A Commuter’s Considerations
Some readers may already know that my current day job is teaching continuing education in the field of Management and Leadership. Thus, I have two or three days a week where I teach classes and attend meetings, and then I work from home the rest of the week. What I wear changes accordingly.
Now, on the days where I teach classes, I commute - either on bike, by train or a combination of both. Almost always with a daycare or school run included. Most parents would agree, I think, that mornings can be a bit tough and highly task-driven. No or little time to deviate into other activities, especially not picking an outfit. So I do that the night before.
Although I’m not really hesitant to wear specific garments or shoes just because I bike to work, there are still some things I do consider - here are three of them:
The Weather
In heavy rain I swap the bike for the Metro, but there is still the daycare or school drop off and the short commute to the station to consider. My trusted Barbour Beaufort is the default outerwear in the rain, and for shoes suede loafers or chukka boots on rubber sole unless the rain is torrential.
In Spring or Autumn a vest/gilet can be nice, and in Winter a wool coat is my default choice - or my old Penfield parka on snowy days.
In the summertime, not getting all sweaty or heated up is the key challenge. Sometimes I use my ripstop jungle jacket as an outer layer if the temperature is around 20 degrees celcius. Not to keep me warm, but to reduce dust and such on the sports coat I almost always wear.
When the weather is really hot, I’ll roll up the sleeves of my shirt and fold the jacket as nicely as possible in the bag or on the child seat. The bike commute is 6K, so it is possible to take it a bit easy to avoid totally heating up.
Freedom of Movement
Another aspect I consider when commuting is freedom of movement. Not a lot of what I wear when I go to work or has other appointments in the city is very restrictive, but that is mostly an effect of my general wordrobe building and where it is right now. What I wear - at least most of the time - has to work with the rest of my life (i.e. Kids). Non-restrictive trousers, shirts, knitwear and jackets and shoes that can take a little beating.
Some might find it pushing it a bit, biking to work in leather loafers with leather soles, but I like that I can wear the clothes and shoes I enjoy the most while going about my daily business. Yes, my Cavendish tassel loafers would be less scruffed if I didn’t bike to work in them. But I prefer to wear the stuff that I have invested in and enjoy it without too much restriction.
Layers, Pockets and Bags
Some readers will be well aware that I have a thing for pockets. And pockets are also essential for my commute. Keys (bike, house) must be easy accessible, access card also, and phone is likewise important to keep near (for last minute coordination of remembering bags, jackets, colour pencils and other essentials when picking up the kids in the afternoon).
I keep these and a couple of other essentials in my jacket pockets. Keys typically in an outer pocket and phone in inner pocket. In my work bag (Mismo) I keep the work related stuff - laptop, water bottle, books and so forth. My work bag is a briefcase-style soft bag, and on the bike it hangs on the baggage carrier. Not the best solution for minimizing wear and tear, but so far the bag is 7 or eight years old and still holding up quite nicely.
Commuting definitely can take a toll on both shoes and garments, adding signs and marks of wear and use. When I first got into menswear, and worked in consultancy, I tried eargerly to avoid that: Metro or taxis even for meetings just a short bike ride away. Things have changed - as circumstances has. Now I appreciate that what I wear also tells some sort of story about my current walks of life.
