Women’s Cycling Jersey Options
This is a rant-y opinion piece. If you disagree, or wear any of these jerseys, that’s your style and you’re certainly entitled to it. I am opinionated and can sometimes come off as bitchy, but those things go hand-in-hand and for the most part I’m a very smart and nice person. So hear me out. There’s a comment form at the bottom of the post if you would like to rant, too.
So yeah, I’ve been shopping for cycling jerseys for several years and still only own two. Two of the same jersey. Black, short sleeve, three quarter zip, wool. Why only two? Because shopping for women’s jerseys is awful. I normally have to stop after a few moments of browsing because nothing pops out at me. Or rather, everything that pops out at me pops way too much: it’s garish, pastel-ish, and just plain wrong. I would love the fit of a women’s specific item, but I cringe at the fact that almost all women’s line designers seem to go overboard using this infamous “pink it and shrink it” rubric to convert men’s to women’s:
- Princess seam or dart it, notch it at the waist, flare it at the hips, crop it. Heck! Cap-sleeve it!
- Do something with color-blocking or stripes to accentuate curves, especially waist and breasts.
- Dye it pink, magenta, red, turquoise, or teal. Or just leave it white.
- If you offer a black option, make sure to screen print flowers, swirls, or cute bugs on it in white or pink. Heck! Screen print/sublimate it anyway!
- Girls — I mean women — love that.
That’s exactly it: most women’s cycling wear seems more geared towards girls. Like, little girls. What is that? I already feel pretty marginalized, I do not need a silly, pretty jersey to give people the idea that I’m just a silly, pretty thing. I am a freakin’ beast of a pretty thing, and I want my jersey to stand up for me.
This might seem over-the-top (pun intended), so if you think I’m exaggerating, just try using the filter “women’s cycling clothing” in a shop like Sierra Trading Post. (Bear with me and scroll through for a minute or two.) You think that’s all there on closeout because only a few people wanted to buy it? Darn tootin’ – you’re absolutely right! But go straight to the manufacturer’s websites or women’s specific online shops like Team Estrogen and you won’t see much different. They are not learning from their mistakes. It is mind-boggling. Women are the muscle of most apparel purchasing markets, not only shopping for themselves but also for their families and sometimes even their friends. So why not do a better job designing with women’s desires in mind (instead of male desire) to take advantage of those eager wallets? There is HUGE opportunity here. Take a gander at some examples of poorly-designed jerseys, then consider my lists of hit-and-miss clothing companies at the end of the post. Let’s dive in, shall we?
Craft Active Jersey
Gah! Craft can do a pretty good job keeping it straightforward but this jersey is just seriously confusing stuff. Here we have a nice white jersey (useless in that it’s clean-looking for one ride only; at least this one concedes with a black underarm) with a curious but sort of cute red-lipped ao dai neckline. OK. Alright. But then we just HAD to put a butterfly and some swirls on it, didn’t we. NO. WE DIDN’T.
Sugoi Sonic Jersey
Can someone explain to me how this Sugoi jersey got the name “Sonic?” When I think of sonic I think of sound. Are those sound waves… or wait… are those magnolia flower petals… with some cherry blossoms thrown in for good measure? Because the designer had a cool Adobe brush he was aching to stamp somewhere. Sonic.
Capo Cipressa Jersey
Capo Cipressa Jersey in Black
The Capo Cipressa jersey in both color options. This jersey is a man’s fantasy and that is almost all I have to say about that. The white version is — for lack of a better word — stunning, and the black version conjures sci-fi borg vixens but looks stiff and uncomfortable.
Pearl Izumi Elite Thermal LTD Jersey
What was Pearl Izumi thinking (or should I say smoking?) when they issued this “Elite Thermal LTD” jersey?
Pearl Izumi Elite Thermal LTD Mens Jersey
In a quick effort to try to make sure you don’t think this is just some angry feminist rant, here is one Pearl Izumi’s men’s version of the Elite Thermal LTD. Pretty amazing gender stereotyping, right? I would definitely buy the men’s version over the women’s, but just for some good laughs. I could even buy an extra extra large, take out the side seams, put in the breast darts and notch the waist, and have THE BEST WOMEN’S JERSEY. EVER.
