Friday, February 27, 2009

Peugeot and the Adorable Girl

It's my Boyfriend's Bike i'm Riding

The hat with it's grosgrain ribbon bow is such an unexpected sweet and feminine touch to the overall tomboy look she sports. I love her mix of stripes, the suspenders, and the pretty tie up ankle boots too.

She said it was her boyfriend's Peugeot bike she was riding.


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Where I Live, Sunny Ride, Cork Handlebar Grips



(Adrienne Vittadini coat, RidingPretty bicycle helmet cover, thrifted-then reconstucted peg leg pants, thrifted shoes, Forvever 21 sunglasses, vintage 1970's Motobecane bicycle)





This is where I live, and this particular spot is just a few short blocks from my front door. Gratefully the sunlight was just gorgeous yesterday when this pic was snapped. My boyfriend who takes these pics is loosing patience with me. He doesn't understand why I want to get my outfits photographed so regularly now. Sigh..



This is my 1970's Motobecane. I promise to devote a whole blog post on 'Belle' sometime soon. I did just add cork handlebar grips and the basket. The basket is thrifted, but it's really nice because the underlying structure is wire. So it's like a wire basket that's been wrapped in a rattan. When I shellacked my (bare, untreated) cork handlebar grips I had enough shellac to do the basket at the same time.



I'd love to add bamboo fenders and shellac them in the same matching amber shellac color, but it seems sort of overkill at $150.00+ for the fenders when my bike was purchased for only $10.00.
I also don't want to make my bicycle so pretty and styled out that she becomes a big theft magnet either. Still... I do need fenders, so I will probably settle for some recycled ones. I'll just dream about the bamboo fenders for now.



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Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Bike Gang Instruction Manual -- The Deadly NightShades


the Deadly NightShades
photocredit/source: The Deadly NightShades

The Deadly NightShades have been working hard to bring you this essential guide... important for the female bicyclist. Learn from it. Study it completely.***


____________________________________________________________________
***disclaimer for those who take things too literally
Deadly Nightshades; Toronto based midnight bike crew & design collective combined. We encourage ethical and sustainable design, as well as general mischief.


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Ah, Mardi Gras...My Dream of a Bike Parade

Mardi Gras in New Orleans winded down. This got me thinking about a bicycle parade. My kind of parade, my way...I'd want Skeletons, Saints and Sinners.


Bike
photocredit/source: Dazza NZ

My frightful Skeletons ... coming to you from Carnival Cuba and frocksonbike.



Mobile Sewing
photocredit/source: hetmobielenaaiatelier.nl

My lovely Saints...hetmobiele and aaiatelier at the front of the parade. These ladies pedal and generate power to their sewing machines and sew. They offer their sewing services and transform ordinary clothing (supplied by spectators watching the parade) into works of art.


poleriders
photocredit/source: polerider

My beautiful 'Sinners'...Polerider. A guy pedaling a bike outfitted with a Pole and beautiful girls putting on quite a show! Polerider is available to make your parade/event extra sizzling.

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Monday, February 23, 2009

Winter Hat Options for Bicycling

Mel kindly agreed to pose for a couple of pics. Thanks Mel.

Mel is more Conservative, definitely price conscious, and very eco conscious too, so she urged me to design a helmet cover to fit her needs...She liked my designs but thought they were 'too fashion forward' for her personal style sensibilities.

The Details: the fabric is felt-like in touch and feel, and is made from recycled plastic bottles so it's about as eco as it gets. It has a long, attached scarf wrap to tie anyway you want. It is cozy and keeps your head and neck warm. It can be made waterproof by simply wrapping the bicycle helmet in a plastic bag, thin shower cap, or even saran wrap before putting on the helmet cover. The price was within Mel's budget. Mel's design requests were solved!

Buying Info: is here***

***this style is no longer offered- HOWEVER you can go to the very top the page and click on the
online shop link to see newer designs.


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Saturday, February 21, 2009

Going to the Oscars? Bicycle Rack is Available!

down the red carpet
photocredit/source:via dannymichel

Hey there, A-lister! ... want to avoid sitting idly in the limo while getting through the intense traffic congestion to the Academy Awards?

