Red Bike Sunday
I have a red bike, so I’m always on the look-out for fellow red-bike-lovers. These three hip ladies all look spring-tastic on their red bikes! Listening to music, sporting the bright green bike bell and yellow pants, thigh-highs, skirts and heels–nice. Keep riding those red bikes!
by Meredith
a friendly Sunday
She’s on a bike, he’s on a board. Why not give a friend a helping hand?
Seems like he’s got the better end of the stick though, right?
Classy Sunday
Where is this well-clad couple heading? The opera? The ball? A wedding? Where ever it is, they’re getting there in style.
by Meredith
OV chic
Heels, tights, and sub-zero weather–a great combination. This girl proves that you can still be chic on the OV Fiets.
But really, Amsterdam, who’s ready for spring?! I know I am.
by Meredith
Snow bunny days
I love this part of the winter, when the snow is frozen in your chains; stuck to the fender; caked on the rims. But I’m so thankful for the little fietspad snow plow that helps us stay cycling chic. Like, super sheeeeek.
By the way, cycle on over to Rotterdam’s IFFR, the best film fest in the world. I just got my tickets–first show is at 9h30 on 2 feb. Come on down, Amsterdammers!
by Meredith
Cyclist of the Month: ‘Miss Fair Fashion’ Marieke
Meet ‘Miss fair fashion’ Marieke Eyskoot: her mission is to make fair fashion normal in the Netherlands. “For me fashion is a way to celebrate life. I love it! But it should also be nice for the people who make it. I can’t enjoy clothes that people made in terrible working conditions.” For many years people have asked Marieke where they can buy fair fashion, what to look out for when shopping, easy things they can do for a more ‘fair lifestyle’ and if a fair lifestyle isn’t too expensive? Those questions made Marieke decide to write the book ‘Talking Dress- Vertelt je alles over eerlijke kleding (en lifestyle)’ that was recently published.
‘Talking Dress’ is a guide –written in Dutch – to a fair lifestyle in the Netherlands and Belgium. The book shows you the way to your own fair fashion lifestyle. Ranging from shopping tips to DIY-tricks, from washing instructions to swapping ideas, from clothes to accessories, beauty products, food and even marriage: Talking Dress makes it easy (and fun!) to do good and look great at the same time.
We love Marieke’s book and know that she uses her bike every day, so we asked her for an interview. We met in the lovely fair lunchroom and boutique ‘Beter & Leuk’ on the Eerste Oosterparkstraat.
Marieke and her bike
“This interview is a tribute to my bike. I bought it second hand in 1996 for 100 guilders and I have cycled it daily through the streets of Amsterdam since then.” The frame is from 1967 and it is a classical black Gazelle Dutch bike. But after more than 40 years some essential parts can’t be repaired anymore. So Marieke has to get a new bike. The decision of which bike to get was an easy one; “A Roetz bike of course!” Roetz’ bikes are sustainable and fair bikes made in the Netherlands. (Read more about Roetz on our blog).
“I love to cycle and I use my bike every day, to go to my office, to meetings, to go out and to go for cycles in the weekend. I like to go fast on my bike. It is a great break every day to cycle in between the many meetings, phone calls and long hours behind a computer. The movement, the wind or sun and just being outside for a while make me feel relaxed. When I pass bridges I always slow down a bit, to enjoy the beautiful city and look at the water.”
“I can still clearly remember the moment I learned to cycle. I was with my father practising in the street where I grew up. I was cycling and he was running beside me, holding me. Suddenly I heard him quite far behind me shouting ‘I am not holding you anymore!’ and from that moment on, I could cycle on my own!”
Text by Joni – Pictures by Aude
Links
- Order Marieke’s book ’Talking Dress’ (19,95 euros, free shipment in the Netherlands).
- Marieke co-organises MINT, the fair fashion section of international fashion tradeshow Modefabriek
Tres Sexy Sunday
I was in Paris this weekend and couldn’t help but notice all the girls on bikes! Très sexy! Looks like the Velibe bike share system is getting put to good use. I tried it too! It’s amazing how much smaller the city became when riding a bike. Plus, the first 30 minutes are free! Fantastique!
by Meredith
Blonde Sunday
As these days are getting shorter and shorter, does it also seem like skirts and shorts are getting shorter and shorter, too?! Just another reminder that Amsterdammers cycle chic.
by Meredith
Fall colors in Amsterdam
One thing the Dutch love to talk about is the weather. I hear these conversations all day long. Such a lovely time of year in this city. The leaves of course are the highlight. All the oranges and yellows. Bring your layers though and get out your gloves: this is the time of year the weather can’t decide on anything.
I joined a local yoga studio and in one of the classes, the instructor spoke about the fall; that it’s a time to reflect inward and, like the trees, change your inner color, express yourself in a different way, and maybe think about shedding something you’ve been holding on to for a while. I’ve been thinking about that quite a bit because I can’t seem to pin something down. What could I let go of? Maybe I should be vegan again. Become a tea drinker. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll just think about it more and get back to you.