Pearl Izumi Canyon Jersey
Another offering from Pearl Izumi is definitely “feminine,” has an unexpected color (brown), and might be kinda cool (might, kinda) without that silly frou frou under the left breast:
Icebreaker Rhythm Jersey
Icebreaker is buying premium wool from New Zealand farmers, and weaving it up into beautifully tailored jerseys, then ruining them with ridiculous screen printing. Sacrilege! Why? I love these jerseys, but wouldn’t be caught dead in them. They make me feel like grabbing a permanent marker and scrawling pentagrams all over them. That’s how they make me feel. Not “pretty” or “femininine,” just kinda satanic and evil-like. Poor sheep.
Hincapie Sportswear Cutaway Jersey
Now here’s a doosey. What is Hincapie getting at with this one? Am I pulling away at my jersey, tearing it with my red, glossy manicured nails to reveal my unders? I mean, what’s happening, am I the Hulk? Is this me trying to be sexy for the men I’m riding with? This is something I could picture on some bursting-at-the-seams flamboyant figure skater, not a cyclist. Way off the mark. Take it back, Hincapie!
Santini Wave Jersey
Now don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with pink. Here is a nice pink women’s jersey from Santini that I would absolutely wear. I’m actually serious this time.
OK. Enough pictures. Maybe we’re almost on the same page now. For full disclosure I’ll say that I’m heterosexual (if that matters) but a pretty big tomboy (if that matters either). I like to wear makeup and earrings, and sometimes I wear dresses. Yeah, I like to feel pretty and dainty and I like cute little treats.
But women’s cycling clothing is still atrocious. It needs serious help. Someone, please!
Forward-thinking Women’s Cycling Clothing Lines
Here are some women’s cycling clothing lines that I, as queen of this blog post, deem acceptable. Enough range to include ladies that might like the jerseys I’ve shamed, but also able to please hard-to-please “perfect people” like me.
- Luna Sports – a line from CLIF with no website, but some straightforward sporty stuff made from recycled materials.
- Ibex – mostly getting it. Gorgeous, sometimes unusual, and saturated color, something I
always look for. - Smartwool – kinda getting it, but the socks! OMG my eyes! They hurt! Why do you do that with your women’s socks, Sportwool? Why?
- Gore Bike Wear. Very focused, very utilitarian, sometimes good color, has a straightforward hardcore-commuter feel to it.
- Vaude hits bullseye with its single-color jerseys, offering good colors and GREEN! Anyone making women’s jerseys in straight green is breaking a mould and is therefore progressive IMO.
- Ana Nichoola (founded by an female aggressive rider in the UK) does this hard-to-pin thing where the jerseys are definitely “feminine,” but still cool. I see a difference between these jerseys and the jerseys with cute bugs on them. Do you agree?
- Harlot Clothing Co.. Good mission, not sooooo sure about the business name. But whatevs. Mine is called Little Package.
- Cafe du Cycliste. (added 6/23/12) Scroll for the three women’s offerings. They are seriously onto something. Timeless stripes. Not girly but feminine. All said, still gender-neutral (obviously, since these are carry-overs from the men’s line) and sturdy-looking. Very pricey but understandably so — look at the details! Oui oui, I’m in love.
- Dakine Girls. (added 6/25/2012) Aside from calling it the “Girls” line (sooooo confusing – I had to click around for a while to confirm this IS women’s gear and not intended for little girl bodies), these jerseys (a bit more on the ATB side) are great.
- Zoic. (added 6/29/2012) Seems like Zoic has something for everyone color-wise (click a jersey to see color options) and some diverse jersey styles (mainly ATB-specific but some would work great on the road as well).
- Maloja. (added 7/22/2012) Also check out the “jackets.” Great range of things to choose from. I also like that Maloja is staffed 50:50 with women, and really embraces sport & outdoors.
http://www.maloja.de/en2012/women-summer/function/tops.html
Not Forward-Thinking Women’s Cycling Clothing Lines
Oh, the irony! Near hits, super misses from companies run by women (what’s up with that, ladies!?). Time for your designers to step up their game and diversify offerings for women for whom the “pink it and shrink it” algorithm doesn’t add up.
