Check this helmet out – what an idea! The author of Oh Joy!, a top style-lifestyle inspiration blog, happens to be a very chic cyclist. When she couldn’t find a polka dotted helmet to suit her needs, she made one out of a Bern Muse helmet and sticky decals.
Read about her project direct from the source HERE, including the link to buy the polka dot decals.
I’m tempted to get a red helmet and attach black dots. I have a thing for ladybugs! :) Couldn’t hurt project get-drivers-to-treat-me-like-a-human, either.
Dottie and I have both had a lot of questions about our Basil bags. Now that I’ve had mine for 6 months, it’s time for a review. I have the Basil Blossom “Postmenbag” in white, and have been extremely pleased with it since I bought it at Copenhagen Cyclery in June. (The bag is also available on Amazon.)
Based in the Netherlands, Basil has been producing Dutch bike accessories since the 70s, and their whimsical patterns and quality construction have made them a well-known name. They make bags, panniers, seat covers, baskets and more, and their line is becoming available in more and more bike shops across the U.S.
The Postmenbag is basically a messenger bag modified to attach to a bike rack: the back is reinforced to add structure, and the design on the nylon fabric is moderately reflective (there are two reflective stripes on each side of the bag).
Our vintage style series has finally returned! Now that Dottie has outlined the many excellent reasons cyclists are drawn to vintage style, it’s my turn to share some tips on secondhand shopping. Since I can’t bring you all to my favorite places to shop vintage– America’s Thrift Store in Pell City, my grandmother’s closet (like other bloggers, a place I’ve had great luck with), the local shop Pre- to Post-Modern,–I’ll focus on shopping somewhere I know you all can visit: the Internet.
Vintage dress, vintage bike
I love browsing through carefully curated vintage shops for style ideas, but when it comes to opening my wallet, the item must be a bargain (hey, it is used after all!). When shopping secondhand, I prefer items that are either timeless, or play off of current trends without being too costume-y. Things, in other words, that don’t necessarily scream “vintage” and can be mixed with modern pieces to add a unique touch.
These pictures are from last week. I’m remembering it fondly, as this week has been gray and dreary. Rain was pouring this morning, so I sighed and took the L train to work. I’ll be back tomorrow with a report of my new commute.
Good Times
A Final Burst of Fall
Cycle Chic
P.S. I’m rarely able to take good pictures of other cyclists going by, but I managed to snap the one above. Note that she has a Jimmy Choo bag on the handlebars of her vintage Schwinn. Only when I was cropping this picture to post did I notice that her pants legs are tucked into her socks. Thank you, anonymous beauty, for proving that tucked hems can be stylish.
Does everyone but me know that Rachel McAdams is a city cyclist? I’ve seen pictures of her riding a bike before, but it wasn’t until last week, when the lovely Lalipourie highlighted the green is sexy blog the Canadian actress started with a couple of friends, that I realized it was more than a random occurrence. On her blog, Rachel says her bike is her preferred mode of transportation.
Brrr, there is a chill in the air now. Chicago temperatures are hovering around the 30’s and 40’s. Tights, boots, wool socks and wool sweaters are serving me well thus far. My heavy duty gloves from last year are wrecked, so I ordered these goose down gore-tex mittens and silk glove liners. Hope they do the trick this winter.
Below is a typical outfit for this weather, except I took off my Ibex wool sweater (a present from Mr. Dottie) to show my pretty dress (a present from Trisha).
Yesterday I attended a party at De Fietsfabriek, a Dutch bike shop, to celebrate the fall line of Po Campo stylish bike bags. I wore my lucky red velvet Marc Jacobs shoes and a vintage red bow.
The red shoes are lucky because I wore them when I met Tori Amos and the first thing she said to me was: “I love your shoes!” Then she hugged me. This is the kind of outfit I wear simply because it makes me happy like a little girl. RED BOW!
