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

[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.

[Crankin]

Duck, the only thing I buy in Europe is SHOES. Especially those casual type shoes that you wear instead of sneakers. I have 3 pairs now and i always get stopped and asked where I got them. When i say "Vienna" people look at me like I'm nuts. I've seen some of these in Boston, but they are hugely expensive.

It's almost time for me to travel again. Need more shoes!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

iFKA,
I just wanted to say your English is very very good! And the very few little language mistakes you make are cute. But one thing you probably should know for writing in a bike forum is that in english we "ride" our bikes, we don't "drive" them. Just like you say when riding horses. We ride our bikes, we go bike riding, and we go for bike rides. But we drive our cars. Hope you don't mind, I'm just trying to help.

[Blueberry]

iFKA,
I just wanted to say your English is very very good! And the very few little language mistakes you make are cute. But one thing you probably should know for writing in a bike forum is that in english we "ride" our bikes, we don't "drive" them. Just like you say when riding horses. We ride our bikes, we go bike riding, and we go for bike rides. But we drive our cars. Hope you don't mind, I'm just trying to help.

Hee Hee I *like* to say I drive my bike - means I have the same rights/responsibilities as cars (unlike the fellow who blew through a stop sign I stopped at meaning I had to pass him twice on my auto commute this am - yes, it's OK - but it may annoy other drivers who will then take it out on me when I ride my bike)

[Point understood Lisa - I just thought it was funny that it happened to be a grammatical construction I intentionally use ]

[mimitabby]

more to the point, that's the title of this thread, driving a bike!! I cringed
and now someone in Croatia thinks we talk like this??!?! Do we??