Is it possible to look feminine and to drive a bike?

[iFKA]

For the last two summer I go with my boyfriend on some 10days bike trip. We have the same plane this year, but of course we plane to visit different places. So here is my problem... last year we cycled 500km and I had many problems with my hair, my skin, my nails... We would like to go 1000km this year and I think the same problem will appear.
I have long hair (almost till elbows) that I'm very proud of but I'm thinking of cutting it all the way. I don't know is the trip wort sacrificing my "soft side"
What sacrifice have you made for biking? Is it possible to look feminine and to drive a bike? Please say it is...

[spokewench]

I guess it probably depends on what you believe looking "feminine" is. I haven't had really long hair for all of my life, but I believe I'm feminine. Does it mean wearing makeup all the time or part of the time or wearing frilly dresses all of the time or part of the time.

When I ride my bike, I'm dressed for riding. That means what is practical. To me, that is shorts and a jersey and layers and jackets if need be for colder riding. I don't wear makeup cause it tends to run and look weird afterwards. I don't think I look like a guy when I'm riding. The only time I've ever had trouble telling whether a bike rider was female or male was actually a man with a pony tail who was really skinny!

After riding, and after a shower, riding should not change your look or your femininity. You can dress any way you want, style your hair any way you want or wear as much makeup as you want? I guess I'm just confused about what "Femininity" means to you.

[Kitsune06]

It's entirely possible. Just refrain from the baggy cargo shorts, wifebeaters and Docs. Lycra is close-fitting and reveals the obvious absence of man-parts, which is, naturally, very feminine. Jerseys are also very flattering if you're so blessed. (and a little if you're not, thank god!)

Femininity itself is subjective. *very* subjective. But there are ladies here with long hair, soft skin and probably totally impeccable nails (Oddly, these subjects don't come up too terribly often...) that are quite the hardcore biker chicas. I suggest a braid or at least a ponytail for your hair, using the nice bands that don't pull and/or break your hair... a light moisturizer with sun screen, and maybe full-finger gloves for your nails? I dunno about that one. I guess it'd depend on how long your nails are. Pack a pair of nitrile exam gloves in your bag for roadside repairs.
If you're riding with your bf and have insecurity issues with your femininity, just look at him, ask if you still look like a woman, all wearing your bike shorts and jersey, with biker calves and shades, and if he says anything to the contrary, he can go date a man.
Many of us manage to do great service to our innate femininity even with short hair and nails, fwiw.

[mimitabby]

well, let's put it this way. Nothing impresses my husband more than to see a beautiful woman on a bike in her jersey and shorts with her feminine muscles glowing, etc, etc.
He can definitely tell the difference between guys on bikes and gals on bikes.
A healthy woman is a feminine woman. It doesn't take hairstyles, makeup
or stiletto heels to make a woman.
In fact, my DH who used to whine that i didn't have shapely legs like gals in those stilettos can now see the diff between legs that have walked in stillettos and legs that have gotten strong through biking and he prefers the biker legs.
So if i were you, i wouldn't worry too much about the bike ruining your
feminine nature, it will enhance it!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I think people have varied perceptions of what "looking feminine" is.
For instance- you mention your nails. To me, long nails or painted nails don't look "feminine"- they look aggressive and harsh and artificial. I find short natural nails feminine looking, because a woman's hand is just naturally feminine looking compared to men's hands. Visible makeup also looks less feminine to me. When I was very young it didn't. Times have changed, and my perceptions have changed too. It's all just a perception based on how we are raised or what we are surrounded by. Short hair can be very feminine looking as well- unless maybe it's a crew cut?
Aside from the perception issues though- I think it's more important to have one's appearance and "accessories"( i.e.hair, nails, makeup, skin, clothes) suit or match the lifestyle and attitude we want to live. The external stuff should not interfere with the things we want to DO in our lives. If we try to maintain external accessories that are difficult to keep a certain way while we do our activities of choice- then we are merely creating a conflict in ourselves, and our outside is not appropriately coordinated with our inside. (I hope this makes sense?)
I play music and I realized long ago that trying to keep nail polish looking good and playing music simply worked against each other.
Last year I sarted paying attention to my fitness and began to either walk or bike every day. My typical wardrobe up til then consisted largely of long skirts and loose tops. Well, I changed that wardrobe to fit my new lifestyle- now the things I wear enable me to very quickly change maybe one item and just head out the door or jump on my bike to fit in a quick ride. I don't have to change my entire outfit anymore to walk or ride- just maybe some chamois tights.
A funny story...all my life I've worn lipstick. Felt totally naked without it, never wanted to be seen without it, was addicted to it. Never a problem in the various relationships of my life...until I met my beloved DH 8 years ago. I found I had to keep putting my lipstick back on like every 20 minutes because it kept getting kissed off over and over! It became such a constant CHORE, a PITA, that I finally just had to admit that lipstick was no longer going to fit in my new lifestyle. So I switched to no-color chapstick and became much more lazy about putting it on only once in a while. Incidentally, my lips are MUCH healthier, naturally pinker, & softer now than they ever were in the past- I think it's from all the "calisthenics" they do every day!