- Terry. Terry, terry, terry. Terry takes the insane “women’s print” and sometimes pulls it off in a cool way. Like, “we know women love prints so lets give them something outrageous.” Reminds me of some grunge graphic tees from the 90s. Another tragedy is their jerseys all appear to be very short. Crop tops? Um, Terry? Join us in the 21st century.
- Sheila Moon. Dude, Sheila. I know your customers are cool because they don’t take themselves very seriously. But I have that problem already of dudes not taking me very seriously, so I’d like to be taken seriously. They already think I’m a crazy bitch sometimes. If I wore one of those it would cement that suspicion. Please send me some of your crazy jerseys I can use to clean up with next time I overhaul my hubs and suspension fork.
- She Beest. By women for women, or something like that. I’ve owned some of their stuff and it’s high quality. Their site is down at the moment. But looking at what She Beest has available on Team Estrogen, I cry a little.
- Skirt Sports. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Founded by a woman who didn’t want to sacrifice femininity for performance bla bla bla… Why is it about “masculine” and “femininine” and not about what looks and works good?
WTF
I am at a loss for words just now.
- Trashy Cat. Take a look. Bring some one dollar bills. Try to decide if this company is run by men or women.
Oh, I’m so opinionated! It’s as if I think I could do a better job, right? I don’t know about that, but I am a very frustrated customer.
If I was designing jerseys, here’s what I would want to happen. I would want other women to see my customer wearing my jersey, and want those other women to say,
“Wow, that jersey is such a great color! Where did you get that jersey?”
Right? I don’t want my jersey to be a washed-out (baby blue, baby pink, etc) or over-played (pink) color, or to be too garishly patterned such that other women aren’t interested. Aside from price, comfort, versatility, and ease of cleaning, women love color and it’s a big factor in almost all purchase decisions. Sometimes I find myself wanting to buy something JUST because it has a great color. I know, crazy, huh? Beautiful gemstone colors with the option of black is a safe bet. I would love to see interesting greens (olive, forest), chocolate browns, eggplants, burgundys, greys, and more all-black, black-on-black blackouts. I’d love to see more companies staying away from bold stripes and silly, washy patterns. Spend the money instead on details like quality zips, elastics, and contrast facings to make a long-lasting AND attractive garment. For many people, a logo on a garment is enough “pattern,” and sometimes too much. We don’t want to feel like billboards (FOX Racing, I’m looking at you). Which is why Rapha’s same-color logo is so smart. Too bad about those big stripes. Some of us women and men just really, really, really want a simple (ie “plain”) but really nice jersey.
Why can’t we have it?
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Righteous rant! I have slightly different tastes, and actually love Icebreaker stuff (I don’t own any of the jerseys, but I have a bunch of their screenprinted wool shirts) and Smartwool socks, and don’t like the Ana Nichoola designs, but that’s just individual taste. 🙂 I totally agree it is really frustrating to try to buy women’s cycling jerseys. I only own four and they are all at least three years old.
I have a particularly hard time because I hate the ones with elastic bottoms and pockets, which is the most common style. So I definitely wish there was more diversity in styling as well as staying away from fussy designs. And agree with your hate of Terry. Their plain basic shorts and and knickers are fine, but everything else they make is pretty awful.
That’s a good point about more diversity in styling instead of focusing on fussy designs. Maybe a great women’s line would offer a really basic jersey over and over again, but with different CUTS and FEATURES instead of different cute bugs printed on them. Hmmm, I think you’re onto something!
UGGGH yes. Word. And I can’t just buy a men’s one because I’m not shaped that way.
Oh my God we’re like sisters from another mother. I cannot agree with you more. In fact I was just ranting about ‘skirts for the active woman’ earlier this week. My blood pressure literally goes up when I see someone wearing one. And don’t get me started on the 3″ inseam Pearl Izumi short shorts.
