On Saturday 15th September, I attended my fourth Pashley Picnic joining my boyfriend Blake, who works for the British bicycle brand based in our hometown of Stratford Upon Avon. Pashley Cycles have been creating quintessential British bikes for over 90 years making them the longest established cycle manufacturer and a brand I really love! They invite all their Pashley customers to this cycling event every year to ride their bikes throughout Stratford, meet new people and just have FUN! This was in fact their biggest attendance yet, with tickets in high demand!
The Outfits
The dress code for the Pashley Picnic is your best attire and a lot of the riders go all out! Ladies in swing dress and poodle skirts and various prints such as polka dots and florals plus vintage hats and the men in their best tweed. It definitely draws a lot of attention when riding through Stratford Upon Avon, almost as if we have just stepped out of the 1940s/1950s.
For me this was the perfect chance to wear my favourite style of clothing - VINTAGE! I was definitely born in the wrong era! For the ride I wore a gingham Boohoo summer dress, a trend that has been a real hit this summer and one you regularly see associated with picnics. I styled the dress with a white broderie anglais open shirt from Forever 21 and Boohoo pink vintage looking shades. My boy also accidentally matched me in his gingham shirt! Doesn't he look smart?!
The dress code for the Pashley Picnic is your best attire and a lot of the riders go all out! Ladies in swing dress and poodle skirts and various prints such as polka dots and florals plus vintage hats and the men in their best tweed. It definitely draws a lot of attention when riding through Stratford Upon Avon, almost as if we have just stepped out of the 1940s/1950s.
For me this was the perfect chance to wear my favourite style of clothing - VINTAGE! I was definitely born in the wrong era! For the ride I wore a gingham Boohoo summer dress, a trend that has been a real hit this summer and one you regularly see associated with picnics. I styled the dress with a white broderie anglais open shirt from Forever 21 and Boohoo pink vintage looking shades. My boy also accidentally matched me in his gingham shirt! Doesn't he look smart?!
The 12 mile bike ride started at the Traditional Cycle Shop along with coffee to wake us all up, a generous goody bag which included Belvoir elderflower presse (my fave), Shakespeare's Stratford gin, Monsoon Estates coffee, Tyrrells crisps and Strawberry Bellini fudge all the way from Cornwall. Plus a speech from Blake, with a few jokes thrown in!
Thankfully the sun was shining and with everyone dressed in their finest vintage attire, riders were raring to go with our marshals from the Guvnor's Assembly (a group of Pashley enthusiasts who ride the Guvnor bikes) holding the traffic for all 160 of us to enjoy our ride through the Warwickshire countryside safely. I was riding a pink Poppy bike with a cute wicker basket which matched my outfit perfectly.
The bike ride had two stops one at the Shakespeare Inn pub in Welford-on-Avon for a snack and a pint for some and the last stop at Shakespeares Birthplace on Henley street for the annual group photo which was extremely packed with tourists when we arrived and all of them were wanting to take photos of us!
The Pashley Picnic
Ending the splendid bike ride in the countryside was a PICNIC at the side of the River Avon with live music, dancing, yummy sandwiches and scones and the traditional game of pass the parcel making it a rather splendid party! My friend Jenny below got a prize!
Ending the splendid bike ride in the countryside was a PICNIC at the side of the River Avon with live music, dancing, yummy sandwiches and scones and the traditional game of pass the parcel making it a rather splendid party! My friend Jenny below got a prize!
Liz x
*Photography by Hannah Sorrell
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