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cafe du cycliste paulette shorts and simone merino polo shirt

weather really isn't fair. it's discriminatory from on high, an excellent position from which to target its benefits or disbenefits. it can see us for miles and miles while we only pick up on such iniquity as it looms overhead. or, if i'm paying attention, as it heads in from the atlantic with nowhere to hide. perceived in a rational manner, this would probably explain why there are differing modes of dress in different parts of the world; perhaps even why certain combinations of garments look out of place in particular surroundings.

breathable waterproofs at the equator for example, or short sleeve jerseys and bibshorts at the top of the stelvio pass. oh, wait a minute...

however, it's not only the type of garment itself that may or may not look out of place, but the manner in which it has been coloured. it would be easy to assume that, in the dank, grey atmosphere of western scotland, we'd be thrilled with pastel blues and greens, fire engine reds and the occasional splash of sunshine yellow. but instead we mostly clothe ourselves in autumnal shades of brown, green, grey and black. has no-one been paying attention? have i not been saying for year upon year that the ideal way to offer contrast is to place light against dark, colour against mute?

true to our rural heritage, however, we apparently prefer to blend in with the countryside, even in sauchiehall street which hasn't seen undergrowth for many a long century. not so in the cote d'azur, a portion of france that experiences blazing sunshine, scorching temperatures and blue skies all year round. at least, that's what the folks at cafe du cycliste tell me, reinforcing their propaganda by sending gingham trimmed dusty blue paulette shorts and a grey blue collared bottle green simone merino polo shirt. with short sleeves (though it wasn't warm enough for bare arms, so i wore a long-sleeve baselayer below).

both these items form a part of cafe du cycliste's urban range, a genre slightly undermined by depiction on their website of a rider thus clad aboard a look carbon road bike. however, one man's commuter is another's world tour ride. that's pretty much the beauty of cycling as far as i'm concerned. were paulette and simone not the ideal companions for an urban ride in glorious rurality, a pair of stripey cycling socks surely completed the image. particularly once more aboard that rather grand taurus corinto for a regal trip to debbie's for afternoon froth.

the shorts are gloriously overburdened with pockets; two gingham lined at the front and two at the back, one with a buttoned flap. there are belt flaps for the less fuller figure while each leg ends in faux turnups. the small size fitted me effortlessly, easily remaining in place during even what passes for mild exertion on my part. if i'm honest, i'd have preferred a tad more length in the leg; though they're not quite into sean yates territory, too much sun and i'd be in danger of losing that sharp tan line (mrs washingmachinepost refers to it as a tide mark).

the merino polo shirt, in my opinion, is the more versatile of the pairing, if only because i managed to not only wear it to work for a few days without eliciting any velocipedinal remarks, but also played a saturday evening gig thus dressed. subterfuge or what? the collar is impressively stiff in its constitution, remaining sharp and presentable whether buffeted by the wind or on the business end of a double paradiddle-diddle. when was the last time one cycling garment managed all that in its stride?

i'd be failing in my self-appointed duties if i didn't point out a couple of gripes, one of which is admittedly, highly subjective. the single rear pocket is closed by means of a faux leather noose that loops round an externally affixed button. it's not a look that i'm overly keen on, but to be honest, unless the pocket has been veritably stuffed, the loop refuses to remain in place. trivial, but true. and the buttons used to close the polo shirt neck strike me as just a tad too small and fiddly, though i'll admit they look rather smart.

those are tinsy discrepancies that scarcely affect the purpose or overall style offered by paulette or simone. i'm loathe to admit that i envy those cote d'azurians their weather or colour sense, neither of which look likely to inhabit the hebrides anytime soon. but such tangible factors from their summer catalogue can not only be worn in the middle of such scottishness, but also acquit themselves most favourably in front of a soya cappuccino and one of those small caramel biscuits in the saucer.

sur le zinc.

cafe du cycliste | taurus corinto courtesy of prontogara, parnie street, glasgow

tuesday 3 june 2014