The temperature this morning in Chicago was 48 degrees, with a high of 57. A perfect day to put in action my How to Dress for Fall Cycling advice. Two weeks ago I wore this strappy summer dress alone with sandals. Today it became an autumn dress with the help of knee-high wool socks, tall lace-up boots, a cardigan, and gloves.
Boots!
Dresses make up the bulk of my wardrobe, so I will be performing this trick a lot during cold weather. Eventually, I’ll pull out my three pairs of jeans, which I like wearing only in fall and winter.
This is the first part of a four-part series on vintage style. In part two, Trisha will discuss her vintage style and share some of the best places to find vintage items online. Part three will provide tips for buying vintage bicycles and the pros and cons of ownership. Finally, part four will profile a founder of a vintage shop who gets around the city on her vintage trike.
Why are we devoting a series to vintage style on a bicycle blog? Vintage style and bicycling have a lot in common! They are both sustainable, budget conscious, individual and fun. It’s no wonder so many bicyclists—including Trisha and me—gravitate toward vintage and thrifted fashion.
Yesterday I rode with Chicago’s second Tweed Ride. I can’t resist calling it a jolly good time. It felt kinda like a reunion of the first Tweed Riders, along with many new faces. Lots of style and bicycle eye candy. Due to my packed schedule, I was able to stay only long enough to drink a half liter of Oktoberfest, take pictures, and ride a bit. Enjoy the results!
It’s true that bicycles are a thing of beauty and craftsmanship. Just like your choice of car, they have the potential to reflect your personality and make a fashion statement. And of course, bikes made by designers like Cynthia Rowley and Fendi remind people that hey, there are still bikes around, and sometimes people ride them.
But overall, I don’t think that the bicycle as accessory fad will have a long-term effect on cycling culture or make a significant addition to the number of bicycle commuters on the road. And it’s not because I am afraid of “wobbling fashionistas” endangering my safety—I’m happy to encourage anyone who wants to give riding a bike a try.
Here’s my reasoning: By making a bike seem like a luxury item or a fashion accessory, it takes away from the idea of the bicycle as a functional instrument that can be part of anyone’s day-to-day life. Yes, it can and should add beauty to that life as well. Yes, I personally prefer to cycle in everyday clothes, and I try to make those clothes fashionable. But since a bicycle is meant to be a practical, useful tool for getting around, it’s not something you should buy on looks (or designer name) alone. Are the people who buy these bikes really getting something that fits their needs and lifestyle? If not, they’re not going to be riding longterm.
Perhaps this worry is pointless, since it’s likely that these designer models will only appeal to those who were waiting for a bicycle with enough bling to dazzle them into forgetting that riding it entails getting off the couch and turning off “Gossip Girl.” Those people will likely be perfectly content with a Rowley cruiser. But anyone who thinks these bikes are going to lead to a large increase in bicycle commuters and bike advocates is fooling themselves.
As summer comes to an end, I’ve decided on my favorite warm weather cycling outfit. I’ve worn it many times, including a 20 mile ride on Labor Day and a fast ride downtown today for a networking event. The dress is super light and airy with great ventilation. The pleated skirt drapes prettily and covers everything I want covered. Wrinkles never form. Sweat spots never show. Best of all, there is a shorter layer of fabric just below the waistline that flies up in the breeze and flaps behind me like a cape. Very fun :) The shoes are super comfortable gold leather flats. When choosing between this outfit or shorts and a tank top, this outfit wins hands down.
In a couple of months I will look back on this post in mourning, as I begin my winter ritual of layering wool leggings, pants, two pairs of wool socks, wool undershirt, wool sweater, wind breaker, two pairs of gloves, ear muffs, scarf, Russian winter boots, and safety glasses.
Let’s face it: bike commuters are stereotyped as fringe, eccentric, a bit odd. Even in Chicago where there are plenty of cyclists, I am an anomaly as a bike commuter.
