Cycling chic & meeting local enthusiast

[shootingstar]

Bodi I've been unemployed twice....last time for 18 months.

For certain, I can affirm that I still wore my bike helmet which I already was wearing for last...4 years or so. (I bought it around $55.00CAN at that time.) I had my cycling clothing....accumulated and put to use for past 5 years or even older than some pieces.

During my unemployment I bought a pair of jeans....after looking around for over 3 years. No kiddin', I was ready to give up. But no need to buy any cycling clothing.

Had my business jacket (3 yrs. old), skirt (the black ripped lining one I mention in the blog post that I so desperately want to find a 2nd properly fitted business black skirt) for last 10 yrs. And all my tops from last 3 yrs. so that I could go to job interviews. There is no way if I biked in same business /office clothing in my jobs prior to the unemployment period, I would have had some fresh-looking outfits left to present myself. My taste is "safe", classic styles --to last me for several years. I admit I have some tops over 10 yrs. old and I still wear them...to work.

I biked almost daily for 1-2 hrs. during my unemployment. Yes, well for 18 months, that would have worn down street clothing. But I wore my cycling clothing. I'm sure that presented an image of "money".

Being petite or unusually sized does present some challenges, meaning alot less choice. Waiting around for a sale 2-3 months later, often may mean the size will be gone.

My dress pants are $80.00 but I wear them 50% in the office for past 18 months. I could not wear these on bike commuting and afford to wear them out. Yup, I'm boring. I just change my tops for variety, or my ripped lined skirt, black jeans, another pair of casual pants, etc.

My tights that I wear cycling, are cheap, non-chamois tights --polyester, cotton blend. I usually pay under $25.00 per pr. Looks like cycling tights, but they aren't at all! The purple and gold-orange winter jacket that you see my cycling on path with snow....is well um....15+ yrs. old. And I've worn it every winter (primarily an off-bike jacket, also for snowshoeing) since and alternating with a wool winter dress coat.

I did a blurb about saving money because of a cycling lifestyle. http://thirdwavecyclingblog.wordpres...nto-my-wallet/ But in retrospect, a cycling lifestyle looks "expensive" to others because of my cycling clothing and helmet. It doesn't need to be if one shops carefully 2-3 choice pieces of clothing that will last.

The caveat to all of the above: I can't gain weight...otherwise I have to buy more new clothes.