Fashion Faux Pas?

Well now. I'm not averse to fashionista foul ups. How can I be, I cycle to work in lycra for goodness sake! But...

I'm on the train today in a desperate attempt to nurse my overstretched legs back to health in time for the weekends racing. I'm attempting a hilly 10 on Saturday and a 25 on Sunday. Mother's Day lunch looms large afterwards....sorry I digress.

So - today I get to wear a suit, whoopee! This is a rare treat for me. When I travel by train into work I walk about 5 miles to/from stations. To make this walk more pleasurable, I opt for, let's call it appropriate footwear. Appropriate for walking that is, not for suiting. Yup, you guessed it, I wear trainers with my suit.

Someone at work tells me that doing this will ensure a seat all to myself on the train. They asked me where the accompanying can of Special Brew is? Weird. Are suits and trainers such bad bedfellows that only the hardcore drunk and homeless can afford to be seen wearing them? I have to say that although I'm OK stalking the corridors of power with my cycling gear on, I do feel a bit odd sneaking about in my sneakers.

So what do you think? Is it OK to mix sporting goods and formal wear....ever? Should this combo simply be banned, or should I be proud of my new connections to the wider community and to hell with it all?

Snoop