What to wear for 4.5 mile commute? General commuting tips?

[Crankin]

In the city, (Boston, Cambridge) most people are commuting wearing regular clothes, or casual cycling clothes. Here, almost everyone is in lycra, I'd say 90%. And, there is a large number of commuters. I'd say some of this is because the commuters in the suburbs have a longer commute... some of them up to 20 miles, even if it's suburb to suburb.
Personally, I cannot stand the feeling of riding in any type of regular clothing. I sweat really easily. Even when I had my 6.5 mile commute, I'd be drenched when I arrived. So, showering before the commute was OK, but I would have to do a serious clean up when I got there. The thought of being in sweaty clothes all day, yuck.

[Eden]

I'd say here it's probably a 50/50 mix of commuters who wear lycra and those who wear more casual clothes. I don't see to, to many people who commute in their actual office duds, just because it's hilly and you do sweat and our weather can be a bit unpredictable... I do see a few especially if the weather is nice. If they are young twenty somethings with white shirts and ties on, I usually think they are Mormon missionaries before I think officer worker though...

We also have a large number of racing teams and a lot of us also commute. I commute in my race kit. I'd have to be too restrained to not get to work sweaty and dirty... I do have a locker room, towels and showers available to me at work, so I don't have to worry about anything. If I'm doing really short errand running or towing my trailer I'll usually dress casual.

[GLC1968]

My commute is only 6 miles but I don't wear office clothes even though our office is fairly casual and our weather is mild. It's just too tough on the clothing and I frankly don't find it comfortable. I often wear a skort for my commute so I feel a little less exposed when walking around the building before I've changed. And I carry my lunch and my clothes in my panniers, so I don't have to 'plan ahead' at all. I keep extra underwear, shoes, toiletries and a towel at my desk so I don't have to carry that stuff.

Showering at home and driving to work costs me about the same amount of time as biking to work and then showering there...so it's a fairly even trade. I just hate that there are things I've committed to doing that keep me from biking to work a couple of days a week. I'd LOVE to get into a daily habit!

[Geonz]

My commute is only 6 miles but I don't wear office clothes even though our office is fairly casual and our weather is mild. It's just too tough on the clothing and I frankly don't find it comfortable. I often wear a skort for my commute so I feel a little less exposed when walking around the building before I've changed. And I carry my lunch and my clothes in my panniers, so I don't have to 'plan ahead' at all. I keep extra underwear, shoes, toiletries and a towel at my desk so I don't have to carry that stuff.

Showering at home and driving to work costs me about the same amount of time as biking to work and then showering there...so it's a fairly even trade. I just hate that there are things I've committed to doing that keep me from biking to work a couple of days a week. I'd LOVE to get into a daily habit!

My direct commute is 6.5 miles. I work at a college so I *could* shower there and now that there's a new athletic center, it's probably not the cold trickle that inspired me to just have washcloth, will travel. I also have baby fine straight hair... so "helmet head" is an improvement 'cause it puts a little wave in... except either that last haircut was different or my post-menopausal hormones are kicking in, but instead of looking like Jackson Browne (DISTRACTION ALERT -- so I google a picture and... he's got a little wave in it! Men must have menopause too...or perhaps we're related ) I'm a little blonder now in the summer, but about the same grey...
If I'm going to ride hard, I bring clothes; if not, I don't. If I change my mind, I go to the bookstore and buy a new outfit I keep spare undies in the bottom drawer.