Anyway, instead of thinking about how your life can be adjusted to not interfere with your appearance, consider flipping it around to thinking about how you can make your appearance reflect and coordinate smoothly with your life. Just some rambling thoughts that I hve had to think about in my own life over the years...

[indysteel]

I agree with Spokewrench in that it's not either/or. I wear bangs and my hair is usually somewhere between past my shoulders and my upper back. When I exercise, I wear some form of a handband and a ponytail. It's not a great look, but it works. My skin is really blotchy and it bothers me, so I usually dust on some Bare Minerals powder before going out. I'll admit that's a little vain, but I'm single and their are attractive men at the club rides. My bike wear is nice but not ultra-feminine. I prefer sporty over cute.

Beyond that, I don't give it much thought and what I do exercise-wise doesn't influence how I otherwise look. I'm not too high maintenance, but I wear some makeup, do my hair and wear (I think) cute, feminine clothes. I almost always have my toenails painted red (I like something pretty to look at in yoga class) and my fingernails short but manicured and often painted with a clear polish.

I plan on going on a multi-day tour this summer/fall that will likely involve camping. We'll be able to shower, but I doubt I'll be in a position to fix myself up more than that. Perhaps it's vain, but I'll admit that it will probably bother me a bit to look rather like a drowned rat for a week (my hair only looks nice if it's blown dry). Hopefully, however, the fun of the trip will outweigh feeling slightly unattractive for a week.

What trouble, exactly, do you have with your hair, nails and skin during your bike tours? If your long hair is bothering you, you could always cut some of lenght off to make it easier to manage. I don't think you necessary need to get really short hair to solve that problem. Keep your skin protected from the sun and hydrated and (at least my preference) your nails neat and easy to clean. I'd add, too, that really short hair can be very cute and feminine if it's done right. I think some people, in fact, look better with short hair. I unfortunately am not one of them.

Kate

[Brandi]

I went on a big mountain bike ride with 5 guys last year. It was a full week of riding in the dirt with these guys. No showers. No mirrors. Oh but I did have a little mirror. I tried to keep myself tidy. I gave up on the 2nd day. I just kept my hair tide back and my face clean. But you know what? It did not matter what I looked like to the guys at all. As a matter of fact my husband likes a girl who is not fussy with her looks. He cares more that I am happy and having a good time.. i will say cutting your hair shorter might help but short hair can be funny looking too after riding a bunch of miles. Maybe just cutting shorter but still be able to tie it back would be the way to go. And as far as the nail thing goes I trimmed all my nails including toes so i would not have to think about it. And my nails grow like crazy.