"A bicycle rack will be erected on the east curb of Highland Avenue from Hollywood Boulevard to the alley north of Hollywood Boulevard from 12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, February 23, 2009."

Can’t wait to see who wins this year …
Good Luck to Everyone!

***
oh, check this out from the Chicago Sun Times ...
(if you) "care about bikes in movies, just vote in the bike category. We'll announce the winners of the Ride Movie Awards the day after the Oscars, Monday, Feb. 23."

And in the Bicycle category:

Best picture with a bike in the leading role:

"The Triplets of Belleville," 2003
"Breaking Away," 1979
"The Bicycle Thief," 1948
"2 Seconds," 1998
"The Flying Scotsman," 2006

So hurry up and vote!

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Friday, February 20, 2009

SF Tweed Ride – Photos! - More!!!

Additional photos from the San Francisco Tweed Ride as promised! Great pictures from a variety of photographers who collectively did a darn good job of delivering! Thanks to the photographers; pepperlime, RubinStarset, Capetom, nmondoux, Adrienne, occlupanid and of course the SF Tweed Pool. For even more Tweed Ride photos (and great descriptive comments) go check these photographers out!

Tweed Ride
photocredit/source:pepperlime


Dog Show
photocredit/source:RubinStarset


sftweed_280
photocredit/source:Capetom

sftweed_255
photocredit/source:Capetom

sftweed_30
photocredit/source:Capetom

sftweed_82
photocredit/source:Capetom

sftweed_231
photocredit/source:Capetom

Tweed Ride
photocredit/source:nmondoux

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Thursday, February 19, 2009

Head Wear Look on the Runway ... Bicycling Fashion 2009

NYC Fashion Week is winding up tomorrow on Friday. I've been keeping an eye out for any bicycling fashion showing up on any of the Runways for 2009. Here's what I've been finding so far...


2009 runway copenhagen
photocredit/source: via www.elle.com


A riding style hat shown recently on the runway by Designer Remix during the Copenhagen Fashion Week.

Can the acceptance and fashionable wearing of actual ‘protective’ head wear, as in a stylish bicycle helmet, going to be very far behind I wonder?


luella
photocredit/source: via www.style.com

Luella also has this riding style head wear for Spring 2009. Very pink, very pretty.


garance dore helmet drawing
photocredit/source: via atomicecho

Celine has very sweet bicycle riding attire. And aptly described as a 'sportswear couture' Collection;"Bicyclette". So very much in step with the Parisian style of cycling. Look for the skirt with concealed shorts, dresses with hems longer at the back, and all designed with the bicyclist in mind. Notice the head wear/helmet in this very pretty sketch by Garance Doré.

Oh, by the way maybe a trend...


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SF Tweed Ride – Photos!

Head on over to the SF Tweed Ride for a nice pool of pictures captured at the very first San Francisco Tweed Ride. Here are some of my favorites. I will be posting more! And Thanks to Colin who organized this most stylish ride through the streets of San Francisco.

Fabulous Duo

photocredit/source: Adrienne

TweedBeetle

photocredit/source: Occlupanids

Fabulous!!

photocredit/source: Adrienne



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Tips - Buying a Fashionable and Stylish Bicycle

Ready? Good! Let's jump right in...

The Frame Style (the bike's geometry) is an early
decision you make towards finding the right bicycle for you. I ruminated on this topic; Just how much do you need to know to buy a new (Euro Style) Bicycle Part I. My recommendation is a bike with an Up Right geometry, the Sit Up & Beg style or as I like to say the Euro Style bicycle. You may also want to consider Cruisers or Townie bicycles which are distant second cousins, technically speaking. I suggest reading Sit Up & Beg - Most Ergonomic? Then for further info & answers read Sit Up & Beg - Most Ergonomic? -- Good Answer. I highly recommend (for the greatest of ease while riding in dresses and skirts) a step-through frame and also simply called a 'ladies' frame. Size matters, so getting the right size for you is the other half of the equation. Be sure when you get to the point of actually buying your bicycle to consult with the seller and emphatically and absolutely determine that you are getting the right size bike!

