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loving the ride

~ exploring the world (with a little vélo love)

loving the ride

Category Archives: fashion

ps your mystery sender (love!)

09 Thursday Feb 2012

Posted by lovingtheride in art, fashion, film, inspiration

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

fashion, london, mystery, paul smith, short film, toronto


Last night, I saw the doc Calvet as part of Doc Soup, Hot Docs‘ monthly documentary screening series here in Toronto. Intense film, but, gosh, what’s stuck in my head is the short before Calvet: Benjamin Wigley‘s PS Your Mystery Sender. The quirkiest snippet of a film. I wish…I wish it were longer than its wee 9 minutes. It’s about Paul Smith. The Paul Smith! U.K. fashion designer Paul Smith. And how someone has been sending him random objects in the post for 20 years. No boxes. Just unwrapped seemingly random items creatively plastered with relevant postage stamps (a surfboard mailed with stamps of the ocean) and marked with his address, but no return addy. And he has no clue who’s been sending them. Items like an E.T. doll, a football, an orange safety pylon with “happy birthday” written inside the cone (LOVE!!!), a dressmaker’s judy, a watering can, a diorama of his studio…the list goes on. I sooo want to mail him something myself, but I don’t know how it could clear customs unwrapped. You could try it yourself, though. His addy is: 40-44 Floral St., Covent Garden, London, England WC2E 9DG. Tempting, very tempting, no? You can watch the whimsical trailers above and below – I dare you not to smile!

 

 

girly gear to light up your ride

20 Friday Jan 2012

Posted by lovingtheride in bike, fashion, gear

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

bike gear, bike safety, do it yourself, mariona otero, monkey lights, polka-dots, reflective bird pin, reflective sash, tiecycle

The other day I mentioned embracing my inner bike geek by decking myself out with reflective arm bands when I ride at night, especially important in winter, when drivers don’t expect to be competing with cyclists for road space. Writing about bike safety and night-time visibility has me tempted to splurge on some girlier gear. Much like my coveted Nutcase helmet-to-be, these 6 beauties are the coolest, cutest accessories for night riding. No fluorescent yellow safety vests here!

1 po campo’s reflective bird pins

Po Campo’s Reflective Bird Pins (available through Public) come in eye-catching fluorescent Construction Orange and Day Glow Lime but also Matte Silver. Having spent many years as an editor at a decorating magazine, I follow the tried-and-true rule of displaying multiple items in threes (or odd numbers) for impact. I apply this to my fashion accessories too, especially brooches. Nooo, brooches aren’t granny-ish! Po Campo’s modern ones certainly aren’t. As a trio, these bird pins will surely get you noticed. Superchic, no?

2 cyclestyle’s pageant queen reflective sash

If I’m going to go girly with the bike gear, I might as well go all-out beauty pageant! CycleStyle’s Pageant Queen Reflective Sash lets me do just that. It has polka-dots, and you know how I love polka-dots! The Pageant sash has a detachable bow pin (need I remind you about my need for frills?). Made from 3M Scotchlite reflective fabric, it says “look at me!” in more ways than one!

3 mariona otero’s tiecycle

A funkier, less girly reflective sash is UK designer Mariona Otero‘s reversible, multifunctional Tiecycle bag, shown above in both its day (left) and night (right) modes. Cleverly named, the Tiecycle is a cycling sash made from recycled ties. One side is reflective for night use, while the other side acts as a minipurse, just large enough to stash your phone and keys within reach. The Tiecycle is easy to DIY from two ties (for the front) and a piece of reflective fabric, like 3M Scotchlite (for the back). Mariona posted her how-to (shown below) on readymade.com, but you can also read Mariona’s more basic instructions and view more photos on her site.

4 katie barton’s spotme reflective badges

Katie Barton’s SpotMe reflective badges (from £7.50 per set of 3) are clever and cute – a cluster of these buttons will make a subtle statement by day and a bit of impact at night. I especially love the witty Oh La La version (£10 per set of 3)! If you’re still feeling crafty after you’ve finished making Mariona Otero’s handy Tiecycle (see No. 4, above), use the leftover scraps of reflective fabric to make your own version of Katie’s badges for evenings when you’re biking sans Tiecycle. Go minimal and skip the decorative hand-stitching!

5 knog’s boomer wearable clip-on safety light

I’ve raved about Knog before, and I’m going to rave about Knog now. Knog’s Boomer Wearable clip-on safety bike light (read: red) has one steady and three strobe modes. Annnd it comes in Magenta!

6 monkeylectric’s monkey light

MonkeyLectric‘s Monkey Light lights aren’t so much girly as they are frickin’ cool. I’ve seen the odd one spinning around Toronto during Nuit Blanche, and I can’t stop wanting them for my very own. The Monkey Light is a full-colour (32, in fact, to brighten your life) LED spoke light. It’s customizable, uses two AA batteries and is easy to mount. I want.