[Duck on Wheels]

Hi iFKA,
You may be asking this question in the wrong countries. When I was in Croatia (well, Zagreb at any rate) a couple years back I noticed that women put a lot more emphasis on wearing skirts, heels, makeup and so on than women back in Norway or California tend to do. And the styles were different from what I'm used to in other ways as well. Boy was I in trouble giving lectures and going to meetings with my luggage stuck in Vienna!!!! Not only could I not find the styles I was used to, I also had a lot of trouble finding my size.

But even with local fashion expectations in mind, I still agree with the other women here. You might want to wear a "skort" (bike shorts with a short skirt over them) so that you feel that you're dressed right when you stop for lunch at a cafe. You should probably file your nails short for the trip, braid your hair so it stays neat and out of the way, and wear a headband so you don't have sweat running down your face. But those would be the only concessions to urban feminine style that I would think necessary for a bike holiday. The glow from wind and exertion is enough makeup; the bike jersey will highlight your figure ... and so on as said above. Fit, healthy and active is also (dare I say it?) sexy.

[Triskeliongirl]

I never wear makeup, nailpolish, etc., but I do have long hair so I can sympathize with where you are coming from. No, you do not have to cut it off, but you need to experiment to see what beauty products are essential to make it worth toting all over on your self-supported trip. Initially our idea was to just carry a small container of that general purpose camping soap you can use from everything, hair, body, clothes, etc. But that left my hair like straw. So instead, by hairdresser gave me small packets of samples of a great shampoo/conditioner, and then I took a small tube of a leave in conditioner which does wonders for my hair (again I tried not using it and my hair looked like straw). It didn't take a lot of room but was worth its weight in extra cycling effort. I also packed a few skirts for off bike stuff, but then it was much colder than I expected, so at night I would layer everything I brought with me from cyling arm and leg warmers to a couple skirts to stay warm! In retrospect the skirts were silly, just a pair of pants would have served me better, but if the weather is warm where you are going a terry skort is also small and nice. The best thing worth taking though, was a silk double sleeping sack, makes even questionable bedding cozy, and packs up real small and light.

[Dianyla]

I have calf-length hair and find it to be relatively easy to manage while I'm travelling or having an active lifestyle. One important tip is to not wash it every single day with shampoo. If you do that you will end up with straw-like dry hair. When you wash your hair too much, it just dries out the ends and encourages your roots to produce even more oil. As you start getting used to a more extended (every 2-3 days) washing interval, it may take a few weeks but eventually your scalp will adjust and produce less oil.

On the days that you don't wash, you can either keep it dry while you wash your body, or simply rinse it with fresh water can get the sweat and salt out of it. When you do wash it, let the conditioner sit for a while on the ends. I usually slather on the conditioner and let it soak in while I'm busy shaving my legs to be time-efficient.

Also, consider that you probably will not always be able to wear it down and flowing every single day. Sometimes it's more convenient to just braid it back neatly, or coil it up into an elegant bun/twist. Even dirty hair looks great in a bun.

Lastly, make sure that you're getting proper nutrients (especially enough protein, iron, and B vitamins). Heavy exercise can require a lot of resources, and the body considers hair/skin/nails more of a luxury item. So if you are deficient in anything it's likely to affect those areas first.

[Crankin]

I haven't had long hair in a long time. But I did have it when I taught fitness classes in a desert climate, which was very annoying. I always put it up in a pony tail, using those nice covered holders. I bought lots of cheap ones as fashion accessories. I did cut my hair very short to deal with helmet head. I had an intermediate length for awhile and could not deal with looking horrible when i would stop for lunch, etc. My hair is frizzy and wavy and cannot be tamed easily. I would look like Bozo the clown! Now I just pour a little water from my bottle over my head, run my hands through my hair and voila! I have been feeling like my hair is a little too short in the front, so I am going to grow my bangs a bit. We'll see how long that lasts.

