Related to that...

As a follow up to yesterday’s post, there are certain fashion trends which I believe came out of Europe that make so much more sense now given the popularity of cycling.

The Skinny Jean: I was really, really sad when I saw that the skinny jean was coming back because I just don’t have the ideal skinny jean shape. But then I discovered that perhaps this wasn’t a conspiracy to make me feel badly about my thighs and really it was all about people not wanting to stuff their wide leg jeans into their wool socks when they bike.

The Black Leggings: A tricksie way to feel a little less immodest about the mini-skirt? Or a way to keep from flashing half the city when you bike in any length skirt?

The Head Scarf: I thought this was just a Jackie O. flashback but really it’s about keeping your hair presentable when you arrive at your destination.

The Long T-Shirt: A fantastic way to keep me out of ill-fitting maternity shirts for a few months longer? Or because no one wants to see your plumber’s crack when they’re following you on a bike?

Also, a friend emailed me yesterday asking how I was going to get around the city on a bike in January when I am eight months pregnant. The answer to that is I’m not. I’m planning to take the city’s great public transportation system. We have a bus stop at the end of our street and the buses are set up to accommodate the huge strollers – called prams – that Danish children are generally ferried around in. The same is true for the metro and train systems. You can buy a personalized monthly pass for about $50 that allows you to ride within two zones of the city (about as far as I ever need to go) on any bus, metro or train.

I’m not sure how the cycling Danes handle the cold wet weather of winter but I wouldn’t be too surprised if a lot of them switch to public transportation during the worst of it.