jersey fashion & age

[aka_kim]

I'm 48 and love my Curious George jersey, but then I've pretty much let my inner child take over anyway.

[Kalidurga]

I really hope this doesn't come across as snarky 'cause it's not intended that way, but I can't get over the number of posts in which people wonder whether it's ok to wear this or that, or ok for their bar tape to not match their saddle, or ok to have mtb pedals on their road bike, or...

If it works for you, do it. Unless it's a "square peg in a round hole" sort of situation in which doing so will cause some sort of damage to you, your bike, or to someone else, in which case seek knowledgeable advice. Otherwise, allow yourself the freedom to wear what you want to wear and have whatever gear you want to have on your bike.

[Biciclista]

I really hope this doesn't come across as snarky 'cause it's not intended that way, but I can't get over the number of posts in which people wonder whether it's ok to wear this or that, or ok for their bar tape to not match their saddle, or ok to have mtb pedals on their road bike, or...

If it works for you, do it. Unless it's a "square peg in a round hole" sort of situation in which doing so will cause some sort of damage to you, your bike, or to someone else, in which case seek knowledgeable advice. Otherwise, allow yourself the freedom to wear what you want to wear and have whatever gear you want to have on your bike.

yes, exactly. You're over 40 now, you're in charge, take control of your life and quit worrying about what others are going to think.

[maillotpois]

They're only going to laugh at you if they can see your butt crack through your worn out shorts.

DH has a friend in his early 70s who can kick anyone's butt on a climb, and he wears shorts that have clearly seen their last thread. You can really see TOO much when you are behind him in a paceline. He says "The ladies like it!" and it's actually pretty funny when he says it; he's fairly cantankerous.

And lph - yowza! What a face! Hope you heal quick!

[Biciclista]

Do you mind if I steal this sentence? I want to embroider it on a pillow.

Pam

no, not at all i just want you to know that whenever I think about this, an image comes forth which is permanently BRANDED on my brain of someone who was too cheap to buy new shorts... and I rode behind him a long long ways. (talk about Trauma!)

[lph]

I really hope this doesn't come across as snarky 'cause it's not intended that way, but I can't get over the number of posts in which people wonder whether it's ok to wear this or that, or ok for their bar tape to not match their saddle, or ok to have mtb pedals on their road bike, or...

If it works for you, do it. Unless it's a "square peg in a round hole" sort of situation in which doing so will cause some sort of damage to you, your bike, or to someone else, in which case seek knowledgeable advice. Otherwise, allow yourself the freedom to wear what you want to wear and have whatever gear you want to have on your bike.

weeell - i think what they're asking is often tongue in cheek, as in "will the style police throw rotten food at me if do x" not seriously as in "will this bar tape make them laugh at me". a lot of cyclists are fashion conscious about their bikes and clothing, but still know that it's just unimportant details.

ps. the black right eye is due to a piece of firewood that rose up and smote me when i was chopping wood two weeks ago. goes nicely with the cast but is not painful and i just fprget about it :-) dark left eye is just what i look like,

[DebTX]

I empathize with this question. In my teens, 20s and 30s I cared a lot about what "other people thought". The most beautiful part of turning 40 for me was watching that angst disappear.

I work in a conservative industry and have a closet full of navy/black/grey suits.

So when I'm looking for cycle clothes I gravitate to things that make me smile (dh has a Led Zep jersey). Especially as a new rider who is sometimes discouraged, I use anything as motivation to get on the bike more often (the socks pictured below are my absolute favorite).

I have a big chest, so I'm careful to avoid jersey designs that accentuate that in unpleasant ways, but other than that, if its useful, affordable and makes me smile, its a keeper (I just bought a cycling jacket on serious clearance at REI because it matches the colors of my bike - yikes!)

I have to be "serious" a lot of the time in my life. One of the things I've found I like about cycling is that I get to be a bit silly again -

And what I discovered after turning 40 is that "everybody else" is too busy worrying about themselves to give a hoot about what I'm doing...

[Aggie_Ama]

Love the socks! I wear what I want and I do not think it is indicative of my age, I have always just been a "who gives a darn" type. Since I am young, I assume this is something I will carry until old age. My 90 (91 next Monday) year old Mammaw is completely confident, I hope to be her one day. She seems to never look for approval and never has in my life. I was floored to hear straight from her mouth she really struggled to move along when her husband died, she seems so together I figured she just rolled on because life required it.

I do have days where I care what people think but more often than not I care what makes me happy.

[Crankin]

I was very conservative in my dress for a long time. Then, when I started cycling, I became a little wilder in my dress at work, at home, etc. I've moderated a bit, mostly because although I feel young, I am not, and nobody wants to see a 55 year old trying to be 25. I mean, I think that I don't look 55, but I certainly don't look 25, either. This seems to be a bit more acute right now, as I am going to school with people mostly in their 30's, with a good sprinkling of 20 somethings. The other older students look old to me...
I don't wear any "revealing" cycling clothes, but my jerseys do have some wild prints. I have the Terry hula girl jersey and the city girl one, too. Always a good conversation piece. But, I also have solid jerseys. On the other hand, I wear longer shorts because I don't think anyone would want to see me in short shorts.
And Mimi, I have been behind a "see the crack in the ***" person more than once...