Your next decision is whether to buy vintage or new?I started off choosing vintage for a variety of reasons. I always like to buy recycled (anything) first. I also think steel frames are far superior to any 'Big Box' bikes manufactured out of China. For the same ballpark $200.00 you can get a real vintage beauty, but you need to know a thing or two before jumping in and buying off Craigslist or Ebay. For some tips on buying read; Buying a Vintage Bike Guide along with reading about my own personal experience rebuilding a vintage bike; Finding and Rebuilding my Motobecane Bicycle. Price points, oh yeah the other determining factor. Not much cash? Ah, well choosing a vintage bicycle is the way to go. Read about how overwhelmingly popular vintage bicycles have become; Vintage Bikes - Girls want them! If you're looking for a NEW bicycle then be sure to check out this posting;12 Bicycles for Girls. Recommendations are across all price points, high to low.

The next big decision is going to involve how you plan to use your bicycle? Plus where do you live? Your answers will determine how many gears you'll want. General rule of thumb is 3 gears minimum. Flatlanders, strictly leisure riders, incredibly short distance bike commuters, and all those super fit fixie riders maybe be able to get away with a single speed. I have a single speed cruiser I ride to the beach and up the block to my neighborhood shops. If your terrain includes hills, then get multiple gears. Talk to anybody you can find who bike commutes in your area and ask how many gears they think work best. Now would be a good time to get friendly with your local bike coop, community bike advocacy groups, and your local bike shop (LBS) who you'll probably end up buying bike stuff from any way.

The Let's Be Lady Like! check list: Of course now that you plan to wear all sorts of stylish outfits while riding your new bicycle, then you'll want to make sure your bicycle has fenders, a skirt guard, a fully enclosed chain guard to keep you and your clothes free from dirt and grim. If these are not already included with your bicycle, it is possible in many cases to add them on later.

The Practicality check list: You will want a front basket, rear rack, and panniers (you add those onto that rear rack), for transporting your stuff, be it groceries, Chinese take-home, library books, you get the picture. Additionally there is a very possible extra benefit, you will earn respect and street cred amongst the utility and commuter cyclists!


The Safety Items check list: Lights, reflectors, bicycle bell, bicycle lock, and a helmet if you chose to wear one (I advocate for helmet safety). You could also add in a bicycle repair kit for fixing a flat tire in a pinch.


The Purely Aesthetic and Stylish checklist: Well this could get cross referenced to several of the afore mentioned items above. I'd add cork handle bar grips (cork is a sustainable and eco material). Also a Brooks saddle would be wonderful! And you can shellac those cork grips to match the patina of your Brooks saddle whether it's it vintage or new. Other considerations...Add streamers you make yourself or check ETSY, perhaps a bicycle basket liner, and pretty flowers for your basket (as in brightening up any dreary winter's duldrum day).


Sincerely hope you've found this posting and it's check lists helpful! Happy Bicycle Riding to All the Stylish Lovelies!!

***** Update:
Newer posting and highly recommended... 'Dream Bicycle List - Let's Go Shopping'.

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Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Amgen-SantaCruz-RainyWeekend-Redcoat-Lance-MyShineyHelmetCover

Rainy Weekend and it was a blast. Amgen Tour came to Santa Cruz. A huge crush of spectators hugged tight at the finish line, while I was out prowling for the 'chicest' riding attire I could spot...

little girl in red

Was I crazy or from 'planet of my own imagination'. Get Real. This was a RACE, in the rain. What fashionista would show up on her bicycle wearing heels to this?? I admit I saw the best in rain gear /outerwear in gortex, nylon, hi-tech fabrics and by all the best brands, Patagonia, Columbia and designed for rugged wear. And then the lifestyle brands like Roxy, O'Neils, and so forth.
So, I settled for this little girl wearing her bright red coat and maryjanes.


lance santa cruz

Lance saluting someone in the crowd. This was my spot for the race. It had a huge outdoor viewing screen to watch the race. It was way beyond the finish line, lots more room to breathe
(I get a bit weird in big crowds, so always opt for as much space as I can find). Lance put his feet to the ground and after a hard ride. I had fun. This was my first cycle race.





