cycledogg

So I like Castelli jerseys but like Pearl Izumi bibs. I also have many other jerseys but mostly wear Pearl Izumi bibs. I will try to match the socks and mitts, usually with both of the same brand, ( Castelli jersey, sock and mitts or Pearl Izumi socks, and mitts). Any fashion foul in wearing a mis matched kit? OCD?
Cheers

Wileyrat

As mismatched as I usually am, I must look pretty Fredly.

Sy Reene

As long as the color of the bibs is basically just black, mismatched brand names are fine IMO. Probably the reason black is such a used color.

Winter weather, typical outfit is Castelli convertible jacket, PI or Castelli longsleeve jersey, LG tights. Long-finger gloves are Castelli or Cannondale, helmet is Bell or CDale.. Shoes are Giro or Mavic, but with Performance booties in the cold.. Summer weather.. jerseys are from all over the place and very likely not the same brand as bibshorts.

Maelochs

Why does anyone care about this tripe?

News Flash: 99.9 percent of people who look at you don't really see you and the one in a thousand who does sees something very different than you see.

You see a resplendent figure in colorful matched kit---others see a niucance, a freak in a leotard, some guy who could lose a few pounds, or some weird guy with shaved legs, or some guy who needs to grow up.

if you are a female rider, all anyone sees are your the regions men fight over---the women to compare, the men to ogle.

Do you Really think people care if you match your socks to your gloves?

People are all way too busy focusing on what They look like to care what You look like ... as is proven by this thread

datlas 

Ride more. Worry less.

jitteringjr

Lol too funny and so true. If you are a dude, I’m checking out your bike. If you are a chick, I am checking out your cleavage.

jbell_64

Do people seriously have nothing better to worry about?

DrIsotope

As long as the color of the jersey matches the color of the socks, everything else is fair game.

kbarch

Actually, that's the whole point. We're supposed to care about our own presentation.
Whatever we wear, whether it's standard or eccentric, we wear by choice, and it's a visible choice. It's non-verbal communication. It's one-way, so sure, we generally have no idea what anyone gathers from it. What matters is how we choose to present ourselves, and that's a decision we make for ourselves. We can present ourselves as extravagant, modest, thoughtful, observant, neat, sloppy, insouciant, non-conformist or daring. If some choose to be inarticulate, well, that's their prerogative. However, while one may not care about what's normal, one can't pretend, for example, that white cycling shorts are normal, or that they are as modest as black.

Anyhow, it seems to me the op's question was not so much a matter of what anyone's opinion was, it was a matter of whether mis-matched kit was non-conformist, or broke any rules. I'm inclined to believe that such rules are not arbitrary, but rather they are something one should be able to figure out for oneself, just by imagining various situations.

For example, if you're on an official team training ride and your kit is all matching: good. I think most of us are aware that in that situation your kit damn well better match. At the other end of the spectrum, if you're just a working stiff out on a weekday Dawn Patrol before getting ready for work, and you're wearing new, matching kit: not so good. Maybe you have OCD? So, if you're just a random participant in a random group ride, as long as it's presentable, random kit is pretty much par for the course.

kbarch

What makes you think people come here to discuss things they NEED to worry about?

cthenn

Man I still have a lot to learn. Didn't know this was even a thing. The only thing I concern myself with is making sure the color palette I choose is not too horrendously mismatched. But brands?! Who cares.

canklecat

Functional and cheap. That's all I'm concerned about. My favorite shorts are navy blue, my knee warmers are black. My socks look like I stole them from an elf.

If I cared how I looked I'd wear a Molteni jersey.

On second thought, nobody looks good in that color orange.

kbarch

I think if you had a sufficiently dark, menacing look, you could carry it off.... And if you can't grow the sideburns, you can just get some Cat Ears....

canklecat

Clever. I may have to try that. I'm losing hearing in my left ear, and wind noise is making it worse and more difficult to hear vehicles approaching.

I noticed during a couple of cold weather rides while wearing thin ear warmers I could hear better -- less wind noise.

pickettt

Man, I've worn two different gloves on a ride before.....on several occasions.

kbarch

In all seriousness - I definitely recommend them. I first tried them not too long after I started riding. I rode around with them for a few days and didn't think they made much difference - could still hear the wind - so I took them off, figuring they just made me look dorky. But once I hit about 17-18mph I thought: wait, hold the phone.... Then really picking up speed on a descent I realized: Yikes - that's LOUD!
Toodling around town on the Citibike, I never feel the need for them, but I've only gone out on a couple of more serious rides without them, and I regretted it each time.

Marcus_Ti

It is winter cabin fever season in the northern hemisphere.

ridingfool

Have many pi jerseys and pi jerseys as I do cannondale and LG but rarely. Do I match them I just open a drawer and grab what's clean and what the weather permits.very seldom will I match and when I do nobody ever notices same as when I mismatch. Don't think anyone really cares.although I can't afford them when I see riders in rahpa gear all matched it does look good

Sy Reene

Completely random thought, but why do I always think of the word "effete"?

ridingfool

Maybe so to a degree but most that do wear them are on very expensive bikes hardly ever see one riding a alum bike. So guess if u can afford it why not buy what looks good

San Pedro

Lost some gloves on the train before means in the winter I wear a different glove on each hand everyday.

I can't imagine trying to match socks and gloves... I just try not have my bottoms and tops clash.

Maelochs

Right so by that logic how can anyone else choose for him? I'll send him out in adult diapers and swim fins.

San Pedro

Sounds like a party!

79pmooney

I make it a point to see that my right gloves, socks and shoes and the lefts of the same match in color and model. Other than that, no I don't concern myself.

Ben

Shuffleman

Agreed. I have never worried about matching colors or brands. In fact, I own only Assos and PI shorts. I own Only Gore, Castelli and Suigi jerseys. Thus, I couldn't match even if I wanted to.