What Work Travel Taught Me About Men’s Fashion
Dress like you are somebody. Airport travel taught me how.
From the desk of James D. Blythe —
So there I was… air-conditioning on full blast to keep away the sweltering summer heat of the Great State of Florida, car idling off to the side of the airport terminal turn-about. The “Arrivals” sign keeps a constant vigil over the influx of tourists and their screaming children parading out of the airport.
My father is in-town and we’re picking him up for a Blythe-family gathering at grandma’s house. He’s been retired for some years now.
There he is, making his way through the flood of sweaty vacationers. Among a sea of flip-flops and cargo shorts his oxfords and pressed slacks cut a fearsome line to the front of the crowd. Tourists struggle with their hooded sweatshirts revealing a plethora of graphic tees and tank tops stained with ketchup and sweat. In contrast, my father’s brass buttons accent off his navy blue blazer as he confidently breaks away from the crowd. He carries nothing but a suitcase in one hand and a modest roller-board in the other. The man looks like a professional swimming effortlessly through a sea of amateurs and adolescents.
No backpack. No sweats. No busted-up tennies and raggedy shorts for the Old Man.
My father spent much of his professional career in-and-out of airports. Work travel was a way of life for him. He had a certain standard of dress and decorum associated with it. That hasn’t changed much since his retirement. As a child, I never understood it. It was stuffy. It was uncomfortable. It was archaic.
Later in life, I grew to know better.
In airports, you are shoulder-to-shoulder, rubbing elbows (sometimes literally), with individuals from a significant cross-section of the world’s populace. When you’re on travel, you no longer have a closet to go to and “just throw something on”. Your wardrobe choices must be pre-meditated. They must be functional for a wide variety of situations. Your options are inherently limited based on what you can carry with you.
After the first few years of being “up in the air” at my own job, I finally understood. My father’s stuffy choice of wardrobe had nothing to do with looking like a character out of Mad Men (okay, maybe not “nothing”).
It was about function and comfort and respect and holding oneself to a standard. I found that this ethos of “men’s fashion” wasn’t just applicable to business travel. It was a way of elevating a person’s daily life.
Yes, it sounds weird — I know. The bottom line is that it’s important to dress your age and look the part of a professional.
If it works in an airport, it will work in your day-to-day. If it can stand up to the punishment of air travel, it can handle most of the polite world. If it is comfortable after 12+ hours of playing the “inter-terminal-shuffle” then you have the makings of a winner.
I’m going to try and explain the fundamentals of a professional man’s fashion here (accordingly to the Book of Blythe). The focus is on making conscious clothing decisions that are functional, versatile, and won’t blow the bank. I’ll give you some recommendations on what I like to get your creative juices working. These recommendations aren’t WalMart bargain basement prices. That being said, I’m not going to pitch you wardrobe recommendations with extravagant expense suitable for the Met Gala.
What does this mean?
For our purposes here, let’s think about everything up to business casual in the daily, polite, civilian, semi-urban world. We aren’t running a marathon but we need to be able to move and sprint at need. We aren’t backpacking through the Andes but need some flexibility for a range of climates and protection from the elements. We want to look composed, but effortless. Since we will be interacting with a wide range of our peers and service professionals (as in every day life), we need to look respectable.
What not to wear in an airport (and real life).
Let me make this simple for you.
We don’t want to wear anything in an airport that impedes our mobility, comfort, or the major functionality of our body. That means limiting our accessories and keeping our hands free when we can. We also want to wear something respectable that service people, authorities, and fellow hugh-mans can take you seriously in.
Good advice for travel and for life.
The banned items below violate these basic tenants in various ways and have easy substitutions that negate the benefits they might give us.
No backpacks. No flip-flops. No sweats. No tank tops or hoodie t-shirts. Avoid graphic t-shirts when possible. Simple, right?
It’s been a while since I was young, but casual observation tells me these are all items that are still worn by “cool” twelve year olds. Young people are allowed, and expected, to look stupid. I think the Biden Administration might have passed an Executive Order requiring it. I’m not sure. For the rest of us adults, here are some things to consider.
