Glampuss Ahoy

It's so incredibly rare that I flip through a fashion magazine and come across an outfit that I utterly adore and also find remotely wearable. As a cyclist, I've noticed I frequently find myself subconsciously pooh-poohing almost any outfit I see that doesn't allow me to a) pedal through a rainstorm; b) stagger frantically after a bus; or c) flee hysterically from a crazed ninja.  

Here's a couple of magazine spreads I tore out a couple of years back from Glamour and Teen Vogue, respectively. (Yes. Teen Vogue. So shoot me. Nashville International Airport wasn't exactly renowned for its extensive stockage of the New Yorker and Harper's back when I frequented it in 2005. And airports are funny places! I swear they brainwash you! You find yourself thinking.... "I need to buy some cough sweets...... and...... some tartan duty-free tea-towels...... and...... a map of Belgium....... and...... a six dollar pack of M&Ms...... and...... a two-foot teddy bear from the video arcade...... and...... a magazine designed for a readership eight years' younger than me!" etc etc) But to digress. What I love about these photospreads all is that they all feature chic, everyday clothes and footwear a girl could comfortably bicycle in, day in, day out looking totally fabulous. Squeee! Enjoy!

 

 

PS. Ahem. Yeah, and then there was that totally kickass pirate costume ♥ Admit you love it really, or ye be walkin the plank to Davy Jones' locker, argh!

Portland's First Tweed Ride

A huge crowd of dapper lasses and lads turned out for Portland's First Annual Tweed Ride! It was really fun to see everybody's unique interpretation on a theme. Everyone's outfits were beyond fabulous. The judges must have had an awfully hard time picking any fashionista winners out of the crowd. Thankyou so much to the organisers for putting on a really fun event in the depths of Portland's miserable winter! Here's a couple of photos I snapped...

Want to see more photos? Go here!

Inaugural Portland Tweed Ride Outfit

 Today was Portland's first annual Tweed Ride! Here's what I threw together...

 

A few words about the outfit. It was a lot of fun running around like a headless chicken trying to throw it together the day before the ride. Most of the stuff was already lurking in my closet, so no $$ required. I wanted to look ladylike and sophisticated whilst bicycling (ha!), but I also wanted to be comfy and warm. The addition of warm, thick tights; bright, cozy armwarmers; and a goofy woolly Shaun-the-sheep jumper helped achieve this. Lordy, if there's anything worse than cold wind whooshing up your jumper sleeves on a cold Portland winter ride, I've yet to encounter it, brrrrr.

Let's have a quick natter about shoes... When bicycling here in cold, miserable, rainy Portland during wintertime, I tend to wuss-out regarding anything on my feet that isn't either a) a pair of sassy cute wellies or b) my awesome brown leather REI Merrell Tetra Launch Waterproof boots avec Polartec fleece lining.  Those Tetra Launch boots? Seriously, be still, my heart.

I wanted cute, colourful heels for this ride. I think I pulled it off, but ohhh god. My tootsies were chilly by the end of the ride. I talked to a couple of girls on the ride and asked how their feet were doing in tights and heels. "Freeeezing! I can't remember what my toes feel like..." etc was the general consensus. I wonder how all the well-heeled girls I see biking around in high heels in Portland during chilly weather manage it? What's the secret, ladies?

Fabulous poster by Portland designer extraordinaire Gabe Tiller.

Red Red Red!

Red frame? Check. Red panniers? Check. Red heels? Check! Roll on summer, already. We're waiting. Photograph from the divine Velorbis Bicycles site. If you love gorgeous, vintage-style contemporary cycles, I suggest you get thee there!

Zut alors, bikespiration!

Gorgeous autumn day for a ride along the Seine. Pretty, pretty pic via Anthony Rojas.

Welcome!

If there is an artist out there who has captured the way I feel about bicycling more than Portland artist and bike-funnist Margaret Beeson, I've yet to find him or her. I can't think of a single better way to kick off this little pedal-powered blog, than with one of her paintings that now hangs beautifully in my flat. You can check out her other bicycle-themed works here.