You don’t have to be a yoga practitioner to wear Lululemon yoga pants, a surfer to wear Ugg boots or even a bowler to wear Prada bowling shoes.
Even bicycling – whether for sport, relaxation or commuting – is influencing the ways people shop and dress, especially in the Bay Area, where it’s easier to hop on a two-wheeler than it is in soggier, wintry climes most of the year.
The big fashion spin-off from bike culture, though, is more conceptual than literal.
You won’t see ordinary folks wearing neon Tour de France jerseys for fun, but some bicycle recreationists and commuters make a point of wearing locally made products to be socially conscious at the same time they’re reducing their carbon footprints.
At Mission Bicycle, pants by two California companies, Cordarounds and Swrve, are stylish enough to be worn by noncyclists. Cordarounds add flair to the khaki pants with reflective tape that shows when the cuff is turned up. Swrve makes modern slim knickers that end at the shin (not 1920s newsboy knickers that puff out at the knees.)
The biggest crossover into the mainstream is the bike messenger bag: Practical and stylish shoes, it lends an air of sportiness and environmental consciousness – and has less bulk than a backpack.
The Timbuk2 brand, founded in San Francisco, has fallen in popularity in some circles because it opened manufacturing sites in Asia. Customers at Mission Bicycle tend to favor bags by San Francisco’s Rickshaw and Chrome, said bike shop employee Sal Alioto, 23.
“Personally, I shop those brands,” he said, “because if you don’t support the local companies and businesses, sooner or later they’re not going to be there anymore.”
Sustainability as a fashion statement, hitting the mainstream.