Rainy Day and trying to go for a short ride on my motobecane.

**This above look is described in detail on lookbook.nu



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Friday, February 13, 2009

Zooey Deschanel with Her Bicycle

zooey

photocredit/source:via superiorpics





"But I'm stuck here

getting misty over you

I'm alone

on a bicycle for two."





from “Black Hole” - She & Him Volume One



Zooey Deschanel looking adorable with her bicycle. Sweet little ditty too that she wrote for "She & Him".



Happy Valentines Day!


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Amgen Tour Cycles into Santa Cruz...Fashion Alert

A ton of cyclist fans are descending into Santa Cruz (my hometown now) to watch the Amgen Tour on Feb, 16th. Please visit Cyclicious for an excellent map and best viewing locations in Santa Cruz to watch the race from.

Regarding the fashion alert...I'm not so sure about any over abundance of 'chic' bicycle riding attire being spotted but I will do my best to snap pics anyway. You never know!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

SF Tweed Ride - A Reminder


Reminder: Thursday Tweed Ride!

Today, February 12th
6:30 pm — Start at Dolores Park (at the 19th St. Bell)
7:00 pm — meetup with East Bay Tweed at the 16th St. Mission BART*
Ends at Tosca Cafe.

I'm not sure at this point if I'll be able to attend. I'd be coming up from Santa Cruz and there is a glitch in my travel plans for today, AGHHHH... I so miss living in the City especially at times like this. I really love Tosca's too (where the ride ends up). I've spent many wonderful times there.

Plenty of great prizes to be won! (I've got this outfit all planned out, so while my riding attire is not tweed it is appropriately vintage )...and boo hoo I wanted to win 'Most Snappy Lass'.

SO all of you who ARE attending take LOTS of good pictures. I can't wait to see all of you ( in pictures) anyway! I will be eternally grateful for any pics and photo links sent my way.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

My Trapper Hat for Winter

My Trapper Hat

I ended up wearing the trapper hat (or as my boyfriend calls it the Paul Bunyan/Elmer Fudd hat) a lot lately. When the boyfriend starting seeing this style (minus a bicycle helmet underneath) being worn by lots of hipster types on the streets he hushed up. It's not easy sporting new styles!

This look is posted on lookbook.nu More details and fashiony tidbits about this look there.

Very limited time offer!!! I have a very few invites available to the first handful of people...
Looking to join LookBook.nu and couldn't get or find an invitation? Just
email me.
Hurry!

***update: This Trapper Hat look was featured over at Urban Velo!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

White has Meaning

photocredit:Gothamist originally sourced via racked



A bicycle spray-painted white represents a memorial honoring someone who has died in a bicycle accident. So what’s it doing in Macy’s NYC? Read more of the story here at the Gothamist or here at the Racked.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Stolen



anti theft



photo: via humor site /photo attributed to Vedra H. Ciretop



My 1940's Jet Wind bicycle was stolen fall of last year. It was a sad event. I adjusted. I ended up walking, upped my use of public transportation, and I agreed to go via car trips, far more often than I wanted to.



That’s why I laughed when I saw this photo. I’d been saving it with the intention of one day writing about loosing my bicycle(s). Today I read Letsgorideabike and learned about Trish loosing Pinkie, her bicycle…



Awwhh... the sting of loosing something and so vitally important, all came back to me. In my case, I hated to be forced to learn this lesson for the second time. You see, when I lost my previous bicycle, my vintage Raleigh Superb (after vigilantly combing ebay for weeks and weeks to find this beauty), I quit bicycle riding altogether.



Instead I ended up walking to all my locals. I took on a job position that required I commute many, many miles for my work. I hate to say it here but in the course of 8 weeks I put on 10,000 miles on the car my company rented for me. What was I doing? I longed for my simpler bicycle life. Get me out of a Car! I need to re-career!