"This is what a bike commuter looks like"
The reaction I get from most people is easy to predict, as I watch their stereotype confront reality. Usually, they are surprised and slightly impressed. The average Chicagoan is aware of bike commuters, so that big hurdle is cleared from the start, but people are surprised because I am a fairly quiet and unassuming female – I don’t fit the stereotype. There are always questions.
The most common:
Aren’t you scared of cars? You do wear a helmet, I hope?
You didn’t ride here in that skirt, did you??
But not during winter, right???
Some people are “hip” to the bike commuting “trend.” Their questions tend to be:
Cool, where do you shower and change clothes?
You didn’t ride here in that skirt, did you??
But not during winter, right???
Once they learn that I ride in skirts and through the winter, they are shocked and confused. I love talking about cycling – obviously!- but even I grow weary of answering these questions.
I want to know from all of you: What reactions do people have when they learn you are a bike commuter? What questions do they ask you the most? Which of your characteristics contribute to the way people react? How about your geographic location?
Finally, assuming this stereotype prevents a lot of people from considering bike commuting, what can be done to revamp our image, short of enlisting Don Draper’s assistance?
I decided that it is finally time for me to write a review of Oma for our Beautiful Bicycles series. She and I have been together for nearly a year! For the occasion I put together an outfit and hairstyle inspired by her roots. Granted, I know very little about Holland – this is my interpretation of a vintage Dutch look, pulled out of my imagination.
Trisha and I are working on a short series about vintage and thrifted style – bicycles and clothing! In the meantime, here’s a taste of my vintage fun for today. I wore an outfit centered around a vintage ’80’s (yes, ’80’s is now vintage and we are all old) skort I recently acquired. This is the kind of clothing that I love and that my sisters would wrinkle their noses at in disgust and ask why I insist on dressing like mom. Oh, and I got a haircut – bangs!
Outfit for toodling on bike Vintage '80's skort H&M t-shirt Marc Jacobs flats Marc Jacobs sunglasses Fairy necklace from Celtic street fair Nutcase Starburst helmet
I stopped by Haystack Vintage, one of my new favorite shops, and spotted this extensive collection of vintage bikes outside. So cute, but they all look so small!
It wouldn’t have been a real girls’ visit if Dottie and I hadn’t spent at least one night last week dancing around the condo, singing at the top of our lungs to various songs. Need I say wine was involved?
After we got the cheesy music out of our system (I can’t be the only one who can’t keep from singing along to Nicki French’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart”?), we found ourselves surfing YouTube for cool videos and uncovered Bat for Lashes’ “What’s a Girl to Do?” Deliciously creepy and slightly fairy-tale-like, it’s worth watching–enjoy, and bon week-end!
Cycling with style is easy and fun. However, I don’t want it to seem like I simply hop off my bike fresh as a spring flower and go along my merry way. If that’s what people think is supposed to happen after they read about how easy it is to ride in regular clothes, then they will be annoyed when it does not work for them and give up. So I want to be clear that I sweat. A lot. More than the average person. I have been known to sweat in the dead of winter on my bike if I wear one layer too many. My hair gets sweaty and a bit frizzy. Sometimes I get grease on my leg and curse at Betty Foy. Over time I have learned how to deal and always have a plan of action for hot rides.
For example, yesterday I rode 7 miles downtown to have lunch with a friend. The sun was at its peak and the temperature was around 80 F. I wore a breezy lined silk skirt and a cami, stowing my cardigan rolled up in my purse. I strapped my purse in my front basket with a bungie cord and put on my helmet. I then cycled at a steady but easy pace to avoid getting too hot. Twice I stopped to turn my skirt around to prevent sweat spots from building up.
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About this blog
As two girls who practice city cycling with style and think you can too, we started this blog to share our stories, learn more about cycling and encourage others to rediscover the fun of riding a bike. All opinions and reviews are our own, and we are not paid to provide them. Check the "About us" page for more details.
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