• Men's Fashion Guides

Dressing For The Morning Commute Part 1: Smart

Introduction

For most, the morning commute is a dreaded affair. During the winter months, when the weather worsens the dreary conditions, your wardrobe can take a beating. For those of us slaves to public transport during the a.m, the journey is made that much more intolerable. Dressing in a practical and refined manner, whilst considering every possible scenario you might encounter, is particularly challenging. Many of us are aware of the silly o’clock trudge through the city streets to a bus or train station. The generally polar temperatures endured between walks to and from the station make for uncomfortable journeys and poorly chosen outfits. Remaining put-together through this type of commute isn’t easy at the best of times and will require expert layering in order to navigate successfully. What follows is a selection of items and techniques to help you look as good as you did in front of the mirror when you cross the office threshold.

Dressing Smart For The Morning Commute

The change in temperature from outside to in makes picking clothing for this occasion an often frustrating task. Being able to remove/add layers with as little hassle as possible – and without disturbing the synergy of your look – is the key to successful layering and a good winter morning commute outfit.

Morning Commute Lookbook

Before we start, here are a few tried and tested looks that are both practical and refined. For most, pairing your work suit with a classic trench/overcoat and weather appropriate accessories will create the foundation of any great commuting outfit:

Integrating Knitwear

Integrating knitwear should be your first port of call when looking to tackle the morning commute. Used as a middle layer, knitwear provides warmth, detail and colour as well as the ability to remove a layer whilst still looking sharp and ready to work. A simple merino wool (or cashmere, if your budget allows) knit is the perfect choice, as they are lightweight and form fitting ? allowing it to fit under your blazer effortlessly. Neutral colours make for easy, stylish options that refuse to clash with anything. On the other hand, bold but simple winter colours like bottle green, burgundy or even orange can add personality and depth to a traditional grey or navy suit.

• Asos Cardigan
• V Neck Soft Touch Cardigan
• Uniqlo Men Shawl Collar Cardigan
• Reiss Tumble Textured Leather Gloves Chocolate
• Dents Cashmere-lined Leather Gloves
• Merola Gloves Cashmere-lined Leather Gloves
• Esprit Leather Gloves
• Austin Reed Chocolate Leather/ Knit Top Glove
• Merola Gloves Textured-leather Gloves

Last, but by no means least, is the faithful umbrella. A good shower defender will be a safe and sturdy companion during the long winter travels. With the weather verging on the extreme at times, it’s worth putting money into an investment ‘brolly’ rather than those sold outside tube stations when downpours hit. A full-size umbrella looks great but can again become unmanageable when you’re fumbling around with other items of clothing. In these cases, a pack away sort becomes incredibly handy, but once again it’s still worth spending that little bit extra so it doesn’t break on the first use.

• Automatic Open Wooden Crook Handle Umbrella
• Paul Smith – Accessories Umb1 Black Crook Umbrella
• Brooks Brothers Collapsible Umbrella
• Black Crocodile Detail Umbrella
• Fulton Huntsman Walking Umbrella
• London Undercover Classic Prince Of Wales Check Umbrella

Final Word

The perfect balance between style and practicality can be hard to achieve, especially if you are working against the elements, public transport, time restraints and crowds of (typically stressed) people. Therefore, getting your morning commute outfit right before you step out of the house can help make the journey that much more bearable and ensure you arrive at work ready for business. But now it is time for your say:

• How do you style your morning commute outfit in a practical fashion?
• Do you use any of the items and techniques above?
• Do you have any unmentioned tips to help brave the elements en route?

Let us know in the comments section below…

Alex Woodhall

A student and self-confessed fashion fanatic whose articles mainly focus on seasonal topics varying from trends to guides. As well as being a contributing writer at FashionBeans Alex maintains his own blog over at wardrobewarrior.co.uk.