The sad fact is a large percentage of women wear these jerseys/short shorts/skirts, so obviously the companies know something that we don’t. I believe the women who wear florals, birdies, and bugs are the same ones that scrapbook and read ’50 Shades of Grey.’
I’m a Rapha faithful along with a little bit of shop/team kits. I wear both men’s and women’s jerseys, because God has a sense of humor and he wanted to screw with me by giving me linebacker shoulders and an aerodynamic chest, so yes, sometimes the men’s jersey fits me better. It just allows me to find other little ways to be feminine.
Like you, I’m a tomboy but wear dresses, make up and I even have a husband, so it’s not like I’m manly or anything. I don’t need to shove the fact that I’m a girl down people’s throats by way of gardenias and butterflies. As soon as companies see that there’s more to us than boobs and booties the sooner they’ll start giving us kits worth wearing. But I’m not holding my breath, I’ll just wait for the next Rapha sale.
Full full disclosure: I own a pair of the Pearl Izumi sugar shorts. They were the first chamois shorts I ever bought, and I still hang on to them ‘cuz they’re great under pants, and once in a while they show up in very hot weather. I have no shame. They’re black, the chamois is fleecy purple, they’ve held up. No butterflies or swirls. Just lots of skin!
I think a lot of the women buying that stuff are either 1) brand new to cycling and don’t know where to find jerseys they really like and 2) aren’t women. Their men are buying it for them as gifts. Just a theory. But yours sounds good, too. I have another theory that there are an awful lot of children wearing this stuff in third world countries…
Like you I sometimes wear men’s cycling clothing, mostly because it comes in better colors. But I have boobage so it doesn’t always work out well. I just can’t stomach the color arm bands on Rapha gear, otherwise it’s mostly lovely stuff and very well-made (but out of my price range). Lately I’m dreaming up cycling clothing that I can make for myself in my studio, and even starting to think what jerseys *I* would make if I could… Overall it’s just shocking to me that most the brands are doing the same frou frou thing, when with just one day thinking about it I’ve come up with totally different, but still interesting, exciting, and “feminine” strategies in my head.
I own three or four jerseys, and I never, ever wear them. They’re fugly (swirls, bright flowers, etc.) and they fit poorly.
Yes, I’d like something in a wicking fabric for up top, but I’m just Done with all of that mess. T-shirts it is. I really get the feeling sometimes that our money isn’t good enough for bike companies. Or that it hasn’t occurred to them to ask adult women what they want to wear.
I ride in tee-shirts now as well. I was thinking last night that if some women’s jerseys were printed with things like this ( http://www.stomachofanger.com/collections/all ) instead, I’d totally buy them. I don’t mind things printed (though I prefer them plain). I just want them printed with something thoughtfully artistic (not just Adobe pattern graphic) and smart! I want people to look at it and think and say, “Rad!”
PS. I really liked the things on Ana Nichoola’s site. That cafe jersey-dress is great – wish it came in a small-enough size.
Jerseys are expensive, so here’s an idea if you regularly ride in bicycle events like Seattle to Portland or other large rides. I just buy jerseys from those events as mementos, never from the store. The cut may be a bit different for men and women but it’s the same unisex design. The STP jersey this year is terrific!
Amen sister. It is epidemic. I have taken a hard stand on pink – I refuse to wear it on my bike. I don’t hate pink, I just hate the notion that I’m EXPECTED to like it. Jerseys with flowers and butterflies are not suitable attire for kicking asses. And pink is for panties and nail polish.
Even worse? Check out the advertising for Assos and Giordana. Hysterical and brutal at the same time. Here’s my take on their Euro-assery:
http://winnipegcyclechick.com/?p=207
I will have an opinion on what womens cycling jerseys LOOK LIKE when I find one that actually fits and does not cost the earth! if it fits and costs less than £50 you can put a zillion cute bugs on it !. (and whilst I am am on it i’m too keen on black I dont feel too visible/safe out on the country roads on my own with all black on) Meanwhile I continue to wear medium mens stuff…..
