Conscious Fashion: Bike Rides

Hallo from Amsterdam! I’m currently travelling around Europe to finish off the summer and our first stop is Amsterdam. Despite its reputation for a hedonistic, indulgent lifestyle, the city is nothing like you would imagine. Laid back, friendly and super-stylish; everything here is calm and simply beautiful. From the traditional architecture to the modern art galleries dotted around the city, it certainly is a city of the unexpected. And despite the country’s liberal attitudes to almost everything, the real love of the city is something much more traditional- cycling! Bikes are everywhere. There are rusty deserted ones which seem to have become part of the city itself, and modern, brightly coloured types which are just as stylish as those riding them.

So just from wandering around the city on foot, it’s pretty clear that the locals know how to make riding a bike into a fashion statement. While cycling may conjure up images of sweaty helmet hair and tight-fitting sportswear to most of us, the Dutch sure know how to make it look good. Men in impeccably-cut suits roll by on their way to the office without a bead of sweat in sight. The women even manage to make cycling in a skirt look effortless and chic by sticking to billowing materials and making sure it’s long enough to cover everything when the wind blows. Cute wicker baskets are perfect for storing all your belongings en route, and the Dutch seem adept at getting creative and decorating them with anything from fake flowers to brightly coloured paint. So why not throw a European twist on your next cycling trip and look your best while you’re saving the world one pedal push at a time.