What is this black and white theme …

BlackWhite I am a cycling aficionado. Am I a fashionista as well?

I question why my 20-something daughter needs so many clothes. Every week, she buys something new. She always looks well put together. Natty. But her clothes last a season. One season. That’s all. It’s expensive, excessive and extravagant to change wardrobes for each and, every season year in and, year out. Clothes have become as disposable as food packaging with the life cycle of a cereal box. Is my daughter a fashionista?

Wait a minute.

I stopped mid-ride this morning to get out of the wind and light drizzle to refuel and, take a few photos. Pictures of me and my bike. What else? And, look how colour coordinated everything is. I have this back and white theme going on. Helmet, jacket, gloves and shoes matching all of the bike parts. This is not by accident and started with the black and white logo on the bike frame. If I were to include pictures of the cranks, pedals, rims, hubs and tires you would see a similar pattern. Everything matches.

I don’t buy a lot of cycling clothing. And, because I don’t change my bikes with every season, my clothes (and bikes) last for years, not seasons. However, I am certainly conscious of what bike bike I’m riding and what clothes I wear. Over the years, I have accumulated 5 short sleeve jerseys, 5 pair of bibs, 2 pair of wind pants, 4 wind and rain jackets, 3 pair of socks and, 3 pair of shoes. And, they are all colour coordinated.  A lot of black, white and, a little red. That’s 1,800 possible combinations. That’s a lot of outfits. Some might argue, more than I need.

There was a time I simply hopped on my bike without thinking what I was wearing. I dressed for the weather, not the ride. Things have changed. Now, I dress for both the weather and the ride. I am better dressed on my bike than anywhere else.

Am I a fashionista?

24 thoughts on “What is this black and white theme …

  1. Yep! I’m fortunate to have my belt match my shoes!! I grab whatever jersey is functional for the ride! Unfortunately, this road construction green thing I often have going on is NOT fashionable. It IS seen though!

    • LOL

      I don’t know how this started. I ride 3 bikes regularly and have had them a long time. The Roberts is 35 years old. So, over the years, I gradually purchased items that matched the bikes and I am now left with a cycling wardrobe that is all colour coordinated.

  2. You’re not. I have 5 kimonos, 6 different belts (all the same color), protections for joints (always 2-3 pairs of the same), special t-shirts and even underwear. It fills half of my wardrobe. But I have just one single kimono which is fancy (for competitions).
    So you’re not a fashionista because you’re just like me and I’m definitely not one! LOL

    • You must be competitive (and probably deadly). As I said previously, I’m surprised. I pictured you differently.

      I am sorry I missed your Question and Answer post yesterday. I was out for most of the day. Your last post left me hanging. I felt like I had missed something. You have to fill in the gaps for me at some point.

      • You didn’t miss much, there was almost no interesting questions 🙂 as a dedicated follower you have the right to ask whenever you feel like 🙂

      • I won’t do it here but you can expect a lot of questions coming your way. You have given us a tantalizing glimpse of your life and I am anxious to learn more about what brought you to this point and, where you might be headed 🙂

      • I don’t really have accessories. I have a handbag but it’s just the same bag that I use with every outfit. Sure I like to match up tops with skirts but that’s about it.

    • Then you are right. I’m a bit OCD.

      You don’t have accessories? Gloves? Scarves? Hats? Sunglasses? In the pictures you have shared, you look nicely put together.

      • Oh well I guess I have some scarves but I usually wear the same one everyday. It goes with most outfits. I switch when I wash it. And I just have the one pair of sunnies and usually the one hat too – a home made one.

    • Then you are right.

      By the way, I like that you dress simply and are not a slave to fashion. I have never understood why people ave so many clothes. I have a lot of cycling clothes but, I will argue, they have been accumulated over many years and will last a very long time.

      Then again, you have all of those beautiful dresses you never wear.I think we would like to see more of them 🙂

  3. Me too brother, and I friggin’ dig it! No apologies, no remorse. Technically I think we’re fashionistos though. Gotta drop the feminine “a”. I’m coining that one!

  4. Oh my God! You’re not a fashionisto… I just revisited the post to read some of the comments and I noticed in the photo you’re not wearing socks! Rule #27. You have nothing to fear.

    • Funny you noticed. The shoes are relatively new and, a little tight. Just a little, not even a full or half size. And, they only hurt when I stand not when pedalling. I am wearing them a lot hoping they will stretch out a little. It seems to be working.

      • Try socks from the Sock Guy. They’re very thin so they might work better for you… As far as noticing? Man, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today or something. I felt like a jerk for hitting send on the comment… When I was writing it, it seemed funny though.

    • I didn’t take it that way.

      I have some thin socks. They are better. I think I actually like going barefoot. All I need to do now is shave and grease up my legs.

  5. Pingback: The Cycling Fashionisto… How Far Should Cycling Fashion be Taken? « Fit Recovery

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