Our poll last week to answer the question "
Do You Wear Cycling Clothing" had a great response and one of the common questions were what can I wear if I don't want to be caught dead outside in skin tight spandex? There are many clothing options out these days that aren't skin tight and do a great job of keeping you dry and comfortable but styling.
Technical Shirts :
Many people are familiar with the brand
Under Armour, or before that
Adidas and
Nike had a great following for "technical clothing." This was clothing that wicked away your sweat but breathed well. There are some technical shirts geared towards riding which have a lower cut back for when you bend over so you aren't exposing anything and built in basic pockets to hold a gel or key. Budget between $35 - 70 for a good wicking shirt. Be prepared that polyester is a key make up of these shirts and can trap stink.
A couple of my favorites include the
Aurora T (pictured right) from Pearl Izumi for around $35. Also, one that I plan on picking up for the fall is the
Sugoi Crossroads Henley. Perfect for fall riding, grocery trip hauling or mountain biking when it is chilly.
Shaped Sleeveless Jerseys or Tanks :
Not your basic cut off sleeve jersey because it is thought out for a lady! You can go plan colors which will camouflage you into every day wear, or you can go crazy prints and add style to your wardrobe. This could be the widest spectrum of ladies apparel being experimented with by various companies : Technical, classy, tank top, gym wear, and the list continues!
My top three in this class is the
Sombrio Crush Jersey,
Pearl Izumi Elite SL Jersey and
Skirt Sports SexyBack Tank. They range from $45-70 depending on fabric and company.
Skorts :
Take your riding to the next level and don't worry about being restricted. Skorts normally are based on two thoughts.
The first is a wrap type style that you can wrap around any of your existing shorts.
The second is a skirt and short duo that are purchased together.
The second option is hassle free, no thoughts involved as when you start to combine a skort and short that are different inseam lengths you can start having issues. The downfalls of this option is the short that comes with the duo is normally a very
basic short with very basic options. The benefits of a wrap is you can use the shorts you already have at home, or purchase a higher end pair.
Here are a few to get your hunt started. I really like the print on the
SkirtSports Cruiser Girl and also like the function of the
Shebeest Cycloskort. Both are priced between $85-90.
Others :
There are also Capri's, loose fitted shorts and more clothing I will get into in follow up articles.