1
Apr 30, 2015
The 7th annual Tweed Run rolled into London on the 18th of April and after weeks of planning, the day had come for me to bring that poster to life (in more detail than I anticipated), and ride alongside 700 stylish cyclists through the city… Glorious sunshine was the order of the day as that elusive yellow orb made an appearance in a clear blue sky- result! Before riding off on the Pashley and Colourbolt, me and the dashingly dressed Boy checked off the VCG list of essential Tweed Run requirements… Outfits: pressed and presentable ✔️ Bicycles: roadworthy and clean ✔️ Phones & cameras: charged ✔️ Picnic: wrapped & packed ✔️ Appetite: large and […]
2
Apr 15, 2015
With the dress made and ready for the ride, the remaining thing to sort for my Tweed Run outfit was the hat. When Nisa presented me with my finished garment, she also kindly gave me a small roll of dogtooth tweed that was left over… “this might come in handy later” she said with a knowing smile, and then pointed me in the direction of a milliner she regularly saw in Old Spitalfields Market. Nisa had remembered the there was a matching Pill Box hat in the poster. The last past of the puzzle was falling into place. I won’t lie – I’d never really been a ‘proper’ hat woman. I always […]
3
Apr 12, 2015
So, you may have noticed I’m even more excited than usual about the Tweed Run. For this years ride, the poster was designed by the brilliant Eliza Southwood. It features a woman (huzzah to that!) and that woman was inspired by… me. It feels pretty unreal to say that, and I’m still quite bowled over by it. I love planning and putting together an outfit for the Tweed Run – its always been one of my favourite things about the event. As this one is a bit special, I decided to have a more fun and let life imitate art: I had to try and recreate the outfit from Eliza’s amazing […]
4
Dec 14, 2014
No shame in saying this: I get very excited about Christmas every year. I’m like a big kid when it comes to the festivities and try to be as well prepared as possible… yet there are times when in all the fuss, I get a bit last minute with present shopping. So, if you’re a bit stumped on what to get for the cyclist in your life (or just for yourself – and why not?!) here’s the VCG quick guide to some cycling related gifts… Women’s Button Down Oxford Shirt – £95 by Vulpine: Perhaps I’m a little biased, but this is my favourite garment from Vulpine’s A/W range. With […]
5
Jun 9, 2014
Falling for bikes I see at the Bespoked Handmade Bicycle Show has become an occupational hazard for me, so you can guess what happened when I saw THIS by Milk Bikes on display in April! Founder Mark Meadows debuted his new Series 01 range with the ‘Barra’ model… All photography by Ian James. At first glance this was a beauty: the design, build and wooden features looked stunning and taking a closer look would reveal some subtle and lovely detailing. Already curious about this collection and how the bikes would actually ride, I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to take this one out on its maiden voyage on […]
6
May 19, 2014
My favourite cycling event of the year swung around again last Saturday: the sixth annual London Tweed Run! Although VCG was there in spirit last year, I was counting down the days to taking part in the ride this time. With the temperature hitting 23 degrees, organiser Ted Young-Ing couldn’t have chosen a better day for the event… which also led to a last moment change of my planned outfit for the day. I doff my cap to those who preserved in full tweed, but I suspect I would have baked in Central London with the suit I had in mind! To be perfectly honest, my cyclestyle for the day faded […]
7
Feb 23, 2014
It’s been a little while since I’ve put one of these together and my CycleStyle radar has been going off like mad with clothing and accessories being brought to my attention! With Spring attempting to make an appearance and me itching to get out and do some longer rides (especially on my new bike) here’s a little selection of what’s caught my eye… 1) Women’s Cotton Rain Trousers – Vulpine: These trousers are a perfect fit for both on and off the saddle. Made from Epic Cotton, they’re breathable, water resistant and designed to withstand tough rides… yet style has not been sacrificed in the design. Vulpine’s Cotton Rain Trousers […]
8
Jan 5, 2014
The new year is upon us and if you’re thinking about getting on a bike in 2014 or looking for advice on cycling, ‘The Girls Guide to Life on Two Wheels’ by Cathy Bussey is a great place to start. I set aside time between work and the Christmas rush to settle down and read ‘The Girl’s Guide…’ and wasn’t disappointed. Cathy’s “handbook for the chic cyclist”, is bursting with information for ladies who like to ride… or would like to start. Cathy (who is also on twitter – certainly one to follow) is a keen cyclist herself, which clearly comes across when she talks about her own her own personal […]
9
Dec 18, 2013
I had lots of fun playing dress-up in her Redchurch Street shop, and fell for her bike shoe collection in a big way, so I couldn’t wait to put Tracey Neuls’ Bike Fern Boot to the VCG test in the city… I was given* them back in September to test out, and box fresh this is how they looked: buttery smooth leather from the tan inner to the grey outer, and that distinctive reflective ribbon on the back. They were stunning… almost to the point of being worried about wearing them on the bike for fear of scuffing them up! BUT that is the beauty of this ankle boot – […]
10
Sep 15, 2013
This week I visited Tracey Neuls in Shoreditch. As an East London girl, I cycle around Brick Lane a lot & often stop to window shop at the hanging display in her Redchurch Street store… so it was a pleasure to be invited to spend an afternoon trying on her stunning shoes, and have a preview of her exclusive shoe collaboration with Tokyobike for the London Design Festival 2013. Tracey’s footwear has a loyal following amongst women in both the UK and Japan, and has also struck a chord with female cyclists who love the comfort and style of her shoes with their rubber sole to cycle around the city in. […]