This is an excellent point. I was just talking to a friend about how maybe there should be 3-4 colorways (like: black, bright/hi-vis, cutesy, rockstar, and handsome/elegant) for every single jersey, just in case some manufacturer stumbles upon a really great cut. That way we can have our cake and eat it, too. Women have such incredibly diverse torsos that finding one manufacturer to do it all is unrealistic. That’s why it’s so frustrating that so many manufacturers are doing the SAME EXACT THING.
Basically I feel like if you’re over 40, somewhat out of shape (but cycling to get in shape) one has few choices but to look a fool until you whittle off 20 lbs and increase your salary by 50%.
Road Holland has pared down styling–though the color options aren’t that great. http://roadholland.com/shop/catalog/Women-3-1.html
I like Rapha and have a couple of pieces from them (I like the big stripe on the sleeve). LOVE my rain jacket b/c it has bust darts (36D here), unlike my Specialized convertible jacket that fits me up top, but makes me look like a potato b/c the whole upper body is cut bigger, except around the hips. Wonder who their fit model is???
I like Capo’s designs, but their jerseys run too small for me (they ‘cap’ out at 38″ bust which just looks obscene on my 40″ rack). Some of Assos’ gear looks interesting, but again, the price is ridiculous and I’m guessing the fit will be too tight.
I wish I knew how to sew, I’d make my own. And yes, different cuts and features would be fantastic, some of us have long torsos and don’t want a jersey that ends at the belly button.
I hear you! Think about poor men. Stuck with the same old palette of colours – black, muted blue (not bright), muted green (not too bright!), and muted brown. And black. Sheesh.
I would dearly love some bright colours for men. Not all men want to look like some inoffensive piece of vegetation, or like they lost a sense of vim, spark and joi d’vivre when they hit 20.
It isn’t the colors that get me (I like pink. Hot pink). It is the fit. There should never ever be elastic around the bottom. And give me three real back pockets. And room for my hips. No elastic around the sleeves either. I gravitate to my wool jerseys more often than not, even though they’ve only got two pockets.
Love the rant. And I happen to hate pink. I do have one Twin Six jersey with birds or something on it, but otherwise all team and event-related stuff. I’ve long ago donated any pearl izumi to newbie friends. Wish I could afford Rapha, though I wouldn’t wear it if it had any pink.
I think *you* should expand your line & make jerseys, or at least design them! The need exists, someone’s gotta do it.
I couldn’t agree more! I’m quite chesty and middle-aged but I almost always buy the men’s jersey b/c I just don’t get excited about all the adolescent designs. Maybe your rant (and all the subsequent comments) will get the attention of someone (ahem, Pearl Izumi & Shebeest — love the shorts but the jerseys make me throw up in my mouth)!
“Pearl Izumi & Shebeest — love the shorts but the jerseys make me throw up in my mouth)!”
Spoken with surgical precision, Fantasminha.
• I agree with most of this, but I don’t see the problem with Sheila Moon. When she uses pink, it’s punk, not princess. The first woman I met wearing her stuff had on a cycling dress caked with mud from a cyclocross ride, and she had the chutzpah to tell me I didn’t dress colorfully enough (and I can’t say she’s wrong).
I’ve also seen an Oakland woman become deliriously happy when she saw a Sheila Moon item on the rack at a street fair, a nice dress like the one she was wearing, only bike-worthy. We’re talking off-the-hook joy at everyday wear that she could ride for miles in, which isn’t easy to find. Someone making people that happy is doing something right.
You might be right — though we definitely have different definitions of punk — and I might need to move Sheila up. I just found another page on her website listing other types of jerseys that cater to people not feeling the psychedelics and 60s era-ish prints…!
Dude-ette! Sheila Moon has MATERNITY jerseys. That alone wins me over, though I’ll never be doing any maternity again (I swear).
I’ve always liked Twin Six’s women’s stuff… not ALL but most of it is good. http://www.twinsix.com
You’re right. I missed them.
