New Boots

Is there anything better than new boots? (the answer is no.) (or, not a lot.)

Today was a sunny day and i had a day off, perfect!

New boots + new tye-dyed tights + my precious retro-style chanel sunnies = good day.

j.xoxo

Day One

This is the day I rode my bike home from Inner City Cycles on Glebe Point Rd (they put my bike together for me, and are cool dudes, thanks!)

I hadn't ridden a bike for years before this, and all of my previous biking memories involved bruises, banged shins, and almost riding into Cooks River... so, understandably, i was a little nervous at first- wondering just how insane i was to buy a bike and not be sure i could actually ride it (hello training wheels, haha)

By the time i made it safely home, where this pic was taken by my housemate who has herself now caught the cycle bug, i was hooked... couldn't wait to head out again on my two wheels!

I wonder now what it was that seemed so scary about bike riding when i was a kid?

j.xoxo

Memories of Summer Nights

It rained all day today, on my day off, when i had bike rides and reading in the park planned... grrr, wet weather! So this is a flashback post of a summer, midnight bike ride.

Ah, warm summer nights. Sitting next to the heater, wrapped in layers of winter clothes, they seem so far away. Come back sun, I miss you...

j.xoxo

What's a Girl to Do?

(From Top: 1, found at Philliefan99 flickr. 2, Natasha Khan. 3, Gemma Booth image from We Heart It. 4, Hippie Bike. 5, Natasha Khan)

Things found through google image search (i love that tool). Gorgeous hippie bikes, and lovely Natasha Khan a.k.a. Bat for Lashes for the film clip "What's a Girl to Do?"

j.xoxo

Eventually...

Do-it-Yourself Bikes are cool with a capital "K". There can never be enough flowers or bells or tassels or feathers.

This is what we should all be aiming for:

(Sorry, I can't remember where I found this picture, if I've stolen it from you, let me know xo.)

Don't even pretend like you're all not in awe...

j.xoxo

To Helmet or not to Helmet --or-- Helmet Decoration 101

Helmets don't get me excited. Bikes (old fashioned, basket-ed bikes) are great, but helmets, blah, they just don't do it for me. While saving furiously for my bike, the only thing that sustained me through the months of rice and sauce, was the idealistic image i had in my head of riding through the park, floral dress and sandals on, hair blowing in the warm spring breeze...

Not so much a "Beautiful Godzilla" mind you (coined by Bike Snob NYC), I'd like to aspire more to a Bike Hippie, think Uschi Obermaier on a granny bike...

Think Uschi, but without the almost constant nudity

So helmets don't really fit into my 'dream'... I'm not a 'bike commuter' (as much as I actually really like the idea of biking to work, cross-Sydney bike riding is a bit beyond me, for now), I'm not a lycra clad sports biker, I don't own a track bike, and I avoid traffic when I can. Heading down to the park and up to the local shops has been fine, I use lots of back road and alleys and actual bike paths.

Unfortunately soon I may have to give into the 'Man' and buy a helmet. I'd like to ride my bike a little further afield, and helmets are, you know, 'Law'... The question is, what helmet would we get? Not expensive, but something a little interesting...

This conundrum is what we've been mulling over the past few weeks. Our answer is Helmet Decorating. Take any old ugly cheap helmet and go nuts... tacky crazy crafty nuts!

These are our top ideas, so far, in no particular order:


"The Classic" or "Hair Helmet" (seen on Flight of the Conchords):

Brett's Hair Helmet explains the concept in it's full glory I think

I think the real beauty of the "Hair Helmet" is its pure awkwardness. Just think of all the double takes as you whizz by with a grossly distorted head...

The "Bedazzler"

"Bedazzler" paraphernalia

Obviously I don't think I could use an actual bedazzler on a helmet (I'd give it a 'red hot go' but I'd break my Bedazzler gun), but give me a bag of diamontes and sequins and a hot glue gun and i could make a helmet a mirror-ball would be ashamed of...

"The Showgirl"

Lots of feathers, the more the better... you get it...

Not the most aerodynamic of our ideas, but any feather inspired helmet is obviously going to get our approval, and when were we ever interested in aerodynamics? A variation on this theme that is equally excellent: "The Indian Chief".

Others on our shortlist are the turban, fairly self explanatory. Mini hats (like doll's hats) glued together to create a giant hat, a mutant hat-helmet. Lace and fascinator inspired designs, spring racing carnival helmets. Also one i haven't thought of a name for yet, but it involves lots of sparklers in a configuration a lot like that creepy guy from that horror film... ('Pinhead', look it up, then come back to this page... eww gross right? But now imagine sparklers, and light them... awesome!)

Now a pic from today. Glorious sunny sunday, perfect for a picnic

j.xoxo

Feather Brigade

Welcome to the Feather Brigade. We are bike riding, cape wearing, walkie-talkie talking, winter-picnic taking romantics.

We ride bikes in sydney's innerwest.

We like pretty bikes with pretty baskets. We like $5 stalls at markets. We like midnight fancy-dress bike-rides down at the park. We like fairylights.

Florence is my girl, an Amsterdam model by Electra.

j. xoxo