Prêt-à-Porter - Vélo Style...

I'm amazed at how a bicycle can have an influence on a persons wardrobe and style... Since making the decision that a Pashley Princess was the bike for me, a wardrobe revolution was put in motion & is gathering pace!

Some of this style inspiration has come to me in many guises, including:

• the visual romance of the bicycle itself: a traditional loop-frame like this conjures up images of classic style & grace. Add to this the quintessential Britishness of a Princess, and you get the idea of the style direction it may point you towards

• international cycle-fashionistas, thanks to the excellent blogs/sites that I've come across. From those listed on here, to the blogs that I've yet to discover - there is so much out there & it's fabulous to look at the cycle-chic all over the world & gather inspiration from it

• the corner of the City I live in and come from: East London. The City as a whole is quite a fashionable place, but there is something unique about East LDN and the occasionally quirky nature of its cycling fashionistas.

I've been adding various pieces to my wardrobe, including vintage-style Tea Dresses & Kelly Handbags (think "the girls from Mad Men" if that helps - also a huge influence), which will eventually have their cycling debut... perhaps when the weather is kinder! Along with Dresses, the other staple that I'm becoming more enamored with are Smart Shorts, which I think will be great for Cycling in. I have a few pairs already, but a new pair became one of the latest additions to my "Wardrobe Revolution" yesterday, along with the following pieces from Topshop.com:

(Coloured Tights will be thrown into the mix at some point, to keep it lively & add a touch of quirk to the look.)

I suspect that my cycle-fashion quest will continue & will of course be blogged about here. I'm also very excited at the idea of submitting to the 'Wardrobe Remix' on the very fashionable Vélo-Vogue blog. Of course, this will be done with the Pashley in shot... a formal introduction to her will follow in my next blog update.

So, are there any other cyclists out there (Male or Female), who have found their bike has had a direct influence on their style of dress?