Edition 49: How to Dress for a Bike Commute
How do European women do it? Plus: hanging fruit baskets and manuka honey.
Greetings, friends! And welcome to Caroline Finds It: my weekly newsletter where I reply to submissions from YOU for objects and products you need recommendations for.
This weeks submission is less about a specific recommendation and more about advice on dressing for a circumstance where one might feel inclined to buy more than they need.
Emily in Boston: “What to wear commuting by bike? Women do this well in Scandinavia, etc but what to wear that is not spandex and goes from bike to office? Coat/ jacket, backpack, and yes, even shoes. Apparently women in Scandinavia wear down boiler suits when they bike commute in the winter, but what should the rest of us wear?”
Dear Emily,
Just yesterday I found myself in a situation where I was dressed for a wedding but needed to get on a bike. This was something I hadn’t prepared for, so I did the only thing I could think of: I gathered up the front of my dress and tied it in a knot. It wasn’t ideal, but it did the trick and though I arrived a bit windblown, I was safe and my dress remained in tact. The biggest consideration when dressing for biking is keeping your clothes from getting caught on anything. Apart from that, it really depends on the situation: Will you be sweaty? Are you going far? Will you be also transporting lots of stuff? There’s a lot to consider, but for now, let’s assume that you’re commuting in your regular clothes and aren’t bringing more than can fit in a backpack.
Clothes
You simply can’t wear a skirt longer than knee length on a bike, unless you’re cool with tying it up like I did. But in general, don’t be afraid to ride a bike in a skirt! As long as you’re wearing modest underwear or bike shorts underneath you have nothing to worry about. Tip: I usually have a big claw hair clip in my backpack, which is useful for gathering up and clipping a skirt if you’ve got a lot of fabric to deal with, or it can also act as a weight if you clip it to the center front hem. When the wind blows, you won’t have to worry about your skirt flying up!
If you’re wearing pants, you definitely need an ankle strap to keep your pant leg from getting caught in the chain! And if you’re wearing flared or voluminous pants, use one on both legs just to protect the fabric. Tip: velcro cord ties also work great for this! Want something that’s actually pretty? Brooks makes a leather ankle strap that’s basically a leather slap bracelet for $25:
A useful accessory to wear during cold weather months is a silk scarf. The big conundrum with bike commuting in the winter is finding the right balance of being warm enough but not breaking a sweat. Remember, cycling is technically exercise! A silk scarf is my neck accessory of choice because it protects you from the wind but is lightweight and don’t make you overheat. A standard 36” x 36” is the perfect size, and is what most designer scarves are. If you’re not yet ready for the vintage Hermes rabbit hole, Lost Pattern NYC has lots of lovely prints for less than $100, like this one:
Tip: Use your scarf to tie around your head as a movie star in a convertible would to keep your hair in place.
Outerwear
When you look at your options, ask yourself two things: Is it washable? Is it wind-proof? Even though I often wear a wool coat on my bike, I do think a washable down coat is the best option. Get a short one so it doesn’t bunch up and do a little research on how to wash down safely. Especially if you’re biking in a city, it will get filthy and you’ll be happy to know what to do. Something big and water-resistant like the Alesa Short Down Jacket from Woolwich (on sale for $325):
Believe it or not, a good coat is not the most essential thing you’ll need to survive winter bike commuting. The right gloves are more critical because brake levers are metal, and your hands are the first part of your body to get hit with wind. Your gloves are also going to get filthy from handling the bike itself, locking up, pollution, etc, so don’t wear your nicest pair and stick with something washable. These $20 gloves from Italic are water-resistant, wind-resistant, washable and touch screen compatible, which really comes in handy when you’re at a stoplight and you only have a second to check your directions.
Everything Else
Backpacks - Choose something comfortable and water resistant. Baboon to the Moon and Kipling both make great options.
Shoes - You can wear anything! The only two types of shoes I don’t recommend are backless ones (they can fall off!) and platforms, as you’ll need to adjust your seat height to wear them comfortably. Heels are surprisingly easy to cycle in because the heel just hangs off the back of the petal. I prefer loafers because they’re comfortable, easy to maintain and look put together.
Towels - On a hot summer day, you’re bound to work up a sweat even during a short commute. For me, the most important thing in my bag on days like this is a small Japanese face sweat towel. In Japan, it’s common to keep a small towel or handkerchief in your bag specifically for this reason and though the exact type is hard to find online in the US, you can find them at your local Japanese grocery store or in NYC at Top Hat, which is where mine come from.
Small speaker - I am firmly in the camp that it is not okay to wear earbuds while cycling. They’re too noise cancelling and it’s just to dangerous on the road. If you’re on a longer ride and want to listen to something, try clipping a little JBL speaker to your backpack.
Do you want to know the real secret of how European women do this? They just get a little creative and make their regular wardrobes work for them. As long as nothing is getting tangled and you’re protected from the wind, you’re going to stay warm and look stylish.
QUICK ANSWER
Anne in San Francisco: “A tiered hanging basket for fruit! I need the counter space, but hate macrame.”
We’ve gotta go vintage on this one! Hanging baskets are very 1970s kitchen aesthetic that lend themselves to macrame and flimsy metal. I do think metal is the best material though, since it’s easy to clean and won’t rot if you forget to turn your peaches. On Etsy, I found this lovely white one that seems sturdier than most and features deep baskets.
If you want to get a little crafty, you could also purchase a couple of metal baskets that you like and hit the hardware store for chain and hooks to cobble together your own. I’d choose a couple of colorful baskets from Octaevo.
FAVORITE PRODUCT OF THE WEEK
The changing of the seasons and some other factors have my skin ANGRY. It’s dry and flaky, but super super sensitive, and also keeps surprising me with painful cystic acne mounds. One of the only things on my bathroom shelf that’s actually been helping is my trusty jar of Activist Raw Manuka Honey. Most of us have probably tried manuka as an immune-supporting food product, or an active ingredient in skincare, but have you ever slathered straight manuka on your face?! As a mask, its superpowers are that it’s calming, exfoliating and antimicrobial without being drying. Basically, an irritated, acne-prone person’s dream. I use the 300+ MGO version ($45) but occasionally splurge on one with a higher MGO count because it’s more potent and has a pleasingly grainy texture.
Is there a product you’re looking for? Submit your request here. See you next week for a fresh recommendations. xo Caroline
On the subject of headphones while riding, can I possibly sway you by telling you about bone conduction? My sweetie got me a pair of Shokz for Christmas as an “I don’t know, maybe??” present and they’re amazing. There’s nothing that goes inside your ear, instead two little pads on the front and back make contact with the bones in your skull and vibrate your music. You can hear everything around you perfectly clearly and the audio quality is shockingly good, and nobody else can hear what you’re listening to. They go over your ear and behind your head so they’re comfortable if you’re a sensitive baby like me. They even have a microphone so you can take a call (and talk without screaming because you can hear yourself)! Meant to be safe for running, walking, and biking, best random gift ever!