Outfit of the Day: How to Bike in a Dress

My outfit of the day must have been heavily influenced by the vintage flocked wallpaper in my apartment building's lobby. Some parts of the gold paper are peeling, other areas show water damage but I love it just the way it is. I hope the landlord never tries to do any "improvements" and replace it with something more modern and sterile.

Today it inspired me to try a Swinging 6os style.

Sweater dresses are really comfortable for riding a bike, especially if the skirt has an A-line or flare like mine. My bike is not a girl bike step-through frame, which makes getting on the bike in a mini a little tricky.

Preparation helps: Opaque tights are perfect for a vintage vibe and for keeping warm. Over the tights go lace-edged bike shorts from American Apparel. The lace peeks out and gives a rather cute illusion of thigh-high stockings. Avoid wearing cotton or cotton blend cycle shorts. Smooth nylon lets the dress slide rather than bunching up.

But if you forget to put on your dignity protectors, here's a trick:

Tilt your bike to the side when you are getting on. Just hold the handlebars and lean it towards you. This means that you don't have to lift your leg as high to swing it over your bike. Easy!

And if you do flash someone, it's no biggie. If you've got, flaunt it. Happy Vagina International Women's Day!

Outfit notes: I'm wearing a Betsey Johnson knit dress, like this one. My purple sweater, similar to this one, is from J. Crew. It was a gift from Veronica who made my beautiful new logo. The tights are from Old Navy. And I'm wearing my DIY Copper Bottoms. These are the most comfortable Mary Janes ever.