Last semester, I had the unfortunate luck of having an 8 a.m. every day, all the way across campus (damn you, economics). Although walking the 20 minutes from my dorm to class every morning was surely an option, I decided, instead, to invest in something a little more practical to make my mornings run a bit smoother. I bought a bike. And while it’s not a snazzy beach-cruiser with a wicker basket and horn-bell-whistle contraption, it’s still one of my most prized possessions here at MU.
Though riding a bike through campus can be efficient and fun (that is, when I’m not almost being hit by cars), it posed a bit of a problem. In terms of my own personal clothing choices, I will almost always pick a dress or a skirt over anything else I have in my closet. But after my first unsuccessful attempt at riding around in one of my favorite dresses, I realized that unless I figured something out, my wardrobe of dresses and skirts was going to have to take a backseat.
Determined to stop that from happening, I hopped onto the computer and googled “how to ride a bike in a dress.” And, truth be told, it actually worked.
Since spring is slowly but surely coming around, I have decided to share my top tips for staying classy and fashionable during all your bike travels. This way, when the sun starts shining and melting all this snow, you’ll be ready to hit your two-wheeler and take the road – while looking absolutely adorable.
**First things first:** getting on the bike. The easiest (and most demure) way I’ve found to mount my bike in a dress is to get on slightly higher ground. This way the act of throwing your leg over the seat isn’t as, um, revealing, since you’re already pretty level with your bike. Sliding on sideways is also always a good option. Oh, and did I mention the importance of wearing bike shorts under your dress? ‘Cause honestly, the weather here changes so much, you never know when a windstorm will suddenly take over Columbia.
**The ride:** Instead of riding around with both legs bent, try for the most part to keep at least one leg straight, especially when you’re cruising. This technique will almost guarantee you a smooth ride and that your dress or skirt stays in place. Also, bike shorts.
Though it’s pretty obvious that you could always just opt for pants or jeans, sometimes your inner skirt-wearing girly-girl just has to be set free. And who says your transportation methods should limit that?
As for the fellas, you’re in good luck. While you probably don’t run into the same problems girls do when riding your bikes, it still can’t always be comfortable to roll around in skinny jeans and button-ups. Don’t worry, though, because H&M and East London cycling experts, Brick Lane Bikes, have teamed up to create a clothing collection specifically designed for cyclers.
The idea was to create a line that was equal parts stylish and functional, according to [GQ](http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/style/articles/2012-12/04/hm-brick-lane-bikes-cycling-collaboration-march-2013). The team even put the clothes to the test, wearing them through various weather conditions. By including items such as chino shorts, plaid shirts and even a blazer, the designers behind this collection made sure to create pieces that could easily assimilate into any man’s normal wardrobe. The collection launched March 7, and here’s hoping they decide to make one for women, as well.
Just because some of us need to trek around campus on our Schwinns doesn’t mean we should have to limit our wardrobe. As spring starts to creep around the corner, I urge you all to channel your inner Rachel McAdams or Ryan Gosling a la “The Notebook,” and ride your bike around in sweet, sweet style. Think you can _handle_ it?
