Spring Cycling Fashion in Toronto

Guest Post by C.M.

Bicycles are the latest fashion accessory to go mainstream... the weird thing its not normally what people think of when they think "fashion accessory"... although obviously Paris Hilton seems to think chihuahuas make good fashion accessories.

So ignore the bracelets, the faux scarves, the Fendi bags... watch out when you walk into Club Monaco or any other high end fashion store for women and the biggest accessory in the room is a shiny European-style cruiser bicycle with a price tag of $599 or more.

Blame the explosion of bicycle culture in the mainstream of urban centres around the world, but I am personally going to blame traffic gridlock and Ontario's graduated licenses program (which didn't even put a dent into teenager driver accident fatalities) for making it so much more difficult for young people to get a driver's license.

Whatever the cause, the point is bicycles are now considered kewl and the must-have item for fashionistas who are increasingly environmentally friendly, love yoga, have experimented (and possibly failed) with veganism and seem to have forgotten their boots are made of leather, and so is the nice bicycle seat their sitting on.

Online cycling culture and style has been promoted heavily. There is thesartorialist.com which has a cycling chic section with photos from Milan and Paris, but the absolute favourite is copenhagencyclechic.com, which should be enough to make any red blooded Canadian man drool due to the veritable harem of attractive young women on bicycles on that website.

And when you're thinking fashion, don't think spandex. Yuck. Think jeans, skirts, short shorts and an array of clothing that compliments the female body instead of just clinging tightly to it. (I for one believe cyclists who wear spandex are morons with no fashion sense and wannabe racers.)

In Toronto cycling fashion has reached a point where I sometimes stop my bike and just watch the other cyclists go by just so I can admire the females and their bicycles whizzing by. I can appreciate looking at both.

If you're interested in cycling chic in Toronto you can also check thecommonelite.org, which illustrates you can pretty much wear whatever you want when cycling... and that spandex wearers are a bunch of socially inept rejects.

Footwear and choice of skirt matters little either. You will frequently see young women wearing miniskirts and platforms (or even barefoot) while cycling.

Black Capes Rock

I think capes are awesome. I am amazed people don't wear them more often. They are great Spring and Autumn wear. Also good for a funeral and business casual too.

Cloaks, cape-dresses and jacket-capes are also awesome.

And black cloaks are awesome for Halloween or goth wear.

Matching Hat and Poncho Jacket

Matching Hat and Poncho Jacket

Honestly, it just looks very cool. Good for Spring, Summer or Autumn.

Goes well with hiking boots or with heels.

Wearing All Black = Always Fashionable

Wearing ALL BLACK is always fashionable.

Why? Because they always match.

You can mix new and old fashions.

It works equally well for business casual or just plain casual fashion, you always look cool, and they go well with black sunglasses.

Great for Autumn, Winter and Spring. (But may be too hot in the summer.)

Just make sure everything is clean, not faded and its all awesome.

Pinstripe Hoodies

Below is the Pinstripe Hoodie made by "Betabrand".

However it costs about $140. Overpriced for a hoodie.

Thus I highly recommend checking out other companies which sell Pinstripe Hoodies, which are very kewl, but aren't charging such ridiculous prices. You can find similar hoodies on Etsy, eBay, Amazon and if you shop around locally you can probably find them in local stores in big cities.

Hoodies are great for Spring and Autumn, make great gifts for that special guy or girl you like, and unlike some gifts which end up decorating the back of the closet, hoodies are universally liked.

The Return of Cycling Chic

You may recall a post I did in 2009 entitled "Cycling Chic". Well its back baby! Here is more great ways to cycle and be fashionable while doing it (because wearing spandex tights is a fashion crime unless you do ballet).

The thing about cycling fashion is you want something which is comfortable, warm and snug, and preferably layers so if you are too hot you can take a bit off.

Shown here is 15 images I've collected which I feel exemplifies what you can do with cycling chic. Let your imagination pull you towards the fashion statement you feel best describes YOU.

Long Flowing Dresses

Maybe its all the fuss about the tv show "Game of Thrones", but I've encountered more than one person looking for "long flowing dresses" that look like they belong in a fantasy movie.

If you are looking for long flowing dresses (for fantasy cosplay or other reasons) for Spring or Summer then one of the websites I strongly recommend is ETSY. Handmade is always best.

Or maybe you just like retro clothing. In which case I strongly recommend you check out: Classic Gowns and Dresses

Or maybe you are just bored of little black dresses.

Whatever your reason there are lots of places out there to go shopping for find long flowing dresses. Zalando.co.uk for example has quite a collection of 250 dresses to choose from if you live in the UK and want to find a dress that is locally made. There are similar websites out there, but very few will have such a quality and broad selection.

Or you could make your own dress... not necessarily using old t-shirts, but a trip to your local fabric store might give you ideas.

The advantage of long flowing dresses is that they are very comfortable to wear and come with less draft in your nether regions and unlike mini skirts have less chance of people catching a glimpse of your nether regions.

Furthermore a long flowing dress is versatile for both formal and informal occasions. Works just as well for a friend's wedding as for a picnic with your favourite boytoy.

(And for the more nerdy women out there, long flowing dresses are also very useful for cosplay and LARPing, but that is another topic for another day...)

I recommend people focus on purchasing dresses which are easy to clean. Or if you do buy something that stains easily (ie. silk or satin) then here is a hot tip: SCOTCHGARD for Fabric. Its true they make the stuff for furniture, but they also make the stuff for clothing fabric too. Meh, accidents happen, so it makes sense to protect your really expensive dresses.

Milan Fashion Week Spring 2012

FASHION - Huzzah, the Milan Fashion Week for Spring 2012... set to music!

Sexy Sweaters

FASHION - Its chilly during the Spring sometimes and if you wanna stay warm without having to carry a jacket everywhere I find sweaters and cardigans work quite well.

And better yet, sweaters can be quite sexy if you know what to look for that will accentuate your figure.

Evidently you need to exercise some brains when picking a sweater... the one below may look interesting on the catwalk, but is certainly not practical.



The one below may be good for showing off cleavage, but its lack of shoulders makes it look slutty.



I really like this one with the matching skirt and grey hat. See Fedora Femme.



Who says stripes and a turtleneck can't be sexy?



Nothing complicated here. Its not even tight fitting. The long length makes you look taller and thinner.



Try to avoid grabbing yourself. Yes. You're sexy. No need to brag about it.