Jour 183: 5 ways to make your bike commute more GLAMOUROUS

Just a story about a girl and a bike.
And a cute romper suit. OK, I don't have a cute romper suit.

I am in love with biking to work. It takes about 45 minutes each way and takes place almost entirely along the riverbank and a dog-walking park, so I avoid traffic and I'm in nature and I get healthy and stress-relieved while getting to and from work. PLUS today for the first time, I was able to bike up The Only Hill In Saskatoon, which I used to have to walk up. This means I've gown MUSCLES, and is a very exciting development.

If you're thinking of starting to bike commute to work (and why wouldn't you?? It's frugal AND gets you super-fit) here are my tips:

1) Podcasts! 

Some people say listening to music while cycling is dangerous, but I don't.
I also don't see a problem with cycling in wedge heels, though, so what do I know?

Biking for 45 minutes flies by when you have interesting things to listen to. I recommend The Savage Lovecast, Filmspotting (and Filmspotting: Streaming Video Unit), Talking TV with Ryan and Ryan, Lexicon Valley, Slate's Culture Gab Fest, Under the Influence (big breath) aaaand Pop Culture Happy Hour. Each episode is about 20-45 minutes, so you can get in a whole episode on the way to work! [Another option are audiobooks - which you can borrow from your local library - FRUGAL! Or get for pretty cheap by subscribing to Audible.com, which is a company who sponsors almost every podcast I listed above, so I've been brainwashed into supporting them now as well]

2. Workout Music

Any song that makes you want to aerobicize like these people will do.

If you're running behind schedule, I don't recommend listening to the above podcasts as the people on them talk in a very leisurely manner that don't particularly encourage you to bike quickly. When I'm in a hurry, I switch over to my workout  music - tracks like Part Of Me, I Need a Doctor, Criminal Intent and Rhyme O'Clock can't help but speed up your pace. Or, if you're still late, at least you're in a good mood.

3. Cute biking clothes

Not like this. I luuurve Florence Welch, but even she wouldn't dress like this to bike 45 minutes to work in the middle of the summer. OK, maybe she would, but she's not quite human so it doesn't count.

Stores like Lululemon don't sell special bike clothes (which is funny, since they sell things like sweaters specially designed to wear between your car and your yoga class) but any workout gear works well. What you want is something sweat-wicking yet cute. CRUCIAL DETAIL: get an extra-long tanktop. When you're biking, you lean forwards and nobody wants to see your lower back exposed. Plus, lower back sunburns are especially uncomfortable. Not that I would know anything about that.

4. Appropriate Work Attire

Remember on Girls when Jessa wore the fluorescent pink underwear inside of the see-through white maxi dress? To work? As a nanny? That's what you want to avoid.

Having a change of clothes is crucial esp. in summer, because even if it's not that hot out, by the time you get to work you will be sweaty and dying to change your clothes. Don't get creative, though - I've been burned recently by grabbing a seldom-worn dress or top on my way out the door, then I get to work and it doesn't fit as well as I thought, or I've got crazy cleavage that isn't entirely workplace-appropriate. Try out your outfits at home before heading out. Trust me.

5. At Work Emergency Glamour Kit

You need to channel your inner Stephanie Kaye and arrive to work a mess; then emerge from the staff washroom a glamourous beast.

You also need things to get you presentable once you're at work! Once you've changed your clothes, you want to a) use a dry shampoo (I like this one from Cake) to de-sweatify your scalp, b) reapply deodorant, c) use some blotting papers to absorb sweat from your face (I like these ones), and c) apply your lipstick. Biking with lipstick on is just not a good idea. It's not just that your hair might stick to your lips - it's that you will get live mosquitos stick on your lips and that ain't right. THAT AIN'T RIGHT.

Do you bike commute? Why not?? If I can do it, trust me, anybody can.