What about the kit??

[Flur]

Congrats on getting the bike!

I personally don't worry about matching the bike. My bike's celeste green, so unless I'm going to outfit in Bianchi clothes all the time I'm not going to match. I just wear whatever I want and as long as my clothes match each other I don't worry about the rest. I'd recommend getting a neutrally colored helmet so that it works with a lot of stuff.

[mimitabby]

you don't have to match your bike. if you did, you'd always have to wear the same color.
hm, i'm always wearing bright yellows for visibility. not sure that matches my bike. see what i mean? and sunglasses? they cost a fortune!!

enjoy your bike. work towards having an outfit that matches, but not for every day riding.

[martinkap]

Occasional matching is nice. Worrying about matching all the time is for 'sissy' or those with low self-esteem.

We, strong women can defend our fashion choices with one heavy sigh and long stare at the person. Honestly, if someone suggested that my sunglasses must match my watter bottles or something like that, I would laugh for a very long time. It is great to have your own style and choices which our not dictated by some 20 yo clerk in the LBS. Sunglasses are too finicky to care about color; they must match your cheekbones (we don't want additional wrinkles from too large sunglasses or from too small ones), must match you head size and must not give you headache after a day wearing them. That is important.

Honestly, I wear black with occasional red accents because I like red. My bike is silver and black. Recently I got a red chain because I just thought will be funny. But I will hapilly wear screaming yellow jacket in cloudy/rainy conditions and yellow screaming helmet because it MIGHT save my life. I don't care if I don't look as professional biker. It is actually even more fun to look like someone who just start biking and then blow fast around all the 'matchy' professionally $1k-spent-on-outfit. I never forget to remind them that they have 30 (or 20) gears and are still slower than me on a fixie. "Sorry, I have a fixie, I must pass you since I am FASTER than you!"

[Fujichants]

Wear whatever you want to wear, as long as it is comfortable for you. That is my take.

Are your pink sunglasses made for sports though? Or are they just for fashion? I tried running and riding with my oversize Prada sunglasses, and they kept slipping off my face because sweat started to accumulate at the nose pad part. I never had this happen with my running/cycling sunglasses.

[Aggie_Ama]

Oh to heck with the bike shop. I got my feelings really hurt when the guy at the bike shop told me my helmet had to match my bike. I have a gorgeous blue/white/black bike but I fell in love with a pink Atmos helmet. It only coordinates with a couple of kits, I could give a rat's arse less. Half the time my socks don't coordinate because I in too big of a hurry to find the ones that match. I wear brown sunglasses and cheaper ones too! Oh well. There can be too much snobbery and judgement, just ride and enjoy.

I also have blue Sidi shoes that match nothing, including the blues of my bike, but I love them! They are quirky and hardly anyone has them, that is the stuff I like. I probably look like the biggest fashion disaster in cycling but I have a darn good time in spite of it all.

[shellkay1212]

You guys are SOOOO right!!!!

I got the pink cycling glasses cause I LIKE THEM! I didn't like the white and didn't want black. I'm not even a pink kind of girl but those are the ones I liked!!!

I don't even have kits - so not sure why I even gave a hoot anyway! I'm really a hippy at heart anyway - so that means I can wear all sorts of odd ball stuff - right!?

[SouthernBelle]

I just read this:

http://jacquiephelan.wordpress.com/2...mitigated-gal/

If Jacquie isn't worried, I'm not either.

[Jiffer]

Occasional matching is nice. Worrying about matching all the time is for 'sissy' or those with low self-esteem.

This whole thread cracks me up, and this quote in particular! Well, put me on the "sissy" list because I'm a matching fanatic and I certainly don't have low self esteem. I wouldn't say I "worry" about matching, though, I simply "like" to match and make a point to whenever possible ...

I'm having a hard time visualizing the guy at the LBS shop telling you that you "have" to match your "kit" (whatever THAT is!) ... and being serious! I'm all about matching, but I would never tell someone that they HAVE to match except in jest. If he thinks you HAVE to match, what happens to those who don't? Are they outcasts in the cycling world? Give me a break! I match because that's what I like to do, not because there's some rule about it.

And, actually, when I just thought about it, my sunglasses only "sort of" match me. I'm all about pink (and black and white). My Oakley sunglass frames are black, but my lenses are yellow, the only yellow I wear. I love those lenses, though, for their function. I can wear them when it's bright or when it's dim and they are great for both.

Where what you want. It's your life and I'm pretty sure you won't be a cycling outcast for wearing pink sunglasses with a black and yellow bike!