I so agree, but confess to owning two Terry tops. “ride like a girl” and a mesh sleeveless mucked-up Union Jack. The first was a gift, buf it makes me smile when I blow past men on expensive bikes.
i admit to loving Twin 6 womens jerseys. They aren’t cutesy, they are primary colors (or black…), and for me, local. That being said, I don’t OWN any. Their female sizes start at a US size 12 (UK 14). They are fine if you are a flat chested 12; my top is a bit more… Alpe d’Huez.
I mainly cycle in dry tech shirts picked up at the local “big box retailer” on clearance. No worries about muck stains, or sun screen stains when you pay less than a fiver. No pockets but I juat use frame bags….
Sounds like we roll the same, riding in dry tech shirts, I almost grabbed one for $7 at Grocery Outlet today. And I love the subtle Alpe d’Huez reference.
Hi, Really love the debate! I’m based in Nice and struggle to find jerseys too. A local clothing brand called Cafe du Cycliste http://www.cafeducycliste.com has just brought out 3 lovely women’s jerseys. See what you think. I love them all. I know they’ll be interested in your opinions to so I’ve sent on this blog to them.
Claire
Love love love these. Super love these! Love the tee-style fabrics, especially love the details. It would make me feel special wearing one of those. I like all three equally. And I noticed that all the jerseys are named after ladies. André and Rémi — we need your stuff in the States! Thank you so much for sharing, Claire. http://www.cafeducycliste.com – Women’s
Hi, my wife Emmalou and I launched Vulpine for casual cycling gear with performance fabrics in March. I asked about 150 women what they thought of current choices and they said exactly the same. Which was great because I felt the same way.
We launch a merino women’s jersey in July. It comes in black with sky blue trim or sky blue with white trim. Jolly grown up and designed to work.
We’ll be bringing out more women’s specific garments as we grow.
I hope they hit the spot.
Nick.
Yes! I saw previews of your women’s line several weeks ago before the photos disappeared. I thought there were more photos on this site, but now I only see one. http://Www.vulpine.cc/Static/Womens-Range Yes – that looked like a really promising set! Can’t wait to see them again in July! And good for you for asking a bunch of women what they thought! I hope you get a great big response and can afford to expand your line — maybe with a petite and a plus-size option! I like the brights you offer, and your website — especially the writing — is lovely.
I think your suggestion that women’s cycling clothing is purchased for women by men is pretty likely the case and explains the gap between what you want and what’s available.
White is a tricky one. I wear a lot of it, and I am resigned to the fact that it will never look as good as the first day. I still buy more because I see it as exceptionally visible without going to neon. Plus, like black, it goes with everything. 🙂 I wear lots of black off the bike, but I curse it for it’s lack of visibility when cycling.
Here’s a couple more European brands to add to you list of good and bad.
The bad I love all my Exte Ondo bibs and vest; the fit is great, but I recommend you do not look at the women’s summer tops. You’d probably explode. 🙂
http://centocycling.com/shop/women-clothing.html?cat=200&manufacturer=59
The good I think that the GSG Stripe tops fit the bill as you have defined it. Nothing about the color or pattern says girl. The model is a dead giveaway though.
Let’s skip The Ugly
I’d like to suggest we at Rapha might be considered in the ‘Forward Thinking’ category. Thanks- Slate
As a man, I actually prefer that Pearl Izumi Elite in the women’s style. Yes, gender stereotyping goes both ways. That men’s style is ridiculous and ugly. I find the woman’s style so pleasing that I’m jealous that I would not be able to find that cut to my body type.
All that said – synthetic jerseys are pretty silly to begin with. I’ve always ridden with plain (unadorned) wool from Ibex.
Funny, well, you and I can trade.
I disagree that synthetic jerseys are silly. They don’t have to be. And there are some pretty good reasons why some people don’t wear wool, such as lanolin allergies, a vegan lifestyle, or an ethical opposition to terrible things like mulesing…
Kudos to Caroline for this post.
I own Road Holland so full disclosure there. But we try to follow what women are talking about, what they want, and so I’m not bashful about posting here.
I’d encourage every reader to visit our site – http://www.roadholland.com. From the get go we have had 50% of our line devoted to women. Our designs, color choices, and fits are the best in the business. None of this crazy, hipster, I’m an ass-kicker foolishness.
