Bicycle Ladies: Inspiration, or a Strange Fascination?

So I still haven't bought myself a new bicycle, but, I think I have found the one I want!  

Of course, it's ridiculously expensive, but it LOOKS amazing and has everything that I want in a bicycle. I found it at ARTIKEL which is this amazing store I wandered into on Wakefield Street, in Wellington City.  It is an emporium of independent and international design.  It's filled with kitchy designs from homeware, to jewellery, clothing and stereos to bicycles!  It's one of those stores that makes you want to buy almost everything in there.  Be sure to visit if in town or go online and have a look at their catalogue because you can order by phone or fax too. 

The bicycle they have in store looks a lot like this...

Isn't it romantic?  The basket on the front, the tan leather seat, the chain cover, the spokes and the style of it, just so old school and it even has a light on the front!  I'm going to have to save for quite a while to buy this baby and so it remains on my wish list until then.   Sigh...

I have been going through my collected images and have discovered all these gorgeous shots of girls on bycicles, I can't believe how many I have collected... and so I have to share them with you because they are just so lovely.  I don't know why I have such a fascination with girls on bicycles, Freud would have an answer I'm sure, but anyway, here they are, enjoy!

So this is how they do it in Paris, oui?  Doesn't she look too cool?  Love the boots, très impressive.

And this is how they do it in New York.  Am loving her ensemble, the jacket and dress and she's even wearing her heels while riding!

This girl looks a little like Scarlett, but I don't think she is.

Hey, that girl's got my bike!

Aww, how cute!  An über chic Mother and daughter, only in Paris.

Another gorgeous ensemble, I like her red ballet flats - very practical.

A lot of Europeans have this innate sense of style - no matter what they are doing, riding their bike, walking their dog, taking out the trash...  I mean, this girl could be on her way to who knows where, but she is rocking her simple biker chic, non? 

Anonymous peddle-pusher, perhaps in the 18th?

Zooey Deschanel and her red bike, red shoes, red lipstick combination.

Famke Janssen and her long, long legs, cruising down town.  

Über chic blogger/stylist/writer Garance Dorè.

Biker chic is not about lycra and leather.  Not any more.  It seems to me that you wear whatever you want, your bike is your chariot of green-living to get you from a to b.  No one has room to carry a change of clothes so they just put on what they are going to wear for the day because no one wants to look like they are in training for the tour de France?  


Although, I would like to see one of these girls peddling their bike while wearing sky-high Louboutins!


Ciao for now,

Hx

Sources: Garance Dorè, The Sartorialist, styleandthecity.com (If I've missed anyone, please let me know).