Ladies... how do I avoid looking the Winehouse look!

EricaR

Hi just thought I'd introduce myself seeing as I'm new to the forum...

I'm Erica, I live in tyne and wear and I only commute about 3 miles to work but I've had various commutes in the past, up to 13 miles. All on a MTB!

Over time I've worked on the art of not looking like a complete tramp when I get in the office. Particularly when its muddy.

I'm just wondering what tips other girlies have when they get in to work, do you bother taking boots to work in winter, what to do when you have curly hair and it rains, that sort of thing.

sorry if this has been done before, I sure I haven't seen a thread like this. I'm also trying to encourage my friends to do so, but this seems to be the no.1 reason they don't want to. (Probably because they've seen me at work just after a muddy commute in...) they are not allowed any excuses!

Erica

NGale

Get them to encourage the workplace to get a shower room and locker room....makes soooo much diffrence

Jen J

May not be the reply you're after, but I just threw vanity out of the window when I started commuting by bike. I also swim before work, and haven't got time/can't be bothered to spend ages getting ready - I'd rather spend the time in the pool.

I got all my (really long) hair chopped off, it's now almost constantly in a stump of a ponytail, and gave up on make up. No-one has yet died of fright from looking at me

I keep boots in the office permanently, but usually just stick with my trainers anyway

linsen

I have a change of clothes at work and access to a shower (long commute).
I agree with Jen - self reinvention has happened here too - I wear hardly any make up now and shove my hair in a clip - I teach teenagers, and if I can get away with it anyone can!

peanut

Only one Lady cycle commutes in our offices but it must be a short commute as she basically wears her day clothes and a cycle jacket if it rains.
I am amazed at how much stuff the girlies keep in their drawers and under their desks in my office :shock: :shock: Perhaps you can find some lockable drawers where you can keep a change of clothes, shoes etc even a set of tools and punture repair stuff for your bike

If you have a short commute and take it steady perhaps your makeup will survive the cycle in ?

Totalnewbie

I hate to say it but I have to echo the other ladies who've said they've thrown vanity out of the window...I favour the 'natural' look...I'd never wear makeup on the bike, I'd look a right fright by the end if I did.

I keep some shoes and boots at work, and bring my other clothes in each day in a pannier. Having shower or washing faciliies helps; I always give my face a good wash to get rid of the city grime.

My hair is shorter now too which helps.

ansbaradigeidfran

I know I'm intruding on your parade here ladies, but I'd like to chip in that (as a man) I really don't like make-up in the first place. When my first girlfriend 'painted her face' for a night out (we met at work), I was really caught off guard when I saw her, and wasn't too sure what to do. My fiancée happens to avoid make-up because of a skin condition, which suits me fine.

On the hair front, I've got a long, frizzy ponytail streaming from under my helmet, and haven't noticed that cycling made any difference to my hair...

londonlivvy

I think it's entirely possible to commute by bike and look respectable - I ride 11 miles each way (with a pannier, though I keep a couple of pairs of shoes under my desk). I'm lucky though as we have showers at work so I can be clean/tidy/apply modicum of mascara etc.

Am also lucky that we don't have to wear suits at work as I find that smart shirts tend to look like you've slept in them by the time they've been scrunched in a pannier. And I'm not trying to work the "I got lucky last night" look at work. If you have a very smart office then I would suggest the girls try jumper dresses/jersey as it tends not to wrinkle as badly (that's my trick for meetings anyway).

AND my final top tip for cycle commuting is the wondrously gorgeous Basil Mirte pannier bag so that you can cycle to a meeting and not look like you did. Well, assuming you a) have mudguards and b) don't ride through a field to get to said meeting anyway.

pigeon42

Another one here going with the hair cut short and sans make-up look (short hair also useful for donning hairnet when necessary).

We do have a shower at work (invariably freezing cold!), and I've dedicated my top drawer to washing bits, plus a few pairs of shoes get left under my desk. I have a fairly short commute (15-20 mins) but find that shirts survive ok if folded very carefully. I tend to try to buy stuff that doesn't need ironing anyway (mostly because I hate ironing with a passion!)

chuckcork

Another man giving his 2p worth, no makeup worries for me and a No.2 haircut, with shirts I just bought non-iron shirts so the wrinkle count after being carefully folded into a bag is fairly low.

You could always treat items that need to be better presented like a suit and roll them as well, very few creases that way.

Shoes left at work in a drawer.

lost_in_thought

Well, I still have very long hair, despite having commuted by bike for about 4 years. It's pretty handy as you can scrape it back into a very secure ponytail if you have sweaty head, but don't want to wash your hair...

However, I have it chemically straightened so the curls are no longer an issue!

I never really wore/wear much makeup, perhaps mascara if anything, and if I'm feeling racy I'll put some of that on.

I have shoes under my desk - a black pair and a brown pair - so never need to bring shoes, but use panniers to carry gym kit and work clothes - I don't cycle in work clothes unless I'm going to meetings, and that's at a very sedate pace.