Backpacks are acceptable utilitarian items for military members and outdoor events (hiking, backpacking, hunting, survival-ing, etc.). Essentially, the world’s nomads. They are also acceptable for students. If you are not one of these people and feel you need a backpack, you have done a poor job of paring down the essential items needed in your life.
Flip flops are ridiculous. The function of flip-flops is to get you from a parking lot to a beach. You can’t run in them effectively. They look stupid. I see people hurt themselves all the time when they trip or get caught on something. No one wants to see your feet. Other than the above, there’s no rationale for flip-flops in daily life other than personal laziness.
Sweats, hoodies, and their ilk are also a no-go. They have no internal structure. Not only do they struggle to stay in-place, threatening to expose you to the rest of the world, but things fall out of the pockets and the extra fabric can get caught on other objects when you’re in a hurry. These are good items for lounging. They are also effective to cover up on your way to a workout or when you’re sidelined from your sports-game. Otherwise, change into real clothing before you go out.
“But what about comfort!?” We’ll get to that. It is absolutely possible to be comfortable and not look like you’re twelve years old.
I have a lot to say about packing, suitcases, and roller-boards for the savvy traveler but those lessons are less applicable to the topic of our discussion today — everyday men’s fashion. So let’s leave that one in the pipe for now and carry on.
Here are some things for adults to consider when it comes to the world of respectable men’s fashion.
Understand the value of a good jacket
No, I’m not talking about your frumpy hoodie or cotton zipper thing. I’m not talking about your favorite piece of GORE-TEX. I’m talking about a real, professional man’s jacket. Horrifyingly, most people don’t understand the distinction between a sports coat, a blazer, and a suit jacket. They should.
Here’s my advice -
Personally, I don’t like going through airports in suits. It’s not a comfort issue if you get a quality suit. The issue is that things get wrinkled and smelly on planes. Unless it’s absolutely necessary, why bother? The same is true in everyday life. I would never wear a suit, no matter how casual the make, “just because”. Even some kind of weird linen-y thing out of a Banana Republic commercial.
That being said, having a respectable jacket on-hand does a few things for you. First, it gives you the ability to “dress up” or “down” very quickly — just slip it on or off. Second, having a light to medium-weight coat allows you some protection from the elements (should you need it). Lastly, since we aren’t a college student we aren’t carrying a backpack. As such, those extra pockets are helpful for carrying flashlights [1] or pens or wallets or business cards in case you need them.
Here’s my recommendation. Find a casual sports coat. I tend to prefer a solid navy blue, brown, or olive color with a rougher textured cotton or linen make-up. They are versatile and can be had on-the-cheap (relatively speaking). It goes with anything and everything. If you like patterns or brighter colors, that’s up to you. I prefer subtlety and versatility in a jacket as opposed to making a statement.
Johnston & Murphy’s makes some decent jackets for travel and everyday wear. If you’re in a pinch (on travel), you can find one in most U.S. domestic airports. If this feels like a bit much to start, I’ve gotten cheap jackets around $100 — $150 (USD) from a range of providers. I haven’t had good luck with buying this type of thing on Amazon but I assume it can be done.
Whatever you go with, the color should be chosen for versatility, the material for durability and maintainability. I recommend against an extremely fitted style for everyday wearing and comfort. A cotton or linen coat will tend to be the most casual and fairly versatile in anything up through business casual.
Understand the value of a good pair of shoes.
A comfortable, quality pair of loafers is a beautiful thing.
I first got thinking about loafers as a good walking shoe that I could get on-and-off quickly in airport security. Although I always allow plenty of time to get to my flight, it was increasingly annoying to watch people fumble with their shoes at the security checkpoint. It was similarly embarrassing when — in my anguish — I then forgot to take my shoes off and ended up being the fool instead.
Wear whatever you want for shoes so long as they are legitimate, adult footwear and not Chucks or Vans or sneakers or something. Loafers are just my preference.
Loafers are great in that they can be slipped on-and-off with no fuss, make for great walking shoes, and can be procured in a range of styles. No, we are not talking about “fashion loafers” that you get for < $60 (USD). Anything that looks snazzy but hurts your feet is a no-go. “But Mr. Blythe, dressy shoes always are uncomfortable and will hurt your feet. That’s why I wear my Nikes everywhere!” Running shoes are for running. If you are just walking around the city, you are wrong.
