I have always been a big advocate for cycling in dresses. In the early days I was a vintage obsessive and delighted in cycling in my array of vintage frocks. Although I still have a soft spot for a vintage frock, my tastes are now more modern and I am always on the lookout for new dresses that are great to cycle in. My main criteria are:
1. They are comfy and don’t restrict movement or dig in anywhere when cycling.
2. They are cool and keep air circulating.
3. They look fabulous!
I recently sampled two dresses from a great selection at La Redoute. Here’s how they measured up:
First up is the Floral Print dress with V neck front and back, £27.30
How it looks? I’m a sucker for florals but sometimes they can be a bit sickly sweet. This dress packs more punch than the standard pastel colour pallet – the black base colour with bright flower print still feels feminine and summery without being too ‘country housewife’.
How is it to cycle in? This dress is an absolute dream to cycle in on a hot day. It’s made from a light material, is loose fitting and has a low V neck at the front and back so the air get down the top and up the skirts and it’s like your own in house (or in dress) air conditioning system.
The Length is just above the knee which works well when cycling and it has a petty-coat built in so doesn’t flair up as easily as some more flimsy skirts. On a windy day you may need little shorts or a nice pair of knickers on underneath though, just in case.
Accessorize with: Basil Bloom shopper £39.99, Crane hand painted bell £16, Sawako Eye Candy helmet £68
Next up is this Shift Dress with Jellabah neckline and tie belt, £27
How it looks? This dress is a cracker for the office. It’s smart, sophisticated but still cool and comfy. It falls nicely and although looks like denim is a much lighter fabric. You can wear it on it’s own when the weather is fine or team with leggings and cardy on a cooler day. It also has a belt that you can tie at the back to give the dress a little more shape.
How is it to cycle in? Shift dresses are great to cycle in as they are loose fitting; again the length is just above the knee so it behaves itself well when cycling. You can also undo more buttons at the front if you want to get more air circulating or do them up if chilly. It does crease quite easily though so watch out for a crumpled skirt when you get off the bike.
Accessorise with: Yakkay helmet with Denim cover £79.99 (for helmet base and cover), Crochet cycling gloves, classic tan, £14.99 and Hill and Ellis Birkdale cycling pannier, £255.
Overall I would reccomend La Redoute for stylish, feminine and affordable dresses that work well on and off the bike. Have look through and see if there on that takes your fancy…Summer Dresses.
For more advice on cycling in dresses take a look at this page from my book, The Girls’ Bicycle Handbook, click on the image below to view a larger version.
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