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I bought my awesome TV Sucks Ride Your Bike Bumper Sticker in Bloomfield, Ontario. Jealous?

For more girly gear, check out…
I Heart My TV Sucks Ride Your Bike Bumper Sticker
Ring My Bell: Ciao Bello to My Public Bike Bell, Federico!
Simi Mini Dots Nutcase Bike Helmet Fit for
Minnie Mouse
Use Your Knog(gin): Ride With a Bright Bike Light
‘Cause I Love My Brain, I Want a Nutcase Helmet 

best purchase ever no. 2

15 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by lovingtheride in bike, fashion, gear, travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

bike tour, black friday, camino, camping gear, icebreaker, lake huron, merino wool, smartwool, travel clothes

Last month I wrote about my favourite travel shirt. Now let me introduce you to my favourite lightweight travel shirt: the Icebreaker Meridian, shown here in Jungle, a lovely mossy green. (Let me confess that I also own this top in Mystic, a bold shade of cobalt I adore, and Fiesta, a true bright pink. I just bought the latter on a Black Friday online shopping spree. Yay!)

My new go-to shirt – year round – is Icebreaker's Meridian Superfine 150.

I originally wanted to buy this T-shirt for a family camping trip to Algonquin in early July, but couldn’t commit to the hefty $70 price tag. I could justify spending 60 euros on my beloved SmartWool tee because it was versatile – a heavier weight with long sleeves and a zipper – and, heck, I bought it in Spain when desperate for an extra layer of warmth at night in the uninsulated pilgrims’ hostels on the Camino. But $70 for a short-sleeve shirt seemed ridiculous. Yet still newly in love with merino wool and all its benefits, I scored the Meridian for a midsummer cycling trip along Ontario’s Lake Huron. Again, in case you missed the head: Best. Purchase. Ever. No. 2.

The Meridian is surprisingly perfect for summer’s humidity, as merino wool is breathable and has natural wicking properties. Though lightweight (Superfine 150), it’s also quite warm in cool conditions, ideal for chilly summer nights. Believe me, I wore it under my SmartWool every night, and it kept me warm as a base layer. And being merino, it didn’t smell from continuous use, and it dried in an hour when I did wash it. With a feminine cut, deep V neck and short raglan sleeves, the Meridian is flattering on a petite gal with curves, as the hem sits just under the hip bones and is slightly longer in back.

One caveat: The fit of my first Meridian T-shirt is better than my more recent purchases. Rumour has it that Icebreaker switched manufacturers, so this year’s Meridians fit looser than the 2010 ones. That would explain why my Jungle tee is shorter and more fitted than my Mystic and Fiesta ones, though they’re all supposedly the same size. Keep that in mind if you’re it ordering online. I can’t wait to see what juicy new colours Icebreaker rolls out next year!

And in the meantime, check out my Best Purchase Ever No. 1, a shirt I’ve worn through spring, summer, fall and now winter.

Another advantage of merino is that it packs small. The Way of the Lightweight Backpacker reveals how, thanks to merino, I’ve narrowed down my packing list to 18 things.


’cause i love my brain, i want a nutcase helmet

09 Friday Dec 2011

Posted by lovingtheride in bike, fashion, gear

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

b-icicle challenge, bern bike helmet, bike gear, bike safety, girlie bike helmet, girly bike helmet, i love my brain, ladies bike helmet, nutcase dots helmet, nutcase get2 dots helmet, winter bike gear, winter bike helmet, winter riding

i want my head in a nutcase helmet

This Nutcase helmet in particular: the Gen2 Dots. It has pretty polkadots, and the adjustable spin dial in the back makes for a comfy fit. Plus, there’s the anti-pinch magnetic buckle, which is easy to open or close with one hand – even a warm mittened hand, just perfect for winter riding, lest you forget my B-icicle challenge! And did I mention the playful polka-dots? They make the helmet way visible during the day, and night-time drivers should spot (get it?) the reflective logos on the front, back and sides. The colourful array of other Nutcase designs caught my eye when I was buying my dear bell Federico at Cycle Couture, but Dots is The One, and I hope they get it in stock soon.

but i also like me a bern berkley zipmold helmet

Now, because I’m a slave to fashion (not really) and hate riding with a chilly neck and ears (really), I’ve also had my eye on the striking Bern Berkley Zipmold foam helmet in Matte Cyan, with an optional cold-weather knit you can snap into it for winter warmth. I’m getting toasty just thinking about it! Annnd turquoise is my favourite colour. Really, it is! It’s cheerful and looks great against a glowing tan in summer…and pops against the white stuff in winter. I want the Bern Berkley. It’s mine.