11
Aug 26, 2013
“Sleek and stylish” were the first words that came to mind when I opened my delivery from Michaux. After reviewing their Weekender Bag, I was asked to review* their new Shadow Saddle Bag & couldn’t wait to put it to the test… The Shadow Saddle Bag is made from waterproof bonded canvas and finished with leather trims, featuring the signature Michaux reflective 3M Scotchlite material, to enhance visibility when riding. It’s immediate to the touch that the quality of the canvas used is very high, and as with the Weekender, the Shadow feels like it’s built to last. The versatility of the Shadow is a huge plus on the cycle […]
12
Aug 4, 2013
(UPDATE: The feature is up on the BBC News Magazine site, which can be viewed anywhere in the world! Click here for article and video) I was back out on my Pashley Princess yesterday for a ride to Broadway Market (fast becoming a favourite place to ride to) for one of my Cycle Saturdays with The Boy. This one was a bit different though, as I spent the morning filming a piece for Newsnight with BBC Hague correspondent Anna Holligan… Keen cyclist Anna, along with producer Hannah & camera man / editor Suraj set off from The Netherlands on 31st July for a grand bike tour to London. I was thrilled […]
13Jun 17, 2013
Whoa – a bit of a radio silence from VCG on front… sorry about that! Life has become a bit hectic with lots of exciting bicycle related things going on… all of which I’ve been desperate to blog about & trying to find the time to do it! I’m filming again with The Cycle Show, which returns to ITV4 this July for its second series – huzzah! More updates on that as it happens, and look out for the odd Instagram sneak-peaks from me… In the meantime, here’s an update on another piece of cycling-tv which has come to life. Back in February I met up with the lovely Caz […]
14
Apr 12, 2013
What-what?! Saturday sees the return of London’s most stylish bike ride… The Tweed Run is back! Celebrating its fifth birthday, this years Tweed Run is set to be a marvellous day. With yet another wonderful route planned around the city and the weather promising to be good, I’m sure all those who won a place will have a fantastic time. This year I won’t be on the Tweed Run, as I’m off to the South West today with Vulpine for an amazing weekend at Bespoked Bristol! But wait – Frankie has been given a clean and is ready to roll on Saturday morning… as The Boy will be riding on […]
15
Apr 1, 2013
With the clocks going forward, British Summer Time is officially here. March certainly didn’t bring much Spring cheer – lets hope April does a better job. If like me you’re longing for warmer days, brighter evenings and lots of rides in the sunshine, here’s a little injection of colour to get your wardrobe in a Spring-Cycling mood… Dress – Lisa Wrap, People Tree: Makers of Fair Trade fashion, People Tree have come up with this dress featuring a cute bicycle print. Made in a simple everyday shape, it’ll make a great summer wardrobe staple, and a comfy dress to ride in. Hat: Straw Fedora, Topshop: Made from natural straw with unfussy detailing, the […]
16
Jan 8, 2013
I first met Rachel Bonney at the launch party for Cycle Style at LMNH last April. She was friendly, full of energy and hyped about cycling and fashion = an ace vibe. I recognised her from her photos in the book; if you wear Brogues (which I have an addiction to) that are cool enough to have a page all to themselves, that will get my attention. She also had on a rather nice looking bag in her portrait and on the night which caught my eye… and it turns out it was all her handy work. When she got her bicycle, Rachel decided to make a handbag for herself that would work while cycling. […]
17
Dec 31, 2012
I’m stunned at what’s happened with the blog over the past 12 months and the adventures that have occurred. I’m thankful for all the love and support I’ve had from all of you this year… with a majority of you thinking I’m mad for the late nights infront of my laptop! I do it because I love cycling & I adore blogging about it all; it gives me the greatest amount of joy and if 2012 is anything to go by, my heart might actually burst in 2013… It’s almost the end of the year. Time to stop for a moment, and take stock of some of the highlights of 2012 […]
18
Dec 10, 2012
It’s one of the most popular cycling bags on the market, and after being sent the Bobbin Straw Pannier for a review* by the lovely folk over at CycleChic, I can understand why. Having seen this pannier on quite a few ladies bikes while out on my travels, one of the first things that struck me was how stylish it looks. Made from tan-coloured woven straw, it’s a simple, unfussy design with a rather vintage feel to it. This works very well with my Pashley and would do with any other vintage style bicycle. I do have a thing for loud and bright panniers, but a classic one like this certainly […]
19
Nov 11, 2012
This can be a rather personal subject but I wanted to talk about the importance of a good Bra when on a bike. Due to my Scoliosis, my body-shape goes though a lot of changes & has seen a lot more of since I took up cycling – especially my Breasts… so I finally went on a quest for a decent Sports Bra… The last time I had a Fitting was in a well known high-street store when I was in my late teens. My Bra size always remained the same with their lingerie, so I stuck with them, including every time I needed a new Sports Bra. Yes, this wasn’t […]
20
Oct 20, 2012
Last month I sent out a public tweet, searching for an illustrator to do a little something for Vélo-City-Girl. I’d been on the hunt for one for quite some time, and had an idea of the style I wanted, but hadn’t found any illustrators who quite “got” what I was after. Coming pretty close to giving up on the idea of the piece, I got a tweet from Ste Johnson offering to have a go at a sketch for me. He’s the gentleman behind the Cycling & Fashion blog, The Discerning Cyclist. A fellow bike-lover AND an illustrator? This sat very well with me indeed… We exchanged a few emails about […]