in one of those “duh” moments and remembered she had showed me some the last time I was back in Montana.  So I hopped on my single-gear bike and hauled off to Sports Authority.  I chose the pink because it went with my neon yellow sunglasses (yes, sometimes it is sunny in Portland.)  I’ll admit I was a slightly skeptical that this small piece of stretchy tape would offer any kind of relief but I trust my sister knows her stuff so I followed the handy online application directions and set out for a run.  Five miles of pavement pounding later, I was pretty damn surprised.  My knee hadn’t felt that good after a run in ages.  Any doubt I previously had was totally gone. I am a die-hard believer now! This brightly colored stretchy two-by-ten strip of wonder has definitely made all the difference.  As a designer, I read a ton of fashion blogs and read about what the new “it” items are. And going to all these parties I always see the cool new hip stuff people are wearing, but KT Tape is definitely my “must have” item for spring.

Big Holler to KT Tape and the Outside Media gang for introducing me to this rad product. Party hard! I will be.