If you buy a real, honest pair of good quality shoes, you should be able to walk all day without issue. Get to know the different types and styles out there before making a purchase. There is something for everyone.
I have gotten good, utilitarian loafers from Clark’s, Rockport, and Ecco among others. Merrel even makes the MOAB MOC which can double as a light trail shoe. Be mindful that the MOC is an extremely casual shoe. Great for travel. Great for multipurpose use on vacation. In a pinch, it will make the stretch to business casual if people don’t look at your feet too hard. Be careful, sizing on the MOAB MOCs is awful and varies significantly between styles and colors.
Your first pair of loafers should probably stretch multiple functions so a little more casual is okay in my book. I don’t typically like suede but something semi-matte or with a low polish is good. The trick is getting something that doesn’t look out-of-place whether you are full-on casual, business casual, or perhaps a step above that in formality.
When you can, match you shoes with your belt.
I am not a fan of the “no-socks” look with any shoe. That’s just me. If you want to put your smelly sweaty feet direct into a perfectly good piece of footwear for the sake of fashion, I’ll leave that to you. It’s your money.
Collars, long sleeves, and buttons are your friends.
For some reason, there is a group of young people who believe that collared shirts are the antithesis of comfort and are too “dressy”. [2] Near as I can tell, this is largely because people no longer understand how to buy a collared shirt. Polo T-shirts are okay but I really recommend going with a long sleeve button down. Here is why.
When I started traveling a lot, I began to have issues packing. Too many places to go with different climates. I hated having to stock multiple different outfits and figure out when I needed which. I ended up settling on long-sleeve, button down shirts as the solution.
Long sleeves can be rolled up or buttoned down at need. Additionally, the long sleeves protect you from insects and the sun. Laugh all you want. It works. Personally, I like having a breast pocket on my shirts and button down collars. Stylistically, I think it adds something to your ensemble. Practically, it gives you some extra storage for business cards, a pen, or to stuff a notecard with a WiFi password or directions to the nearest Buc-ee’s in it. All good things.
A collar is a good thing as well. The extra fabric helps shield your neck from the rubbing of a sports coat, blazer, or suit jacket over the course of a day. In a pinch, the collar can be turned up to keep the sun off your neck but that’s not typical. Plaid flannels are common enough in young people fashion that a collared shirt doesn’t make you look out-of-place in a casual crowd if you do a good job picking something out. If the collar is bothering your neck, you can always leave the top button off (so long as you aren’t wearing a tie). You can go from more formal to more casual by adjusting your buttons and sleeves. Easy.
In most instances, a soft cotton, linen, or synthetic shirt is good for maximizing comfort. I’ve had good luck with Hawker Rye (yes, Stitch Fix). Nordstrom makes an excellent line of slim-fit collared shirts, but can be a bit more formal in style. In the most casual instances, a clean and easy Eddie Bauer or linen button-down is a good choice. I’ve had success with everything from the Tori Richard “aloha special” to a $25 Amazon linen so there are many options.
I prefer something that has some extra length so it can be tucked into your pants. Buying too short means it won’t stay tucked. It’s nice to have the option.
Play with your styling a bit. Patterns are less formal. [3] This is my preferred place to play with brighter colors and patterns if you are feeling daring. I avoid white shirts due to the stylistic dangers they pose (looking like a waiter) and because they stain easily. Everyone should have a good white button down, but I tend to use it for more formal occasions.
Figure out your belt situation.
A good, quality leather belt typically runs you $80 — $100 (USD) in 2023. Avoid buying fashion accessory items on special at the mall or outlet store. They don’t hold up, the stitching comes apart, and they start to look ratty very quickly. There is a time-and-place for cheaping-out. Things you are planning on wearing day-in and day-out is generally not that time.
When you are on work travel, belts are important for a few reasons. First, you want it told hold up as you whip it on-and-off through airport security. Second, carrying extra belts is a non-value-add task so if you can buy a quality piece that can be styled across a range of outfits, that’s good for packing and good to keep things simple for you. Third, belts perform a practical function of keeping your pants up. [4]
Brown with a matte or satin buckle tends to be extremely versatile. Pick something that goes with your chosen footwear but that otherwise can go with most color combinations. I’m not a fan of single-purpose accessories. They have their place but I won’t be covering that here.