[Miranda]

Wow, thx for the number of posts thus far to my question! I appreciate the feedback, and support of "just be and ride happy".

I think it has struck a cord in a couple ways for me...

In terms of my life in general, being 40, I do most certainly care less about what others think (sometimes not at all, as long as it's not purposefully hurtful). I think it comes from experience in living, and knowing how you feel in your heart alone at the end of the day is what matters. To the wind with the rest.

However, with my riding, I have definately made progress, but still feel very unsure and insecure in ways. So maybe that makes me of adolescent age in that respect? I'm breaking away from mom and dad to be independent, but still need some reassurance "is this ok" sorta thing.

As mentioned, there are definately riders who have very strong opinions about fashion and gear for the road on "looks" (regardless of age). I don't really know where that comes from originally?

I think I won't worry about it, and just ride my heart out. If I get ditched by the bike fashion police, I'll have my yellow jersey puppies to keep me company.

[PamNY]

However, with my riding, I have definitely made progress, but still feel very unsure and insecure in ways. So maybe that makes me of adolescent age in that respect? I'm breaking away from mom and dad to be independent, but still need some reassurance "is this ok" sorta thing..

That's a very insightful comment. I have wondered, if I do some club rides, will I HAVE to wear conventional bike clothing? That would annoy me no end, and I'd want to show up in evening dress. (I'm talking about casual riding on a hybrid). Will it be high school redux?

Yes, biking is a whole new activity; it's very public in some cases, and the need to discuss attire/appearance is quite understandable. I think Miranda's original question is perfectly sensible. Bike jerseys are downright peculiar if you aren't used to them.

I do think women in general tend to assume, sometimes wrongly, that questions of this type reflect underlying insecurity. If I mention that I want to paint my bedroom, someone will chime in, "But it looks fine!" Yes, it does; I just want it to be different now. If I mention losing 5 pounds, which for me is fairly easy, someone will say "You're not fat!"

I still don't know if I will ever waltz through Grand Central Station in tights (that's my route to country biking). I suppose time will tell.

Pam

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My grandmother was a sweet but rather conservative woman, clothing-wise.
Many years ago, my mother would tell me how her mother (my grandma) would always ask her opinion on some outfit just before they were going to go somewhere. Grandma would always say to my mother "Do you think I can get away with this?"...referring to her outfit. She was always impeccably dressed and that's why my mother and I had a good chuckle over the thought of some fashion police arresting my grandmother in the street and dragging her off to the pokey.

Well, years later, Grandma was long gone and my mother was now in her 60's and she started saying the very same thing to me if we were going somewhere together- "Do you think I can get away with this?"- then she'd catch herself and we'd have a good laugh over it and I would say something like "I'll go your bail if you get caught." or something similar.

It was all so silly really, and funny.


PamNY- knowing Grand Central station fairly well, I can assure you that if you wore your biking lycra there you'd be better dressed than half the people there.

[shootingstar]

Off the bike I've been fairly conservative dresser..and for the past decade, it's probably because I've become more lazy /oblivious to current fashion trends.

And because I'm small boned and small up top, the older woman trying to show cleavage, etc. syndrome...will never apply to me.

So I will turn 50 in 2 wks. ..at this moment I am wearing a long-sleeved poly-kayak like bright blue pullover top with little high neck collar and little "BARE" floral logo festooned across my tiny covered up chest. It is not tight-fitting top on me. And a mini lycra cycling black skort.
It is 80 degrees F. I can't be bothered to tan my arms...especially after 2 hrs. of fab. whale-watching at sea this morning!

Even here in Hawaii, I won't be wearing a crop tank top nor bikini top. I know my beauty limits and what I don't look good in.

[Tuckervill]

I don't like to wear designs that accentuate my bra size which strangely large. Isn't the grass always greener on the other side of the fence? But I will wear whatever designs I like as far as my bike clothes go, but dress conservatively elsewhere. I'm 47 and comfort is more important to me than design, but I do have some pretty bright colors. One is that Rwanda coffee jersey, which is eye-popping, but I have had a lot of favorable comments on it. I'm a little too statuesque to wear anything "cute" but if I like it I wear it!

Um, if that's you in your avatar, I don't see anything "strangely large". Look pretty normal to me.

Me, I was a C cup when I was 15!

Karen

[Aggie_Ama]

Um, if that's you in your avatar, I don't see anything "strangely large". Look pretty normal to me.

Me, I was a C cup when I was 15!

Karen

I was a B/C by 9th grade and a full C all through high school. Now I am a D and honestly hate having my breast complimented most days. To me they just are there, make it hard to fit a dress that fits my waist, make things that shouldn't be revealing borderline indecent. I guess when they were dropped on you starting in late elementary school they don't always seem like a gift.

Funny thing is mushed in a sports bra they don't bother me, I have never worried about a jersey and my chest. That comment was the weirdest one of the thread to me, not the age appropriateness of a jersey!