How to dress for a bike ride, according to our Style Panel members
Whether you’re cruising the boardwalk or navigating through the city streets, there is a way to enjoy your mobility, help the environment and look good doing it. From breezy, moveable fabrics to hands-free, cross-body bags, the key to a stylish bike ride is to keep things light and stay away from anything that will restrict your pedaling freedom (don’t forget a bike helmet!)
Flip through to see how our Style Panel dresses to ride in style.
Question 140: How do you dress for your ride? Read the answers now! »
Teresa Yoo, 24
Toronto | What T Loves
Biking around the city on a gorgeous summer day is at the very top of my to-do list for this year. If I ever come around a chance to spare the whole day biking to wherever I want, I would keep things easy, laid-back and most importantly, comfortable. The key point in this is having breezy and moveable fabrics, and staying away from anything restricted and stiff. That way, I would truly enjoy every minute of my adventure without having difficulty pedaling.
Teresa’s wearing: Tank, Zara. Fringe Kimono, Ecote. Pants, American Apparel. Shoes, Converse. Sunglasses, Ray bans.
Mo Handahu, 29
Halifax | Lion Hunter
I’m not a bike enthusiast, more like an occasional bike renter who falls in love with a bike and wishes she had her own! When renting a bike for a quick adventure in the city, a basket is paramount because I tend to pass by the farmer’s market. I opt for a cross-body purse instead of a backpack because I like to have as little stuff on me as possible. To seal the deal, a good pair of comfortable shoes that goes with whatever I choose to wear.
Mo’s wearing: Skirt, Etsy – The Tutu Experience. Duster Coat, Black Market Vintage. Chucks, Little Burgundy. Glasses, Le Chateau. Purse, Aritzia. Crop, Forever 21.
Barbara Ann Solomon, 25
Toronto | Barbara Ann’s Style Blog
When heading out on a bike ride (I’m new to the biking hobby, so I’m still finding my gear) there are a few fashion choices I’ll consider. Things like length of the ride, the destination and the weather will all play a part in what I’ll wear. On an afternoon ride, I’ll likely wear an easy summer dress, with a pair of biking shorts underneath for comfort and some sneakers. My bike has a basket, so I’m sure to bring some SPF, my sunglasses, a camera (or two) and my Swell bottle for water.
Barbara’s wearing: Dress, Joe Fresh. Sneakers, New Balance. Purse, Coach. Water Bottle, Swell. Sunglasses, Kam Dhillon from Clearly.ca. Camera, Instax Mini 8.
Kayla Short, 26
Halifax | Short Presents
I don’t ride a bike which is probably best for my life expectancy, but if I did I would imagine I would need to wear flat shoes (that didn’t slip or fall off). Clearly the first thing that comes to mind are my chucks, and since I’ve basically been living in my rag and bone skinny jeans we might as well add them into the mix too. These jeans are super comfy (not tight or low rise), so I don’t need to worry about showing off more goods than I planned (no one needs to see that, really). I would also encourage a cross body bag, or a back pack (they make so many cool ones these days you might as well go for it).
Kayla’s wearing: Jeans, Rag and Bone via Aritzia. Sweater, Aritzia. Shoes, Converse. Bag, Auxiliary via Aritzia. Sunnies, Black Market Vintage Toronto.
Becky Kung, 30
Calgary | Velvet & Vino
Going for bike strolls is one of my favorite pass-times and it’s exhilarating to pull off the look by styling the appropriate outfit for the ride.
My preference is to wear shorts that are longer in length, drawing closer to the knee and ones that are looser in fit. I also enjoy embracing the vintage theme found with the cruiser bike by pairing an elegant lace-top and patterned shorts, giving a distinctive look for the adventure.
Becky’s wearing: Shorts and belt, Marina Luna Clothing. Top, unknown boutique in Taiwan. Bracelet, Le Chateau. Necklace, H&M. Sunglasses, Tory Burch.
Alex Grant, 25
Toronto via Vancouver | To Vogue or Bust
I bike to work literally every day on my trusty Mojito (a hybrid cruiser so named because of its mint colour), so working some bike-friendly functionality into my day-to-day style is nothing new to me. While shorts or skinnies are an obvious choice, my absolute favourite biking options are circle or A-line cuts. By keeping them well above the knee, the hemlines steer clear of ugly (and impossible to remove) grease stains while also offering the added bonus of being super breezy, femme and roomy! A cross-body bag, flats and helmet-resistant hair are stylish but practical, and (of course) I normally wear a helmet. Given my love of aggressively weaving in and out of traffic coupled with my need for speed (sorry, had to), a helmet is an absolute must.
