Spring weather is finally upon us and with it come the bicycles. In any major city, public transportation can be hell; even if you are lucky enough to live in a city with an air-conditioned subway, there is no escaping the heated masses on crowded buses and trains. Cycling has always been seen as the chicest way to get around town (who can forget the iconic images of Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor on their bicycles?) not to mention cheap, green, and a good way to fit in exercise, but it also often leads to a sartorial conundrum.
Lightweight dresses may be perfect for those scorching summer days, but you don’t want to worry about your skirt while trying to navigate around taxis and pedestrians. There are two main schools of thought when it comes to dressing for cycling: you either carry a change of clothes, or risk puddles, spokes, and gusts of wind whilst riding dressed up. While neither of these options are particularly practical, a mixture of both can result in an easy, but still chic, ride (after all, who wants to be seen wearing workout clothes all around the city?) Shorts and cropped trousers make for the perfect bike-friendly outfit; styled with sunglasses to keep dust ad bugs out of your eyes, a basket for your handbag rounds off the look.
I know we all wish we could look like Catherine Baba (above, left) on a bicycle, but I must warn against wearing stilettos and other high-risk looks on a bike as you never know when you’ll have to make a sudden stop. If you absolutely abhor flat shoes, go with a heeled boot or similarly stable shoe that could catch you if you need to step off at a moment’s notice.
No matter what you wear, remember that while looking chic is important, wearing a helmet is too. This is one instance where safety should definitely win out over style.
photos: easyfashion.blogspot.com, thesartorialist.blogspot.com, mrnewton.net, yvanrodic.blogspot.com.
