You’re Going To Spend Eight Hours Behind the Wheel. What Are You Wearing?

Attractive Man Driving A Car
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Obviously, one wants to be comfortable when traveling in any mode, and The Google will happily return many articles on how to dress for the airport and the pressurized-aluminum-tube experience you’ve signed up for. But car travel is a little different; for starters, you don’t have to care about being a decent human being for the sake of your fellow travelers, so not only are shorts and sandals perfectly acceptable, so is completely nude. Also, you don’t need to worry about carrying anything on you (particularly difficulty while naked), as the glovebox, center console, and assorted cubbies offer more than ample capacity for wallet, sunglasses, snacks, etc.
Choices

Shout out to anyone going this hard for the drive to their niece’s graduation. Deets at Outfit Trends, Alex Costa’s Instagram via Pinterest, and Condé Nast Traveler if you’re so inclined. I would be if I were young, thin, and good looking. Zero for three!

But back to our question: what are you wearing for an 8-hour (or longer) driving sesh? You’re going to have to get out and refill or recharge your ride, so that’s a wrinkle (ugh) to consider if it’s cold and/or rainy on your route. Is there a certain level of sartorial sophistication you demand of yourself for dining at a Mos Eisely-esque “travel center,” or a stroll amongst the beaver-themed trinkets at Bucc-Ee’s while you stretch your legs?

Bucc Ees Pulled Pork

If you’re grabbing a pulled-pork sandwich for the second leg of your drive after topping off at Bucc-Ee’s, the best fashion choice you can make is bib. Image: Bucc-Ee’s

What about your copilot, if not traveling solo—do they affect your apparel choices? I always make sure I’m dressed as warmly or coolly as my wife, because if I’m in short sleeves and she’s wearing a sweater, the AC will be absolutely cranked and I’m going to be shivering. And vice-versa, wherein I roast because she’s cold. “The rule is the driver controls all the settings.” Yeah, not in my car. Or house. Or life. Which reminds me, this Sunday is Mothers’ Day. Get your acts together now, fellow partners-to-moms!

But for now,

You’re Going To Spend Eight Hours Behind the Wheel. What Are You Wearing?

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104 thoughts on “You’re Going To Spend Eight Hours Behind the Wheel. What Are You Wearing?

  1. I dress comfortably, usually shorts and a T-shirt. Pretty standard. But for long drives, I make sure I have footware I can kick off (and put over on the passengers side). Sandles in the summer, soled slippers in the winter. I prefer driving barefoot on long drives

  2. Comfy for the weather, slightly lighter clothing than my passengers. Being a bit on the cool side is good for my alertness, and old shoes, torn jeans, and an old t-shirt or sweatshirt isn’t going to get much attention at any gas station still open at 4am (with young kids, the best time for 8+ hour drives is overnight)

  3. I usually wear shorts and a t-shirt in summer. The baggier the shorts, the better. In Winter loose fitting pants, either slacks or jeans, a t-shirt and a hoodie. I’ll take off any coat before I get in the car, no matter how cold it is outside.

  4. For a long drive I wear what I usually wear, cargo pants or shorts, a T shirt and if it’s cold a fleece jacket, running shoes or hiking boots. If I expect cold or rain I keep a jacket handy. For a short run to a bike trail or ski trail I wear the gear with regular shoes. I could drive in XC ski boots or MTB shoes but why bother?

  5. Usually fancy swim trunks a very breathable shirt or tanktop, and sandals.

    My usual issue is being too warm, not too cold, and if I do get too cold I can turn on the heat and actually IMPROVE performance (as far as ICE cars are concerned) instead of worsening performance via turning on the AC.

    1. There are a lot of flip flops in the comments.
      I don’t get it. They are too flippy and floppy for driving.
      They lack a good heel pivot point.
      They ride up and down the toes too loosely.
      The entire sole of them is loose and warbly on the pedals.
      Flip flops almost seem unsafe to drive in.
      (Florida woman crashes car into pharmacy, claims flip flop got caught under brake pedal)

      I enjoy being as close to barefoot as possible most of the time, but flip flops are a terrible solution to the necessity for footwear in public spaces and protection from sharp stuff on the ground.

