Stylish people on bikes.
There is something about a bike that makes for a chic and trendy street style accompaniment. What makes street style so popular is the ability to capture a still moment in a fast and ever changing environment. Living in the city I almost always see something/someone beautiful and by the time I have searched my over sized bag for my bridge camera, the moment’s gone.
Street style photography is so impactful because it’s a visual reflection of culture and style at that exact time; models, stylists and a set haven’t been pre-arranged or curated. Which is why I think the presence of a bike adds to the essence of mobility and catching someone in an organic and yet fleeting moment.
Although only a casual cyclist myself I love reading cycle style blogs, most probably because I like the idea of being stylish and on the move; which is why I was excited to see that H&M Life have also paid homage to stylish people on bikes.
*
H&M LIFE
Bicycles are having a moment right now. Cycling shorts were all over the catwalks this season and many an editor have given up taxi cabs during fashion week in favour of high-heeled rides on city bikes to get to the next catwalk show. No more traffic jams and a firm bum are both stellar incentives, and it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a gaggle of street style photographers snapping away at your chic cruise down the street either!
An abundance of fashionable bike styles are following in the wake of this trend and as the temperatures rise it’s safe to say that bike style is the new street style. From Silver Lake to Shoreditch, Shimokitazawa to Le Marais, hipsters are hopping on their fixies to play the latest fad among the cool set – bike polo. The bikes used by this set match their get-ups; sleek and much-loved single gear rides to go with muddy shorts, tight Le Coq Sportif t-shirts and multi-coloured bike caps worn at a rakish angle. But if this is all a little too testosterone-laden for you, perhaps the retro looking bikes with heavy frames, high handlebars and comfy seats that have become a non-negotiable ingredient in Tweed Runs worldwide and part of daily life for many cycle aficionados is more up your alley?
Dutch Bakfiets, British Pashley, and Japanese Tokyobike all cater to our current love of old-fashioned rides, but it’s China’s simple and sturdy Flying Pigeon that’ll make you the coolest gal in town. In the People’s Republic of China these bikes were one of the few ways to display a hint of wealth, and now retro-loving chaps and chapesses worldwide are discovering their appeal. Add a wicker basket, a helmet in the shape of a tweed hat, clip-on handlebar flowers and a cute pannier to carry your terrier and you’re set to go!
