My commute is far too long to not wear cycling specific gear. When I'm riding around the neighborhood doing errands I ride a fixed gear path racer and wear either jeans or long shorts, but my sit area would be very uncomfortable and anything made of cotton would be soaked, clammy, and weigh me down if I wore the city outfits on my 29 mile r/t commute. As for gloves, I still have scars on my palms from falling gloveless 20 years ago. That road rash took forever to heal. High visibility acid green is de rigueur for riding in dark and twilight with law abiding cyclists being killed here at the rate of once a month by distracted or hostile drivers.