I personally wouldn’t buy a belt any thinner than 1" width with 1.5" or 1.75" being preferable. I’ve had to clip things on my belt (microphone, tool holster, radio, etc.) in a pinch. Thin, weeny belts will sag and — as such — won’t do the trick. Make sure whatever you get fits your typical belt loop as some fashion pants come with very narrow loops for some strange reason. Functionally and stylistically, it’s nice for your belt to fit your loops without leaving them half-empty so give this a little thought.
I prefer to buy my belts at a shop that deals in legitimate leather goods or does leather work. Belts without side-stitching are more casual and tend to be a little more robust.
Wear a respectable watch.
Ideally, analog. Dear Young People, yes, it makes you look stupid if you can’t read an analog clock. Shinola is a great brand. Don’t fret, there are plenty of other good options if that’s not your bag. But first, story time -
As a younger man, I relied on my cellphone to tell time. Even then, flip phones were relatively common and smart phones were on the rise. Why have a watch when your phone keeps the time? A couple reason.
First, constantly being attached to your phone is juvenile. It looks ridiculous. Second — and probably more important — is that every time you put your hand on your phone is another opportunity to drop it or lose it. This is a lesson learned in airports and on trams when you are doing multiple things quickly. It’s not uncommon to leave your phone in a bathroom or drop it when someone bumps you or fumble it as you try to dig it out of a pocket. Third, phones are useful for communications. Their battery life is finite. Every action you take to use it as a clock or radio or flashlight or whatever is draining that battery. It’s a lot easier to find a charging station now than it used to be but when you’re on the move it’s sometimes inconvenient to stop to juice-up. A phone is okay as a backup time piece but never make it your primary.
Finally, a watch is one of the few ways a man can make a fashion statement. I don’t go in for pocket squares and earrings and designer baseball hats so there are some limitations to how many accessories I want to balance. In general, a smart watch is acceptable but I tend not to be a huge fan of them as they need constant recharging and just about everyone has one.
Here are some pointers on a more traditional timepiece.
It should have big numbers or big hands with clear markings. Utility is always Number 1 for me and watches are no exception. Be careful about wearing a seriously flashy timepiece that says, “I have lots of money.” Depending on where you are, it might attract the wrong kind of attention. Even in the business world, the guy that comes into the meeting that far overdressed sets and uncomfortable tone. Get something quality, but not something flashy.
You want something that is subtle — even understated — but that people who are “in the know” will recognize it.
It should have date and chronometer functions. That way you can check, “what day is it,” quickly and easily and, “how long have I been standing here.” Some kind of back light or “glow” for the hands is important for low-light reading. Everything else is gravy.
It should be slim enough to fit underneath the cuff of a long shirt or jacket. As mentioned previously, I always prefer an analog watch. Reason 1 is it looks much classier. Reason 2 is it’s easy and legible to use without a lot of extra clutter. Reason 3 is that reading an analog clock is (curiously) a dying art. It’s one of those small, simple, easy skills you can acquire as a human being that tells people you are competent and capable. Why wouldn’t you?
Also, analog clocks have some other basic benefits that may prove useful in other walks of life. Depending on your job, you may not be allowed to take devices that “transmit” into certain areas. In those instances, having a dumb analog watch and the skills to read it are nice.
I prefer a polished stainless steel bezel for a watch. I tend to shy away from anodized bezels as the coating wears over time and looks tacky. If polished stainless gets scratched, you can take it to pretty much any watch shop or jeweler and get them to buff it out.
Wrist bands are your choice. My preference is leather or metal link. For metal links I prefer something matte. I don’t like blinding people with my watch. It’s extremely annoying (in airplanes) when someone’s window is open and the watch is flashing you in the face. For leather bands, make sure you maintain them.
If you don’t want to spend the money on something in the Shinola-brand range, I’ve found reasonably priced alternatives from Casio, Timex, and Fossil. Not really statement pieces but they work and can be procured with a clean look. They are not “forever” piece and should be considered consumable.