We do have a shower, which is brilliant, but my 'locker' is under my desk.

Drying clothes is a pain - I try to buy the quickest-drying kit I can.

claash

Hi,
I never cycle in my work gear, and always have a change of clothes & shoes (plus my war paint ) in my desk drawer. I work in an all girl environment and not making an effort is just not the done thing!! :roll: :roll:
(Hair is a bit of a problem--- I am growing it at the moment, as tying it back will avoid too much helmet hair I hope??)

We have showers at work too which is a god send in the winter for warming hands and toes and cooling down in the summer!

My Boyfriend brings his shirt in the panier...... but as londonlivvy said.... the I just got out of bed/got lucky last night look is not very fetching.

Come on ladies If vicky can do it so can we......... Just coz we commute we shouldn't let the side down........

don_don

Just a quick suggestion that I've been using for years, to transport my ironed shirts:

Fold the un-buttoned shirt in half, backwards as it were, so the sleeves are together and the buttons are at the front.

Fold the sleeves over so that they run down the body of the shirt, then fold the whole collar section back so it lies flat. Then roll the whole thing up carefully around the collar, into a sort of tube.

I find if I pack carefully, I can transport a smartly ironed shirt some distance with very few creases.

Anyway, I'll just get my coat...

lost_in_thought

don_don wrote:

Just a quick suggestion that I've been using for years, to transport my ironed shirts:

Fold the un-buttoned shirt in half, backwards as it were, so the sleeves are together and the buttons are at the front.

Fold the sleeves over so that they run down the body of the shirt, then fold the whole collar section back so it lies flat. Then roll the whole thing up carefully around the collar, into a sort of tube.

I find if I pack carefully, I can transport a smartly ironed shirt some distance with very few creases.

Anyway, I'll just get my coat...

Agreed - this method works for me too, definitely with panniers. Less effective with a rucksack though, its movement on your back seems to crush shirts a bit.

Or, get them drycleaned and folded around boards - however it does look like you're wearing a brand new shirt every day.

Final suggestion: don't wear shirts, wear something non-creasing!

Jen J

lost_in_thought wrote:

However, I have it chemically straightened so the curls are no longer an issue!

Me too - for the last 6 years. However the last time was back in March, so I'm currently trying to carry off the curly root/straight ends look - hence the (stumpy) ponytail. Figured that now I've chopped my hair off I'll save myself the time and expense of the straightening process.

Jen J

lost_in_thought wrote:

Final suggestion: don't wear shirts, wear something non-creasing!

Exactly. In fact, as I am allergic to ironing (not medically confirmed), for the last 10 years or so, I've been wearing stretchy tops that need no ironong.

Problem solved.

biondino

how do I avoid looking the Winehouse look!

Eat some food and stay off the crack?

BUT SERIOUSLY. Um, I'm not sure. I just wanted to make the joke above. I should add, though, that the mere fact you're cycling makes you much more attractive so you can worry less about your physical appearance.

Feltup

What you need is a hairmet it is like a helmet but with extra room for your "do"

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=R0rGoWtF-hs

don_don

Jen J wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Final suggestion: don't wear shirts, wear something non-creasing!

Exactly. In fact, as I am allergic to ironing (not medically confirmed), for the last 10 years or so, I've been wearing stretchy tops that need no ironong.

Problem solved.

It is scientifically proven that ironing damages clothes, so there is no shame in avoiding it

Doesn't help, however, if you do a job where a uniform shirt of some sort is mandatory.

Stuey01

I fold a shirt in the same way as don-don, right up until the rolling bit. Instead I make two folds, the collar down and the tail up so the shirt is roughly square shaped. Pack with a tie into a plastic carrier bag next to my folded towel for waterproofing, and then into the rucksack. The shirt is less creased when i get to work than it would have been on a manky train commute. Couple of suits and a pair of shoes stored at work.
I work on the executive floor of a major bank so appearance is very important, never had a problem doing this. (bar the nightmare forgotten socks scenario)

biondino

Discovering rolling has been amazing. very much recommend it. No creases at all!

nicklouse

don_don

I thought about putting the rolled-up shirt in one of those cardboard 'poster' tubes, cut down to size, but never got round to it :roll: However, this thread has re-ignited my interest in shirt rolling so perhaps I'll try it after all

Jen J

nicklouse wrote:

EricaR

Hey what a fantastic response guys!

i'm pretty intrigued by the shirt folding techniques. Can i add that if you bring a hangar to work, and hang the shirt up next to the shower, the steam irons out some wrinkles.

Sounds like I'll have to give up on the hair, can't seem to find a hairmet anywhere except on telly

Erica

pigeon42

Regarding hair, I'm just holdng out for the time when the "unkempt-blown-through-numerous-hedges-backwards" look becomes fashionable...
however, I don't think I've ever had tidy hair in my life, so getting to work on a bike is just a good excuse for it

redvee

Go with the Sinead O'Connor hair style