Alex’s wearing: Dress, Foster Bay. Flats and bag, H&M. Belt, vintage. Bike, Trek.
Flip through to see how our Style Panel dresses to ride in style.
Question 140: How do you dress for your ride? Read the answers now! »
Teresa Yoo, 24
Toronto | What T Loves
Biking around the city on a gorgeous summer day is at the very top of my to-do list for this year. If I ever come around a chance to spare the whole day biking to wherever I want, I would keep things easy, laid-back and most importantly, comfortable. The key point in this is having breezy and moveable fabrics, and staying away from anything restricted and stiff. That way, I would truly enjoy every minute of my adventure without having difficulty pedaling.
Teresa’s wearing: Tank, Zara. Fringe Kimono, Ecote. Pants, American Apparel. Shoes, Converse. Sunglasses, Ray bans.
Mo Handahu, 29
Halifax | Lion Hunter
I'm not a bike enthusiast, more like an occasional bike renter who falls in love with a bike and wishes she had her own! When renting a bike for a quick adventure in the city, a basket is paramount because I tend to pass by the farmer's market. I opt for a cross-body purse instead of a backpack because I like to have as little stuff on me as possible. To seal the deal, a good pair of comfortable shoes that goes with whatever I choose to wear.
Mo's wearing: Skirt, Etsy - The Tutu Experience. Duster Coat, Black Market Vintage. Chucks, Little Burgundy. Glasses, Le Chateau. Purse, Aritzia. Crop, Forever 21.
Barbara Ann Solomon, 25
Toronto | Barbara Ann’s Style Blog
When heading out on a bike ride (I'm new to the biking hobby, so I'm still finding my gear) there are a few fashion choices I'll consider. Things like length of the ride, the destination and the weather will all play a part in what I'll wear. On an afternoon ride, I'll likely wear an easy summer dress, with a pair of biking shorts underneath for comfort and some sneakers. My bike has a basket, so I'm sure to bring some SPF, my sunglasses, a camera (or two) and my Swell bottle for water.
Barbara’s wearing: Dress, Joe Fresh. Sneakers, New Balance. Purse, Coach. Water Bottle, Swell. Sunglasses, Kam Dhillon from Clearly.ca. Camera, Instax Mini 8.
Kayla Short, 26
Halifax | Short Presents
I don't ride a bike which is probably best for my life expectancy, but if I did I would imagine I would need to wear flat shoes (that didn't slip or fall off). Clearly the first thing that comes to mind are my chucks, and since I've basically been living in my rag and bone skinny jeans we might as well add them into the mix too. These jeans are super comfy (not tight or low rise), so I don't need to worry about showing off more goods than I planned (no one needs to see that, really). I would also encourage a cross body bag, or a back pack (they make so many cool ones these days you might as well go for it).
Kayla’s wearing: Jeans, Rag and Bone via Aritzia. Sweater, Aritzia. Shoes, Converse. Bag, Auxiliary via Aritzia. Sunnies, Black Market Vintage Toronto.
Becky Kung, 30
Calgary | Velvet & Vino
Going for bike strolls is one of my favorite pass-times and it’s exhilarating to pull off the look by styling the appropriate outfit for the ride.
My preference is to wear shorts that are longer in length, drawing closer to the knee and ones that are looser in fit. I also enjoy embracing the vintage theme found with the cruiser bike by pairing an elegant lace-top and patterned shorts, giving a distinctive look for the adventure.
Becky’s wearing: Shorts and belt, Marina Luna Clothing. Top, unknown boutique in Taiwan. Bracelet, Le Chateau. Necklace, H&M. Sunglasses, Tory Burch.
Alex Grant, 25
Toronto via Vancouver | To Vogue or Bust
I bike to work literally every day on my trusty Mojito (a hybrid cruiser so named because of its mint colour), so working some bike-friendly functionality into my day-to-day style is nothing new to me. While shorts or skinnies are an obvious choice, my absolute favourite biking options are circle or A-line cuts. By keeping them well above the knee, the hemlines steer clear of ugly (and impossible to remove) grease stains while also offering the added bonus of being super breezy, femme and roomy! A cross-body bag, flats and helmet-resistant hair are stylish but practical, and (of course) I normally wear a helmet. Given my love of aggressively weaving in and out of traffic coupled with my need for speed (sorry, had to), a helmet is an absolute must.
Alex’s wearing: Dress, Foster Bay. Flats and bag, H&M. Belt, vintage. Bike, Trek.){kind=link}