Lisa, I always wear lipstick, too. Once in awhile when I am riding, I use clear gloss, but I like the way lipstick feels and looks. When I have gone on bike tours, I don't put make up on in the AM, just sunscreen a bit of under eye concealer for some very bad redness. Sorry, ladies, I don't feel good without it. Sometimes I wear nail polish and sometimes I don't. If I was going on a camping type tour, I definitely would not! My nails aren't long, but usually I have something on them.
As far as clothing, I have cycled in the Czech Republic, Austria, and Italy. I never felt uncomfortable in my bike shorts, but skorts make a lovely option. Yes, it's true women in other countries do themselves up more. I happen to like it. Italian women look so fashionable, even in t shirts and jeans and even if they are poor students. When my son came back from studying for half a year in Siena, he totally had changed the way he dressed. He said most European girls didn't believe he was American because he didn't wear a sweatshirt and a cap! Sorry to digress, but I say when in Rome...

[Duck on Wheels]

Yep, when in Rome ... So when in Zagreb I went shopping and when I finally found some clothes and shoes that fit they have remained among my favorites ever since. The shoes were the ONLY ones in the whole city my size (11, aka 43 in Europe ), so I had little choice, but they are sooooo comfy and stylish I was glad I was forced to find them.

[light_sabe_r]

Long hair??

Get the split ends cut in the week before you go. Even straighten it the night before. Then, I'd style it in Two plaits or pigtails on either side of your head and perhaps ty them back whilst you're riding. Bandana on top and yeah. VERY low maintenece!

Nails??

Chop em short Just put a coat of clear nail polish on before you leave. Honestly do you really want nails painfully breaking and getting in the way of your fun?? I think not. They're gonna get grubby no matter what you do. So keep it simple.

Skin??

Dove soap and Sunscreen every morning and use the soap again at night. literally no maintenence.

If you desperatley need to feel feminine why not take your favourite perfume along and spritz it when you need to cool off. You'll smell great and it will cool you down. (alcohol evaporates much faster than water thus your perfume cools you down quicker) And wear PINK or soft pastels. I'll now refer you to the TE Catalogue. Just view it. ^_^

Simplicity and low maintenece is the key.

[iFKA]

Now I just pour a little water from my bottle over my head, run my hands through my hair and voila! I have been feeling like my hair is a little too short in the front, so I am going to grow my bangs a bit. We'll see how long that lasts.

That's the feeling I want... I have had a short hair in my high school and the feeling was indescribable. I had no problem with washing, drying or making my hair. But I know long hair looks better cause I have a baby face and everybody thinks I'm 18 when I'm not wearing my make up. And without long hair I look like I'm 14, and that can be quite annoying.

I ALWAYS have a nail polish (cause my nails brakes easily without it) but mainly some neutral color. The problem is that I go in the nature but I behave like I go in 5 stars hotel. We don't sleep in camps, but in tents and I have to bring my hair regenerator, lip balm, nail polisher (or how do you call it... the paper that brushes your nails), suncream +25 for my body and after sun cream cause I have fair skin and it burns easily and "wild holiday" looses its sense. But I can't help it.

BTW I don't have problems with bike shorts but I like to change into my skirt as soon as we come to the beach. Can't help it, I'm a girl and I wanna look girly. And I don't loose my hair or make up when I'm driving. I have veeeeeery dense hair so it's too hot when I do it.

My college friends think I'm some kind of freak cause we shower on the beaches, and my bike friends think I'm over exaggerating with my cosmetics. I know only one female cyclist in Croatia that really drives long rides and she's behaving like a true man. Her hair, walk and talk is totally opposite of feminism so I just needed to hear from you if it's normal that I wanna drive and look nice.
I really needed to get it all out of my head

[KnottedYet]

Everyone has their own style, and I admire you for wanting to maintain your style under difficult conditions!

Do what makes you happy, don't worry about what your friends say!

If you want to cut your hair for more reasons than just this one long bike ride go ahead and cut it. But if you are only thinking about this one ride, and you will be sad after the ride to have short hair, then don't cut it. I don't have long hair, but the suggestions for keeping your hair nice during your ride sounded good.