Street Style Snaps from San Francisco Bike To Work Day

From magenta tights(you know how I feel about magenta tights) to polka dot helmets, to bicycle knee socks. San Francisco cyclists know how to strike the perfect balance between style and practicality.

Everyone in San Francisco has an awesome creative job. At least that’s the impression I got while out and about last week.

It happened to be Bike To Work Day. Basically cyclist prom. Except the dress code is what Shopbop calls “Creative Professional”rather than teenage formal.

Cycle Style Tip: match your helmet to your bike for a pulled together look. Nutcase makes an adorable red and white polka dot number, but check out their other styles. The lady also gets style points for matching her cobalt heels to her blouse.

You really can’t go wrong with a smile. Add a cute, little step-through, like this one from Public Bikes, and you’re set.

Hi-visibility clothing isn’t all about wearing neons. Sometimes there are other ways to stand out. This San Francisco Bicycle Coalition volunteer is turning heads in vegan dragon dinosaur fur.

Bicycle pride from helmet to toe. You can get these socks here.

There was no shortage of Bike Handsome, either.

We all flipped out over his bicycle print dress shirt. So classy! Get a similar one here.

Denise, a photographer, had one of my favorite looks of the day. From her Yakkay Helmetto her wedge heels, she is totally winning at the fashion show of life Bike To Work Day.

She even dressed up her baby blue steed with pretty panniers, also by Public Bikes.

The post Bike To Work Day Street Style appeared first on Bike Pretty.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune is taking a hard-line stand on the Great Lycra Debate. No doubt, the populace is fed up with lumpy sausages whizzing by on $10,000 road bikes. Intrepid muckraker Aimee Blanchette is rallying the aesthetically-sensitive denizens of the Twin Cities with a cry of “Ditch the Spandex”!

There’s even a nice mention of Bike Pretty:

Then there are the blogs, such as San Francisco-based Bike Pretty, which inspires people to, well, ride a bike and look pretty. Blog entries include: “How to ride in a maxi skirt” and “How to dominate hills in a dress.”

Such an honor to be the only cycle chic blog mentioned!

Check out Courtney Perry’s slideshow for more ways to ride in style.

The post Minneapolis Star Tribune Says “Ditch the spandex” appeared first on Bike Pretty.

So, I just got a Trek Pure in pale mint green with a tan seat and natural Nantucket Basket. I live in DC and will tool around with my kids. I want to get a helmet that works with the vibe of my new ride and with my clothes – lots of black, navy, white with pops of color in a T-shirt or scarf. With four kids I have to keep it simple. What do you think I should get? Plain white or a color…

Hi Shelly,

I’ve got the answer! I picked out two cute bike helmets that look good with your bike and the colors you normally wear.

A round, dome style helmet is a million times more stylish than a regular sport helmet. Look for an adjustable dial in the back so you adjust to fit different hairstyles. And get something that has a visor, whether built-in or removable. It’ll keep your head from looking too bulbous.

Nutcase Helmets has a lot of really adorable printed styles, and you can buy a visor attachment separately (see the upper-right corner of the set).

Have fun tooling around with your kids. And I hope you all get to go on a Mother’s Day Bike Ride together! That’s what I’ll be doing with my mom tomorrow.

The post Mailbag: Outfit Ideas & Cute Bike Helmets appeared first on Bike Pretty.

Today is Bike To Work Day in San Francisco

Sure a lot of people bike to work regularly. But San Francisco’s annual Bike To Work Day is like Bicycle Commuter Prom. Even though it’s the same people you see every other day of the year, it’s a special occasion to celebrate each other.

And let’s face it, most of the techies riding their adorable Public Bikes to work today were giant dorks in high school, so it’s a special time for us them.

Clare Gordon, Volunteer Organizer Extraordinaire at San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

The other awesome part is the swag. During the morning commute, volunteers line the city’s bike routes. They hand out these adorable musette bags, filled with bike-y treats, to whomever rides by.

This year I volunteered to help fill these bags, along with lots of other folks from all different backgrounds. Together we stuffed 6,000 sacks!

How cute are those volunteers, right?

Love her silver slippers and the button trim on her leggings.

Don’t worry if you missed Bike To Work Day. May is National Bike Month, so there are a lot of events planned all over the country.

Bike To Work Week is from May 13-17 with National Bike To Work Day on May 17. Check this guide to see what is going on in your area.

The post San Francisco Bike To Work Day appeared first on Bike Pretty.

Trends x Three: Leopard Print Style, Olive Green, & A Red Bike

We can’t get enough of red bikes here at Bike Pretty Headquarters. Add our favorite hi-visibility fabric in the form of some sexy leopard print pants, and we’re totally in love. Don’t forget  an over-sized olive-green jacket for a touch of toughness.

Here’s how to get the look:

The post Leopard Print Style And A Red Bike appeared first on Bike Pretty.

Must Read Links: Exploring Cities And Chic

On a bike, San Francisco’s streets become your friends (Hi, Harrison), or frenemies (talking about you, Steiner), or that weirdo you avoid making eye contact with (Divisadero). But it’s not all about avoiding traffic and hills, as this interactive map shows by revealing the history of San Francisco’s place names.

