There are some dress codes that are easy to get right such as black tie. Business casual is not one of them. It’s an important dress code to get right, especially with the decline of the business suit.
For many men, business casual means a polo shirt, beige chinos and casual footwear such as boat shoes. Whilst this look may be great on the golf course for a Saturday tee off with the boss, it’s not ideal for the office.
It’s time to step your business casual attire up a notch. It’s time to dress for business and not for casual. Business casual means something less formal than a suit and tie, not a casual outfit that looks vaguely presentable. So what should you wear?
The first part of the business casual wardrobe to sort out is shirts. Go for formal shirts like you would with a suit, though feel free to add more patterns and less formal collar types such as the button down collar. Polo shirts should be avoided at all costs.
The shirts can be worn with either an open collar or a less formal tie such as the knitted variety. If going tieless, make you sure you undo the top two buttons of the shirt and avoid showing you undershirt. Buttoning all of the buttons when not wearing a tie can look rather affected and only buttoning one is too uptight and stuffy.
The next area is trousers. This is an area to let you personality show, so feel free to inject some colour. Fit is very important, so make sure the trousers just cover your socks and no more. Avoid the temptation to buy suit separates trousers and instead opt for trousers made from cottons and wools. Avoid pleats to keep your look slick and modern.
Obviously not every day is warm enough for just a shirt and trousers, so some form of jacket will be required. Maintain your professional image with a well tailored blazer. A business casual wardrobe could get away with just a couple of basic blazers in a grey and a navy. Avoid metal buttons or loud patterns to make them more versatile and therefore more useable. Patch pockets and subtle patterns such as herringbone or a light tweed are a great way to relax the formality. Avoid wearing jackets meant for suits as this will be fairly obviously and look out of place.
Shoes are one of the most important areas of the business casual wardrobe. Avoid both ends of the formality spectrum; say no to closed lace black cap toes and avoid trainers and boat shoes. Instead go for suede brogues or chukka boots or a brown leather Chelsea boot. Invest in shoes and expect to spend upwards of $400 per pair, it’s the best style investment you’ll make.
Accessories are an afterthought to many but make or break an outfit. With business casual, keep them to a minimum. If you have double cuff shirts, which work fine casually as long as a jacket is worn, cufflinks will be needed.
Keep them simple with a solid metal such as Sterling silver. Pocket squares should not be left out and work well with patch pockets. Opt for a patterned silk square that contrasts and adds colour your outfit. Bright and heavily patterned socks are another a great way to add more colour. Finally, don’t forgot about the belt. It should be a similar colour to your shoes but the match does not need to be exact.