In Copenhagen, Pedal Pushers Are Not Just A Pair Of Pants

Copenhagen is a biking town. This isn’t news, but it's something worth examining. Opting to bike from point A to point B during the summer in Copenhagen feels like more than just a logistical choice. Bikers glide past the canals and over bridges as harmonized as synchronized swimmers. As a visitor, you'll be quickly (and even begrudgingly, if you prefer walking) lifted off your feet by a Lime, swept into the city's astonishingly civil bike lanes without even realizing what's happening. Before you know it, you're part of the routine. You're throwing signals at every turn, smiling as you ride along the water, and experiencing acute amnesia. (What was life before biking gleefully in Denmark on a warm sunny day? Couldn't tell you.)

Earlier this month, I was no exception to the aforementioned conforming. I hopped on a bike on day three of my trip (after some resistance) and immediately wondered why I had waited, no, deprived myself! We cycled to dinner, ingesting sea breeze the entire way. Pedal pushing is a conduit for new serotonin heights in Copenhagen. Unlike in New York, the demeanor of a biker in Copenhagen is at ease and downright respectful. He's on his way to a swim, or maybe his leisurely demeanor just makes it seem that way. Not even an accidental cut-off or too-close trailer could ruin his mood. Even so, there’s a certain courteousness here that is nowhere to be found on the Delancey street bike line (derogatory). In Copenhagen, the bike lane merges into something else all together. It's not just an area of road, a mere mode of transportation. It's an expression of a general feeling or mindset. We're here together, on our way somewhere, riding in the spirit of making the mundane feel more lovely. Imagine feeling this way at the intersection of Houston and Sixth Avenue.

If Copenhagen's biking culture is a summarization of the contagious energy of a Scandinavian summer, then it makes sense that at Copenhagen Fashion Week, there was one trend that seemed to embrace, or even nod to, the city's affinity for pedaling. Pedal pushers — the knee-length capri — ran rampant at fashion week. Worn with thong kitten heels and an oversized rugby, sneakers and a baby t-shirt, loafers and a blazer, this particular garment was suddenly a preferred pant. Otherwise known as pirate pants (as informed by CPHFW's COO Isabella), this trend was on the runways, at the presentations, seen in street style photography. It was omnipresent in a way that made me wonder if it was just a coincidence, or if pedal pushing was making itself even more evident as a way of being in Copenhagen by way of fashion.

The trend made its seasonal debut at the OpéraSport show, the first show of the week. On the bay at Operaparken, a model wore black, side-slit pedal pushers paired with an oversized vest layered over a white blouse. After the show, among crowds of attendees making their exit, I saw five or six show guests donning the same style from the runway. Had they chosen this particular piece as a press gift to wear to the show, or were they wearing their own iterations of what almost looks like a cropped alo yoga legging? Either way, it was a perfect summer pant.

That afternoon, at the A. Roege Hove show, the knitwear designer reinterpreted pedal pushers. Using her signature ribbed weave, Amalie presented a white knit iteration paired with a matching top, and a black pair worn with a bright green knit cardigan and matching top. The second-to-last look of the show offered a more sheer pair worn with a thicker, long black cardigan. Here we had three pairs of petal pushers in one show. And by the rule of threes, it is officially a trend.

Upon returning to New York, I bought a pair: Rosette’s Petal Pushers, a cleverly-named lace style. I’m still pining for OpéraSport’s sporty pair and Amalie’s sheer knit style, but I might be conflating a craving for Copenhagen’s relaxed, pedal pushing vibe and a need to adopt the style into my wardrobe. Or maybe it’s the same thing. Regardless, every time I see a pair, I think of the town that does pedal pushing better than anyone, that invented the best way to wear this look: at ease, by the sea, and ideally, on a bike.