For now, I just looooove riding my bike in this city…
by Meredith
Dashing Sunday
Doesn’t she look stunning? What a classy look. And a big smile to boot. Wouldn’t expect anything less from the cyclists on Van Baerlestraat!
by Meredith
Cyclist of the Month – New Team Member Meredith
Aude: Where are you from?
Meredith: I am originally from the beautiful Central Coast of California. I first moved to Rotterdam in December 2010, when I just finished urban planning studies at UC Berkeley, and my husband was accepted to graduate school at Erasmus. Now we live in Amsterdam, since July ’12, and totally love it here.
Aude: How do find living in Amsterdam?
Meredith: Of course I dearly miss our friends and family, but our Dutch life is easy to love. I have totally fallen for this city; there’s always something to see, a new adventure every day, a gezellig café to try, and of course, riding a bicycle is so easy and so chic. On the side, I have my own photo blog about our life and travels here called Dutch Pancake.
Aude: Tell us the story about your bike.
Meredith: It was love at first site. I named her Rosa. She is a second-hand Batavus Old Dutch from a bike shop in the Pijp. I added the bike shelf thingie and a second-hand basket from my favorite vintage store on Vijzelstraat.
Aude: How did you find us and why?
Meredith: I met the guy behind Copenhagen Cycle Chic at an event at the Pakhuis and he introduced me to Joni. As an urban planner and cycling fiend (and photography enthusiast), it just seemed natural to be a part of this cycle chic movement. Any way I can promote cycling to the world–I’m in!
Aude: Well, welcome! We’re glad to have you join us!
Pictures of Meredith by Aude – Pictures of bike & text by Meredith
Sexy Sunday
Added benefit of cycling everyday: nice legs. Pairs perfectly with super short shorts, black tights, and studded booties.
Show it off ladies!
by Meredith
Bike Fashion Show in Budapest
As we wrote in our previous post, the absolute highlight of the Cycle Chic Conference in Budapest last weekend, was the Bicycle Fashion Show. When you think of a fashion show, you think of a catwalk, spotlights, photographers, press, and beautiful models. That was all the case in Budapest. But the models in the fashion show were very special. Not only did they walk the catwalk with (their own) bicycles, but also, they were not professional models, but just normal people that love cycling in their city, Budapest.
The models had been spotted on the streets and subscribed themselves to participate in the fashion show. The goal was to show the beauty of cycling, that cycling is for everyone and that you can wear the clothes you love the most while cycling. No need for lycra of sport gear.
Check out Budapest’s stylish cyclists!
Waiting for the show to start
posing for the cameras
Escapade à pAris
The cycle chic team has been travelling a lot in Europa during the summer. Lately Aude and her sister were invited by their mum to go to pAris! Of course they rented a velib’ to move around. And they met many locals on a velib’ too. Here you can see a girl on high heels…
Guys chatting on Pompidou square…
Some youngsters heading for a party…
Cycling is getting more and more popular here so many people have their own 2 wheels. Look at these:
Frenchy on a race bike…
Dude on lady’s bike…
Girl on a city bike with basket…
The trio Aude-sister-mum have been cycling through the whole of pAris. They came to see the exhibition “Panorama” from Gerhard Richter on the top floor of centre Pompidou. Dedicated to modern and contemporary art, le centre Pompidou is a place you can’t miss if you are interested in art. This painting called “le vélo” is from Alain Séchas, it is part of the permanent collection of the Museum.
Cycle Chic – The Book
Mr. Cycle Chic and founder of the entire Cycle Chic Republic, Mikael Colville-Anderson, made a book full of pictures of chic cyclists from all over the world. It is called ‘Cycle Chic’ and published by Thames & Hudson.
Rainy Cycle Chic
If I can bicycle, I bicycle
With colourful images Mikael takes you around the globe and shows you how people enjoy cycling through their cities and look fashionable at the same time. There are pictures from his Copenhagen and from our Amsterdam, but also from many other cities from all over the world.
Budapest
Paris and London
Dublin
Amsterdam
Wanna see more?
- Order the Cycle Chic book
- Check out the original Cycle Chic blog by Mikael: Copenhagen Cycle Chic
Bike trunk
Picture by Barbara
Style and Speed
In the Cycle Chic Republic it is all about Style over Speed. In Amsterdam it generally is, you do not see that many sporty cyclists in the city that just want to go as fast as possible. What you do see are stylish speedy cyclists. They wear normal clothes, they cycle a Dutch bike, but they are going really fast! Probably late for a date, or just work, or a boring meeting or maybe their kids are waiting to be picked up from school…
pictures by Ayolt
City sunset
As everybody is sitting on all terraces of Amsterdam these days, we believe it is the last time for months that this girl will be wearing her (hopefully fake) fur coat!
Red bicycle day
It’s Red Bicycle Day in the Cycle Chic Republic. Check out the pics from all over the world.
‘The sun never sets in the Cycle Chic Republic’
Copenhagen, Denmark
Sevilla, Spain
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Barcelona, Spain
Lisbon, Portugal
Caracas, Venezuela
Vienna, Austria
Berlin, Germany
Mexico
Graz, Austria
Montreal, Canada
Sydney, Australia
Cardiff, Great Britain
Budapest, Hungary
Yellow coat
Cycle Chic in a Yellow Coat by Aude