Easier said than done; the re-careering part that is. Yet the pang of loosing my bicycle stuck with me far longer than I expected. I just lost interest in finding a bicycle I could get so passionate about…you know, I’d found just the right wicker basket and beautiful eco shopping bags to go on my bicycle. Doing all of that all over again seemed too daunting a process I couldn’t push myself into anytime soon.



So I waited. A couple few years passed. I still did work that required car travel and lots of it. Big, old shockeroo actually got me back on the car lite track. My car was sold off by a towing company (long story). I was away on Holiday, wasn’t paying attention, trusted a friend to keep me informed and was simply off enjoying myself…highly negligent, I know... My car was now history. But wait this leads back to getting a bicycle in my life again!



I still had work that required extensive travel, visiting multiple sites spread out over the entire Bay Area. So I used public transportation and walking… which created impossibly long hours just to factor in the extra travel time. I walked an average of 6 miles per day, PLUS travelled long hours on a combo of trains, buses, and electric cars. I did this for the better part of a year. I learned a lot about how people commute to work if they don’t drive a car. I met these people everyday. I got to know them. I watched commuters with bikes disembark and then sail past me, while I walked. I envied the efficiency of the bicycle! This ignited my passion for a bicycle!



So creatively, I developed my own personal art of (stylish, vintage clothes loving) bicycle riding and got it all dialed in. Yes, ride a bicycle, if only just to go to my locals (neighborhood cafes, shops ET all).



As fate would have it, I no longer do long commute trips for work. I mean, I do bike commute to my part timer/ start up company job, and it’s only over at the Digital Media Factory, which is not much of a commute. It’s Nothing…try getting over Red Mountain like Eliza over at BikeSkirt, or the dealing with freezing cold and how to dress for it according to Trisha/Letsgorideabike. Now that’s work.







p.s. everybody lock your bike at all times, garages included. Like Dottie/Letsgorideabike, my bicycle was stolen out of my garage. My other bike was stolen from a secure area sort of like Trisha’s story.







Sunday, February 8, 2009

Saturday Shopping...Mom and Daughther



Caught up with this super stylish Mom and her lovely daughter outside of our neighborhood supermarket.

I loved Mom's capri length leggings worn with these well fitting calf boots.
Soft gray dress, scarf, the slouchy sweater and the best satchel style bag completed the look. Her wicker basket easily dismounted from her bicycle and then off she went to shop.


Friday, February 6, 2009

SF Tweed Ride Update -- A Letter Reprinted in its Entirety ..

Hi Shelly,

Thanks for promoting the Tweed Ride! It stands to be a brilliant outing.

I thought your readers might like to know that I've added a new Tweed Ride update entitled A Tweed Primer.

It mentions some tweed-style tips and advice for quality establishments for tweed, but most importantly it gives more motivation to join our tweedy adventure:

SF Tweed Ride Contests and prizes!
  • Most Dapper Chap
  • Most Snappy Lass
  • Most Stylish Vintage Steed
  • Most Inspired Interpretation of Tweediness
  • Best Mustache — open to both lads and inventive lasses
With smashing prizes donated by
Velo-Orange, Manifesto Bicycle, The Freewheel Bike Shop, Refried Cycles, and Prof. NifNaks Fine Moustachios!

Sincerely Yours,
Colin Arbuthnot Winer Fahrion
CatCubed.com
twitter.com/catcubed

p.s. we will be meeting up with East Bay Tweed at 7:00pm at 16th St. Mission BART (earliest BART that allows bikes arrives at 16th St. Mission at 6:45pm)

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Stormy Weather at Last

Stormy weather to the rescue today...



and I couldn't be happier about it. I dread the drought, too many sunny days this year in California. So maybe my little feverish rain dance has helped. At least I'd like to think so.




this look of mine is now on LookBook.nu

*****
amended; I will be regularly posting looks here and correspondingly on Lookbook which will give you an item by item break down of what each item is, where it was purchased and how much was paid for it. I do a lot of thrifting, so you'll be amazed at how stylish you can look without spending a lot. I also will gladly include couture if any couture houses would like to send me stylish bicycle attire...uhh... ha-ha. That's a joke everyone. Anyway it will be mix of high and low.
This is (amoung other bike advocacy topics) a bicycle style/chic blog... so DEF time for an infusion of a lot more chic to inspire, inspire and did I say INSPIRE. I plan on having fun with this!