Jonathan
Full disclosure – I own Road Holland. (www.roadholland.com). We’re doing things differently over here and everyone should take a look. We think women want to look like women on the bike. However, they don’t want to look girly-girl.
When I started the company, I was more dismayed at the lack of women’s apparel that I was at the situation for the men. Designing for women was core to us – 50% of our line debuted with women’s apparel and it remains that way.
This is why I’m a Ground Effect label slave. Pretty much all my cycling gear is from there. The one time I was forced to wear a lycra top for an event, I got horrible sunburn on my lower back from the elastic riding up – never happens with my usual gear, as the tail is nice and long and no elastic. Nice colours, no silly designs, great technical fabrics, and the tailoring is just comfortable and WORKS (love those practical New Zealanders). It’s supposedly a mountain biking brand, but I find it perfect for commuting. I go for high-vis colours, but I bet you’ll like the purple and bright blue (). I don’t think it’s expensive compared to other cycling gear, and a lot of my stuff is years old and still going strong.
I think you would look rather fetching in those girlie colour palettes with flowers and cute bugs! 😉 Actually, I agree with you completely, and I say it as a heterosexual male. That said, judging from what women are actually wearing, those designs actually cater to a broad market. As my tailor asks me whenever I’m dithering over some detail, the question people should be asking is, ‘who is going to be your main audience?’ If the audience likes cute, flowery stuff, then I suppose that flowery stuff is the appropriate choice. If not, then, as you say, the choices are rather more limited. Yep, I think the Café du Cycliste people are on the right track.
So, how do I subscribe to this blog?
Thank you so much for including us in your “forward thinking” group! I started Harlot Clothing Company because I felt very much like you do. Many of the womens cycling clothes available looked like some weird costume that I would never wear in real life. Why do I need to become some butterfly-obsessed girlie girl just to ride a bike? Makes no sense. Made me mad enough to do something about it too (like start a little company doing the opposite – simple lines, simple colors, no weird graphics). We also make all our gear in the USA, unlike a majority of the companies out there. Cheers!
I’ll be honest, I hate a lot of the designs out there that are made for women. I hate pink, I don’t like flowers everywhere and I sure as shit hate butterflies.
With that being said, I work in the cycling industry and spend a lot of time talking with reps, looking through catalogs, and seeing a TON of women’s apparel. I’ve seen some of the best and most definitely the worst. You did put in the worst, but you didn’t put in some of the best. Road Holland is GREAT stuff and so is Rapha (if you want to drop your first born child on a jersey).
I am a commuter and a racer so I have a pretty varied jersey collection and I spend time looking around for jerseys that don’t scream “HEY! I’M A GIRL!” I like what Capo is making for women and I also like what Sheila Moon is doing. Sure, some of Sheila Moon’s clothing is totally out there, but her shorts are SO comfortable and her boleros are great on the bike and for an evening out on the town.
The biggest problem is that for the past 30 years, women haven’t ridden bikes like they are today. We race more, we commute more, we spend more time on the bike just like men. No one has been telling the dudes who run these companies that a lot of women on bikes don’t want to look like a pretty, pretty, princess. If we want to see a change in the way we are marketed too and the kind of clothing we are given in the cycling industry, we need to grab hold of the reigns and say, “THIS IS WHAT WE WANT AND WE ARE GOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN!”
I like your passion for change, even though we may have different taste in jerseys. 😉
I showed photos of the worst of the jerseys, but still a sampling from a jersey depot, to hammer in my point.
Road Holland barely has a line yet. Not sure what to say about Rapha’s line. If you read through my article I link to a bunch of companies coming out with interesting and creative women’s jerseys.
But anyway, I don’t see how our opinions differ that much, and wanted to know what the grumbling on Twitter was all about. It seemed pretty condescending, which isn’t fair. We’re on the same side.
