My Morning Routine
⇾ John Moore,
Outerknown Co-Founder
Waking up early with the stylish, surfing designer
When it comes to stylish sustainability, Outerknown is one of the first brands that comes to mind. Since its debut in 2015, the cool California line—co-founded by pro-surfer Kelly Slater and designer John Moore—had a clear mission to make clothes that looked damn good but also served a real purpose. “Surfers are, by nature, environmentalists,” Moore has famously said. And he's right. An industry vet and surfer in his own right, Moore's cool sense of style and sharp eye for design has helped Outerknown become a go-to brand for guys, whether they know it's sustainable or not. The clothes are relaxed, built to last and feel great on. That in and of itself is a smart way to reduce waste. We got up with early-rising designer of all things coastal cool and found out how he gets it all done in a day and what he uses on those legendary curls.
The Series
Those moments between turning off the alarm and getting into our work routine can be the most defining 60 minutes of our day. Benjamin Franklin set a day's worth of plans by 5 am and Steve Jobs asked a simple question: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" Our rituals are a reflection of us. So we've ventured out to discover how some of our most influential and fruitful peers get started.
My Routine
I’m a bonafide morning person.
I get up with the sun. Typically 5am in the summer and then 6-ish in the winter.
I don’t even need an alarm clock.
It's just not necessary, unless I'm traveling in a different time zone with an early flight.
My nightstand is littered with books.
I've always got a whole lot of titles on there. There's also my glasses, my phone charger and a suede catch-all for whatever is in my pocket.
I don’t make the bed, but ...
It's only because I'm usually sliding out of bed, and trying to make as little noise as possible, so I don't wake-up my partner.
The first thing I look at on my phone? Surfline.
I need to get the surf report, and then I meditate using the Chopra app. I don't look at emails, text or social media until after I meditate. That's kind of a rule I've set myself.
I meditate and exercise, pretty much everyday, without fail.
Most mornings I try to surf, but if I don't have time or the ocean isn't cooperating, I'll stretch and do push-ups and sit-ups instead. My day is always infinitely better if I can get a surf in first thing.
I’m usually greeted by our cat, Neko, before heading out.
I don't usually see anyone else before surfing, so I'll send my partner a text prior to paddling and ask her what I can bring home after—coffee, food, etc.
Advertisement
I like to clear my inbox the night before, so I can start each day fresh.
My work schedule is always hectic, and I don't like beginning my day by catching up on yesterday. Ideally, I try to keep my schedule free until 10 on studio mornings. When I come into the studio inspired, this free time allows me time to capture my thoughts and share them. If something needs fixing, I can brainstorm solutions and get ahead of it with our team.
Coffee is essential.
I do a drip black coffee after I meditate and usually get an oat milk latte with an added shot after surfing. And sometimes another one in early afternoon. I use Peet's Dark Roast beans at home and Blue Bottle on-the-go, but I don't discriminate. I'll take what I can get.
I really don’t eat first thing in the morning. Ever.
Maybe a glass of orange juice early, but I don't eat until later. Usually, some cashew yogurt and berries with maca and flax seed later in the morning, or if I'm traveling eggs and avocado or some other protein. I also carry a lot of healthy snacks in my backpack.
Emails can wait.
I don't mind wrapping up with email at night, but never first thing in the morning. Usually I do emails when I sit at my desk starting my workday.
Physical but also mental fitness is important to me.
I always try to surf, but I find that meditation does something similar for me. Allows me to be totally present, clears the mind and pulls new ideas to the surface for the day ahead. Recently, I was rehabbing a knee injury so surfing wasn't an option and meditating at least twice a day got me through it. A yoga mat and towel is all I need for my morning stretch routine.
For the most part, I like a routine.
But there have been some evolutions over the last few years. Getting more time in the water was a bonus during the pandemic since we were working from home without commute time or school drop offs. Meditating is a relatively new evolution for me. I learned Transcendental Meditation prior to the pandemic, and more recently I've been doing guided meditations.
Advertisement
Grooming is always kept to a bare minimum.
I like to take care of myself but it's all fairly easy. I trim the beard sometimes, but really, it's just about a good shower with quality products and then taming my wild hair.
I shower outside, even through the winter temperatures and rains we’ve been having recently.
It connects me a little more with our natural surroundings. We're lucky to live in a home surrounded by trees in the city, so I'm watching all the crows and squirrels go about their morning business.
Clockwise, from top left
SPF 50 organic sun paste,
$50 by Manda
Curl defining creme,
$31.93 by Bumble & Bumble
Nourishing shampoo,
$22 by John Masters Organics
Costa Rica dark roast coffee,
$19.95 by Peet’s Coffee
Mega-Sporebiotic probiotics,
$39.95 by Micro-Biome Labs
Organic curcumin turmeric,
$20 by NatureWise
Beeswax lip balm,
$9.99 (for a 4-pack) by Burt’s Bees
Mountain Spring deodorant,
$6.29 by Tom's of Maine
SPF 50
organic sun paste,
$50 by Manda
Curl defining
creme, $31.93 by
Bumble & Bumble
Nourishing
shampoo,
$22 by
John Masters
Organics
Beeswax lip balm,
$9.99 (for a 4-pack) by Burt’s Bees
Costa Rica
dark roast coffee,
$19.95 by Peet’s Coffee
Mega-Sporebiotic
probiotics, $39.95
by Micro-Biome Labs
Organic curcumin turmeric,
$20 by NatureWise
Mountain Spring
deodorant, $6.29
by Tom's of Maine
I have a uniform
that works for me.
I wear a lot of Outerknown obviously, and a lot of vintage. I want to look good, but I'm always on the go, so I need rough-and-tumble clothing that's comfortable in any environment. A lot of layers that work wherever the schedule takes me. Usually it's one of Outerknown's blanket shirts over one of our tees and either my vintage Levi's or our Local Selvedge S.E.A. jeans. I go to a lot of work dinners or events so I always add an additional layer in my backpack.
Never leave
home without ...
Never leave home without ...
My backpack filled with extra layers, my laptop, ear pods, water bottle, pencils, sketchbook, etc ... always prepared.
Backpack, $298 by New Life Project x Outerknown
The Daily Valet. is your cheat sheet to what's happening, what's cool and what's making headlines. It's your secret to being the most interesting man in the room.