Put on your big-boy pants — clean jeans or pressed slacks.
I feel your pain, man. I went through a cargo shorts and semi-athletic sweats phase when I was younger. Utility pants and shorts have a place, but I would say that everyday travel fashion is probably not it. Sweats or trainers are for lounging or coverage as you go to-and-from your workout/sporting even. They are not for daily wear.
We’re not talking about pleated pants or serious penguin-suite pantaloons. We’re talking about something that is clean, presentable, and utilitarian. Something that people can take you seriously in but allows you to move in many circles.
I tend to not like jeans for travel. They are bulky and heavy. If they get soaked through they take a long time to dry. That being said, if you find yourself working at a more rigorous profession that takes you to hot shops [5] and into the field, jeans are a good choice for the rugged professional. No acid wash. No holes. I am not in favor of a tight fit jean as my primary use-case for such garb requires me to be able to wear a pair of steel-toes underneath them. Don’t wear carpenter jeans unless you utilize them for your profession. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, that probably means you shouldn’t be wearing them.
A good pair of cotton khakis is a versatile piece of gear. They go with pretty much any clothing combo and can be had in a range of shades and hues if you want to tweak a look. There’s lots of good brands, just make sure they fit. I want coverage all the way down to my shoes. They are likely to expose and inch or so of your socks when seated.
There are now lots of good synthetic “sport” options for slacks. Many are made as dedicated golf wear or simplified hiking pants. I wouldn’t ever wear something like this to a serious business or speaking engagement, but for casual travel (and life) they are great. These are lightweight and come in a variety of cuts and styles. As with shirts, the long pant protects your legs from a variety of unmentionables and elements. Wearing a lighter synthetic or cotton slack gives you the ability to stay cool when it warms up. If you have to wash a pair in the sink (in a pinch) you can do so and they dry out quickly. They compress down when you pack them.
The full range of khaki colors or even grey or charcoal pants are good picks for the versatile, working person. Mrs. Blythe loves blue plants — any version of navy is good. I’m not a huge fan of blue pants, but they seem to work well for many people despite my personal angst.
Word of caution here. Be careful how you match blazers and sports coats with your pants. Personally, I avoid taking a jacket and pants that are in the same color regime and putting them together. For example, if you’re wearing an olive coat, avoid picking out khaki pants that are in the olive/brown territory. Matched sets are for suits. If you are semi-matching, it gives a weird effect that suggests your pants and jacket go together even though they may be different materials, styles, and slightly different hues.
Just give it some thought.
Conclusions: Men’s fashion should be functional and reflect the decorum of a man.
Don’t dress like a fool.
This article really has focused on men’s fashion, but hopefully the astute observer can take the basic principles and apply it to any working professional. The way you dress says a lot about you. On the left-coast, this is increasingly considered irrelevant as generations of sweaty teenagers become billionaires by running their startups out of mom and dad’s garage.
If you have the money, you can dress however you want.
For the rest of us, it’s important to consider what your clothing says about you. If you give your personal fashion some thought, you’ll find there is quality men’s wear out there that is both professional and utilitarian. Rediscovering this age-old art will set you apart from the sea of collegiate-sweater-wearing, cargo short sporting, schlubs out there — of which there are many.
Think of your travels — for work, or otherwise — as the proving ground for you wardrobe and what is effective while remaining respectable. And as always, happy hunting.
References and Footnotes
[1] Yes, I always carry a good flashlight on me. It’s amazing how useful they are in your everyday.
[2] Excepting the plaid flannel for some reason.
[3] Be mindful, if other articles of clothing are patterned it can be “too much”. Shirt, jacket, pants — pick one for your pattern-piece. The rest should be solid or near to it.
[4] This is probably alien to those of you who wear sweat pants or stretchy synthetics but… especially if you’re wearing jeans or slacks, there’s not always a lot of give at the waist. As such, you need that belt to secure your pants to yourself and having a notch or so to fiddle with is good.
[5] Sorry, I always forget that most of Medium’s readership seem to be people working in “soft”(ware) industries. See definition of hot work.