Hi Caroline,
I don’t wear cycling jerseys as I am quite self conscious of my body shape and they always look like I am going to be resembling a fat sausage. I ride a Dutch town bike and to be honest I’m not a very fast cyclist so I just wear my regular clothes, and if it is chilly I wear a regular cardigan and jacket. My boyfriend has sent me pictures of ladies jersey tops before and I just laugh into my cup of tea! Think the worse was this red cycling cape made from plastic, it looked like something from a fetish club, most odd and even the model wearing it looked unimpressed, I’m hoping my boyfriend was joking when he sent it to me (I’m all for a cape but more the Miss Marple style than anything in plastic or PVC) My boyfriend bought a couple of your cycling cap patterns and I’ve only sewn one so far, but the instructions were lovely and easy to follow, and he now goes off to work looking very stylish in his new cap.
Thanks for this post, and for singling out the good, the bad, and the fugly.
My biggest beef with women’s bike clothing is that none of it is made for women with muscular upper bodies. If you kayak, climb, and swim as well as bike, good luck finding a women’s bike jersey that fits in the shoulders and sleeves. (And yes, what is it with the stupid cap sleeves?)
I ride mostly in plain Icebreaker men’s wool T-shirts (from back in the day when you could get them without the disastrous two-tone colour schemes and the inane graphics), one girly Terry jersey that is actually nice-looking, and, more recently, Patagucci silkweight capilene T-shirts, which offer good sun protection. I don’t even bother looking at women’s jerseys in bike shops. I miss the back pockets, but not enough to put up with pink swirls and butterflies.
The same problems all over the worl. Except that here in Lithuania we don’t have most of the above mentiones brands in shops, so I have to shop in e-shops and can’t check if male jerseys will suit me.
I hate pink, although people say it suits my face. But it doesn’t suit my attitude. I hate stereotype about girlish, naive, weak women. And that is what this pink color, all the flowers and butterflies symbolise. I like a lot of greens and blues (no baby blue), but those colour are simply absent in female cycling wear.
Sorry for my strange English. I just wanted to say I totally agree with you all about the stereotypes in women clothing.
So does it really matter if women’s bicycle clothing is run by men or women? You were just on my site buying two pink jerseys at a bargain deal of a whopping $15 bucks for two. You would be surprised the quality of the material and the UV sun protection, freshness and wicking properties added. The only reason their sold “cheap” is because the pink jersies were cut small in the waiste by the manufacturer. A mistake. However we corrected this when the Ritzy Red Jersey came out. It’s a very classic jersey that doesn’t go out of style. Its fabric is top notch for the price. The reason why I can sell cheaper than the larger companies is because of Trashy Cat being a very small exclusive hobby business. Unfortunately, some of the manufacturers won’t make smaller runs at affordable prices that the customer will pay/buy. Large companies can afford to buy in thousands and get the bulk price in manufacturing. Honestly, women have tried over and over to bring some of fashion clothing to cycling. Apparently you weren’t around when our leopard jerseys were out and many others. It takes allot of money to satisfy women and their styles and what they want to pay. Business is in for profit and making money. I just did it as a hobby and it took off in 2005 winning best bike shorts by Bicycling magazine and in 2008. If you ever want to put your money where your mouth is, then go ahead, make my day. I saw the problem, I fixed the problem, Pearl Izumi presidents and even vice presidents bought my jerseys at Interbike in 2003 and knocked it off illegally. To keep biking fashionable and functionable you need a big supply of money and constantly updating and adding collections for your customer base. Trying to find smaller manufacturers at the right price is the key too. But, then once you make a few the larger companies come in and steal your ideas, and push theirs with the bigger marketing budgets and your clawing your way to the top again. Like I said it was a hobby turned into a reality and it worked. Yes and the good looking blonde gal you see in the small left photo to leave a message is me. And if you don’t think the Ford Model is girl enough, I think you should buy some reader glasses or get your eyes checked.
Jane Weissner
Founder
Trashy Cat Enterprises, LLC
http://www.TrashyCat.com
Cycle Wear You’ll Like to Wear!
MeWoW Girl!
I enjoy what you guys are usually up too. This kind of clever work and reporting! Keep up the awesome works guys I’ve included you guys to my own blogroll.