      Seriously, flip floppers. Pick yourselves up a pair of Minnetonka softsole moccasins.
      You can thank me later.

      1. Flip flops are the best footwear ever invented. I have wide forefeet, and the less pressure on my bunions the better. Easy off/easy on. Perfect ventilation. All your downsides come down to poor fitting flip flops. I have nice fitting ones – currently a stiffer pair with watershoe rubber on the bottom, and a softer pair with a Therm-a-Rest textured top sole.

        I wear running shoes mostly, but flip flops around the house and whenever it’s warm enough outside and I’m not running. For long driving they are an obvious choice.

  6. Jeans(shorts if it’s 80+ for most of the daylight hours), t-shirt, comfy shoes, a fresh shower just before the ride. In the winter I might wear a henly or keep a zip up hoodie in the passenger’s seat. On cannonballs (10 hour plus) I make sure I have a change of socks and a fresh shirt along with tooth brush and deodorant at the top of my bag. You can feel pretty solid after a splash of water on the face, a scrub of your mouth and a shirt/sock change at a rest stop.

  7. Living in the deep south, most of my longer traveling is done in warm weather, so it will be shorts. On the rare occasion that I travel a long distance in the winter, it will be a pair of Duluth Trading jeans and a short sleeve shirt with my coat in easy reach, but I cannot tell you the last time I drove as far north as Cinncy (8 hours from the house) in the winter.

    In both cases, I will wear tennis shoes for my footwear.

  8. Are you really taking a long drive without full black tie attire? If it’s a special drive, you can move up to white tie. If you’re really slumming it, I suppose business attire will do.

  9. Hot weather, shorts, t-shirt. Comfortable weather, jeans, t-shirt. Cold weather, jeans, t-shirt, hoodie. Comfortable tennis shoes whatever the weather. Not really something I give much thought too, same thing I would wear if going to the grocery store, basically depends on outdoor temp, not how long the drive is.

  10. Same as flying: well-worn 5-pocket carpenter pants, newish henley shirt, boots. Unremarkable, comfortable, cops and other bastards assume I’m on their team.

  11. Easy… Public Rec “everyday pants” (basically sweatpants that actually look nice), with some kind of light hoodie, and a pair of Puma Speedcats.

  12. A hoodie and leggings, and I’d wear my most comfy slip on Vessi shoes. Comfy behind the wheel but still socially acceptable when I have to stop for bathroom break/fuel/snacks

  13. Well, I just did 5 days of off-road and trail driving. Probably 6 hours per day in the car on average. My answer is short or jeans and t-shirt. Plus my Danner boots.

  14. I live in the northeast. Summer or winter (unless there’s a raging snowstorm involved) it’s the same: Cargo shorts. I’m over 50 and have little time for shaming on such things – they’re practical as hell for holding stuff. Shorts because wife likes to keep the car too warm for me in the winter, which is even a thing with dual zone. Also likely to be wearing socks and addidas slides (see above comment on shaming). Up top, it’s a hoodie or short sleeve depending on season.

    1. Upvote for cargo shorts. I wear them a lot when I travel seems like there is always more stuff to carry, and the functionality easily overcomes any fashion stigma for me.

    2. 40’s and yeah, I still rock the cargo shorts. . .I figure they will be cool again someday.

      I have also have lived in the northeast my whole life, so it’s shorts year round, weather be damned. My wife from down south, not so much.

  15. Well this is kind of my average day os my work uniform and boots…

    But if it is a recreational thing I just wear whatever clothing is appropriate for where I am going to be… It’s a trip in a car not a trip to space no special gear is required.

  16. I have a Tesla with FSD, so I adorn myself with what I wear on a plane when catching a nap on an 8 hour flight: sleep mask, noise cancelling headphones, and slippers.

    Kidding! I drive an old Camry, and therefore dress for road trips pragmatically: dad sneakers, dad jeans, and a dad-band t-shirt from a concert tour that happened 30 years ago.

  17. AdidasClimacool LS top and longjohns
    Sparco Prime race suit
    OMP Onr XR boots
    Sparco Tide gloves
    Arai GO & SRC helmet
    Sparco RW1 balaclava

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