Cycling shorts are undoubtedly one of summer's biggest and yet trickiest trends. Seen at Prada and Chanel on the runway, and Zara and Mango on the high street, it is definitely for the bravest amongst us. So how does this translate into real life? Two members of the Marie Claire fashion team put cycling shorts to the test.
Alison Belamant, senior fashion assistant
People often assume that just because I'm tall with relatively long legs, I'd want to get them out at any opportunity. However, I actually quite dislike getting them out-out; even more so when it's in something as fitted as a pair of cycling shorts. But this is a trend that doesn’t seem to be going away this summer, and, if they’re good enough for Chanel, who am I to argue with at least giving them a try?
I tried a few high street styles, but overall these Raey shorts, whilst a bit short for my liking, fitted a lot better - I guess there’s definitely something to be said for high-quality Spandex. Wearing a pair of all too revealing-of-every-lump-and-bump shorts was always going to be a real test of my confidence, but once I tried them on, I knew the only way I’d wear them out the house was with an oversized shirt. And so, I teamed my shorts with a roomy white shirt from H&M and a pair of Topshop heeled sandals – which also felt much needed to bolster my confidence.
Shorts: Raey, shirt: H&M, bag: Fendi, shoes: Topshop
The verdict: Even with styling tricks to balance them out, it’s a no from me. Cycling shorts, whilst they might look good on a catwalk, are not for the faint hearted, and unless I’m out cycling (also highly unlikely), this will be the last time I’ll be seen in a pair!
Penny Goldstone, digital fashion editor
It's safe to say I don't really do casual, in fact, you'll rarely see me wearing anything other than a dress in summer. So I must admit I did raise my eyebrows at all the cycling shorts on the runway. 'This clearly isn't going to stick!' I thought, but here we are, in the middle of the SS19 season, and spandex shorts are everywhere.
And if I'm honest, so girls do make them look super cool with a puffer jacket and Balenciaga trainers. So I thought I would give this tricky trend a go, but put my own feminine spin on it. I teamed my Ninety Percent with an oversized & Other Stories shirt, thrown under a dusty pink Elizabeth & James blazer, which instantly dressed them up. In the spirit of keeping the shorts a little casual, I finished off the look with my trusted Tevas, which are also a big trend right now.
Shorts: Ninety Percent, shirt: & Other Stories, blazer: Elizabeth & James, shoes: Teva, Bag: Complet
The verdict: Now I didn't hate it as much as I thought I would. I think the key is investing in a good quality pair of cycling shorts. The material of these Ninety Percent ones was thick enough that I didn't need to worry about lines or the dreaded camel toe. However, to echo Ali's words, I really don't think I'm cool enough to pull this particular trend off.
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