I like my celebrity gossip well-aged and with a healthy dose of academic analysis. This two-part series on Gloria Swanson by Anne Helen Petersen is the on-line equivalent of a page-turner (page-scroller?).

Nicholas Ghesquiere speaks! He opens up about his (seemingly) abrupt departure from Balenciaga, but it’s really a story that explodes the myth of the lone creative genius.

Finally, a shot of cycle chic: Jane Aldridge, the brilliant redhead with a charmed life, has put together her guide to biking in style over at her blog Sea of Shoes.

The post Must Read Links: Cycle, Chic, and The City appeared first on Bike Pretty.

12 Shots of Audrey Hepburn On A Bike

Audrey Hepburn was born on May 4, 1929 in Ixelles, Belgium. In honor of the brilliant actress, fashion icon, and humanitarian, here are 12 photographs of her riding a bike.

The post For Her Birthday: 12 Shots Of Audrey Hepburn On A Bike appeared first on Bike Pretty.

Photos via Urban Outfitters

Design Your Own Bike With Urban Outfitters

Let’s face it, most bikes are ugly. You know it’s true. Even I have an ugly bike. Worth every penny and amazing to ride. But every time I see her, I catch myself thinking, “Why can’t you be more like your sister, The Bambeauty?”

Or I start dreaming of my next bike. She’s sure to be some sort of upright, Dutch-style with lovely swooping lines and a built-in rear rack that’ll accommodate a friend or two. Oh, and skirt guards. Must have skirt guards!

While I’m scheming to de-uglify my road bike, there’s alway plenty of bicycle eye candy on Pinterest.

Take this collaboration between Urban Outfitters and Republic Bikes. Going strong since 2009, these inexpensive city bikes have style to spare.

Even better? You can customize your ride on the UO website with this cute, little interactive tool. Grips, chain guard, saddle, frame, even the tires have multiple color options.

I whiled away the better part of an hour designing my dream bike, but I had the most fun by hitting the “random” button and seeing the variations go spinning across the screen.

Try it out and send me your favorite combination!

Also, how cute are those rompers? Check out Kelly’s advice for rocking a vintage romper while riding your bike.

The post Urban Outfitters – Design Your Own Bike appeared first on Bike Pretty.

Photos by Kelly

Bloggers Who Bike: Shini of Park and Cube

Adore these shots of Shini Park at the London Tweed Run.

She looks like such a sensible lady-commuter until you get a closer look at her lovely patterned blouse and perfect fedora.

And then scan down to her tasselled booties with their high, perfectly cylindrical heel and you realize that this is style on a whole ‘nother level.

But the dead giveaways are the fancy camera at hand in her front basket, and the way she makes Instagramming at stop signs look so darn chic.

Check out her cute, everyday cycle style (and gingham saddle cover) over on her delicious blog.

The post Shini of Park and Cube at the London Tweed Run 2013 appeared first on Bike Pretty.

The Great Gatsby

My friend Stephanie, designer of Honey Cooler Handmade lingerie, is a connoisseur of the 20s style. To celebrate her line and the upcoming Baz Lurhmann film, she threw a Gatsby-themed party at a local speakeasy.

I felt so lucky to be invited. Then I panicked, realizing I didn’t have a thing to wear. Despite my love for icons like Louise Brooks and original “It Girl” Clara Bow, I’ve never found the era’s silhouette flattering.

Let’s just say I have an exaggerated hip-to-waist ratio. And a dropped-waist cut just makes everything go pear-shaped.

But I cannot resist a theme party. So I picked up this blue velvet number from the last place that you would ever expect. The seamed stockings are from American Apparel (although I don’t think they wore seams in the 20s?). Copper heels are my very own DIY.

Monogram necklace from The Rusted Key. The pendants are made from beautiful old typewriter keys. Perfect for a literature-inspired party, no? I got so many compliments on these. I think I’ll have to make a real effort to wear more jewelry with my outfits.

My cloche is by Goorin Bros, similar to this one. It actually fits underneath my Giro Helmet.

And since the fog was rolling in, I was forced to cover up with a vintage 60s tie-neck coat in silk dupioni. Similar here.

Stephanie threw her party at San Francisco speak easy Bourbon & Branch. The staff takes the fake illegal-bar gimmick super seriously. In fact the sign outside reads “Anti-Saloon League.”

To get in, you have to ring the doorbell and wait. Then you start to worry about leaving your bike outside in the Tenderloin. Finally the perfectly-in-character hostess answers the door to ask you for the password, before letting you in to a cozy library.

And just when I thought that we’d finished all the play-acting, she asked me to wait in front of a wall of books. At this point, all I wanted was a stiff drink to calm my nerves. But then the bookshelf swung aside–just like in the movies!–and I stepped into the party.

Bloggers and assorted San Francisco It Girls ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the lovely inset lace camisoles and bloomers.

Kris from Fashionista SF, Stylist Nikki Flamingo, and Erika Peterson.

Getting ossified with Stephanie and her husband Matt. Photo by Anna Marks Photography.

The post Outfit Ideas: Great Gatsby 20s Style On A Bike appeared first on Bike Pretty.