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

SanFrancisco's Melissa and Josephine the Bicycle

josephine

photocredit/source:birds.eye.view



Meet Melissa via birds.eye.view. I must say, I just loved the whimsical beauty of this photo. What also struck me was this funny little prose about 'Josephine'...Melissa's beloved bicycle;



"She’s a heavy old bike with three measely little gears. All the fixie riders in my neighborhood turn their nose up at her with her little cruiser build, but she’s one of my favorite things in the whole world, and it’s about time I take her out for a little fresh air."


Melissa gave me this little back story on how 'Jospehine' came to be in her life. Her husband found the bicycle at a flea market... Two girls were seriously eyeing the bike and just waiting for the moment to pounce. Afraid to take his hands off for even a second, 'Josephine' came home. A birthday present for Melissa!



More fun yet is this video of Melissa and Josephine out for a ride:











**********

note if the video is not showing up for any reason, follow this link to "Riding my Bike Josephine"

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Frocks On Bikes ! - New Zealand

frocks on bikes
photocredit/source:megarillo/GoodMagazine

"Do you rock the frock? Do you participate in frock o'clock? Are you forever sashed with your combination lock? Have you abundant chain lube on stock? ….

Introducing Frocks on Bikes – a frockalicious way to avoid the climate changing. Lets frock the planet!"

Wonderfully fun ladies bicycling group I discovered via member megarillo's Flickr photostream. Go visit their website, it's where I found these upcoming events. I hope more of these type social bicycle riding groups pop elsewhere in the world...

Wellington:

Fri 20th Feb- FROCKS ON BIKES @ Cuba Carnival
“Some Like it Hot” – Street Ride ALL WELCOME: Fri 20th Feb, meet 6:30 @ Queens Wharf.

Auckland:
18 Feb - Go by Bike Breakfast
Flock in your frock to the Go By Bike Breakfast, Te Whero Island, Viaduct Harbour..

Sunday, February 1, 2009

SF Tweed Ride …Tweedy Inspirations - Clothing Sources

tweedy inspiration Align Center
photocreditsource:MarieClaireMagazine



I like this photo from last fall, the Oct. issue of Marie Claire. Hoping to give you a little fashion inspiration especially if you're wanting to join a Tweed Run, like the San Francisco Thursday Tweed Ride on Feb. 12th.

So I've revealed some of my favorites San Francisco designers... listed below. More than likely the time required to have something whipped up specifically for the SF Tweed Ride is not possible...but you never know.



Als Attire

imagecredit/source:Al'sAttire



Al's Attire. The place to go to get a custom coat, handmade and one-of-a-kind. Wonderful selection of premium woolens, tweeds included. You can spend a good hour pouring over fabric swatches.





Theresa LaQuey Couture

imagecredit/source:TheresaLaQueyCouture



Theresa LaQuey Couture. Theresa is a pattern designer for Simplicity’s retro line. She custom sketches and creates designs for her clients with a keen eye for quality reproduction garments. She is a well known fixture in San Francisco/Bay Area and within Art Deco historical societies nationwide. She wears a lot of tweed.





five and diamond

imagecredit/source:FiveandDiamond



For an emphatically less traditional look, check out: Five and Diamond, a collective of designers. Surely embodies the spirit of SF and Burning Man style via Valencia Street. Find some sailor style knickers or a Steam Punk Pin Stripe Suit look.



***

Note: If you have to ask the $ you probably can’t (you know) afford it … in other words the prices are normal for exquisitely made finery.

Otherwise thrifting is always a good option. I’ve been extremely lucky in that way.

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