__________________________________________________________

Looking for other stylin’ bike gear? Check out…
Girly Gear to Light Up Your Ride
Ring My Bell: Ciao Bello to My Public Bike Bell, Federico! 
Simi Mini Dots Nutcase Bike Helmet Fit for
Minnie Mouse

Use Your Knog(gin): Ride with a Bright Bike Light
I Heart My TV Sucks Ride Your Bike Bumper Sticker

best purchase ever no. 1

17 Thursday Nov 2011

Posted by lovingtheride in fashion, gear, travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

camino, merino, ski, winter, wool

Friend and blogger Brooke Stevenson of My Bike Myself and I turned me onto merino wool last winter, when we were away on a ski weekend and all she had in her teeny day pack was a small compression sack stuffed with a handful of clothes. Merino, of course. She raved about how fast merino dries, while I was unsuccessfully trying to air-dry that day’s sweat-soaked recycled-polyester long johns and undies.

Amazed by her multifunctional, minimal weekend wardrobe, which was pressed into service during and après XC, I gave in a few months later and shelled out for two Icebreaker merino undies (a whopping $32 each, and worth every penny) and three pairs of SmartWool hiking socks ($20.50 each at MEC) for my Camino trip. The socks aren’t merino, but Brooke swears by them, so I rationalized that my feet would thank me after walking at least 20 km a day for weeks. But even with liner socks, I immediately got blisters, having erroneously bought a size up. Fortunately, in Ponferrada there’s an awesome hiking/camping gear store a mere minute from the Templar castle, and it was with relief that I eagerly stocked up on three pairs of extra-small SmartWool socks and much-needed flipflops (and promptly shipped my too-large socks and blister-irritating Keen sandals ahead to Santiago!).

And that’s when I got greedy. I scoured the shop for merino anything, settling on a SmartWool NTS Midweight Zip T in Purple Heather. Best. Purchase. Ever. At 60 euros, it was a splurge, but boy did I get my money’s worth over the next two weeks! I wore it day and night the rest of the trip, washing it only once. You’d think it might smell, but nope. You’d also think it was totally stretched out. Also no. You’d think I’d have to roll up the long sleeves and tuck the hem under, as I have to do with most tops, which are always too long for my 5’1″ frame. Gladly, no. A nice medium weight and with a half zipper and mock neck, it also kept me cool when hiking, warm when sleeping – the perfect multitasker!

So when I returned home and readied for a 10-day camping trip, I immediately ran out to buy Best Purchase Ever No. 2.

No, this isn't me, but the SmartWool model wearing my favourite travel shirt. Though it seems to fit her long limbs, the body and sleeves are actually the perfect length for a petite frame.

 

Another cool thing about merino is that it packs small and stays relatively wrinkle-free. Learn how merino helped me pack light in The Way of the Lightweight Backpacker.

jennifer krissilas

A girl, her bike, a wee bit o' wanderlust...a lust for life in general. And all things pretty. We can't forget the pretty.

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about

Oh, the outdoor adventuress. Exploring the world (with a little vélo love). Disguised as a freelance editor. Just a girl, her bike, a wee bit o' wanderlust...a lust for life in general. And all things pretty. We can't forget the pretty. Or the sweets. xoxo jen

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© 2011/2012 loving the ride. No part of this blog or its content may be reproduced without prior written permission.

Recent Posts

  • happy new year to all, and to all a good (and safe) night!
  • christmas carollers bring festive cheer to toronto
  • remembrance day: lest we forget
  • TIFF in the park brings classic screwball comedies to toronto all summer long
  • toronto port authority’s sail-in cinema returns, august 16-18, 2012
  • comfy, custom-fit wolverine ics hiking shoes
  • alexi murdoch turns up the heat in toronto
  • it wouldn’t be canada if we didn’t have to stop for geese crossing the road
  • and this is why i dislike the MMVAs
  • toronto’s open roof film festival heralds the start of summer
  • world naked bike ride day: toronto cyclists bare all for the environment
  • luminato celebrates creativity in toronto and the world
  • i heart: “this bike is my car” bike bell
  • black out and speak out on july 4, 2012
  • camino albergues: where to stay between ponferrada and triacastela

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  • Hi @SUANDBU! When is the Bathurst outpost slated to open? I need to know ASAP for a magazine story. Thanks! 3 years ago
  • Hi @DrSheilaSahni! A reminder that if you're able to reply to the Word doc ASAP today (before noon your time), that's best. Thanks! 4 years ago
  • Hi @DrSheilaSahni! Just checking whether you'll be able to respond to that fact-check email by EOD today. Thanks! 4 years ago
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