There are many ways to be worried about your job. From pay to coworkers, there are several factors to think about when it comes to your job. Surprisingly, one such issue that many people have had issue with is what to
wear in a business casual setting.
Business casual sounds different to all sorts of people. So which one is right? Well, you don’t need to worry at all. This article can help men figure out the age old question to the business casual mystery. Clothes should not be a challenging thing to deal with. Therefore, everything below is the ultimate guide to business casual for men. Let’s get started!
What is Business Casual?
What do you think of when you think of business casual? Does that count jeans? What about vests? Do you need to wear a tie? There are so many factors to consider.
Business wear has changed drastically overtime. A century ago, everyone was wearing suits and ties. Now, the business world has made some changes to the dress code. However, that does depend on the company so it will vary from business to business.
What you need to do first is figure out what you business’ dress code is. Once that is solved you can think about what clothes would be appropriate for work.
Here is a guide to know what is more casual and what is less casual.
More Casual
- Casual Jackets
- Solid Colored T-Shirts
- Denim Pants can be Allowed
- Clean Sneakers
In the Middle
- Sports Jacket
- A Suit that Matches for Important Events
- Ties can be Optional
- Polos
- Denim can be Allowed (Like Casual Friday)
More Business
- Matching Suit Allowed
- Ties would be Invigorated
- A Sports Coat with Pants
- Avoid Denim
- Avoid Sneakers
A good way to figure out what to wear at your job is to pay attention to what the other employees are wearing. That will provide insight into what clothes you should have for the job. If anything, you can also ask your employers or someone like HR. It does help that when you speak to these people that you also ask what is not allowed on the job.
What is Too Casual?
You don’t need to be a fashion mastermind to know what is considered too casual. Instead, you men out there just need to understand the basic principles of fashion. Luckily, from experience and growing up, there should be times where you learned what is considered more casual and what is more business.
A good rule to follow is that the more clothing has, the more casual it is. For instance, a shirt with graphics and patterns on it is more casual than a normal shirt that is just a single color.
Same thing with pants. A normal pair of slacks is good for business, but if it has purposely-made holes or extra pockets, then it leans toward casual.
In fact, even more color can seem more casual. In the business setting, consider the neutral colors if you wish to present yourself as professional. These colors include:
- White
- Black
- Brown
- Gray
- A Dark Green like Olive
- A Dark Blue like Navy Blue
You may also be someone who enjoys the current trends for clothes. While those are fine for outings with friends or just clothes while you are out and about, avoid them for work. Your business is not interested in your Hawaiian shirts and other trendy clothes.
What Should Be In Your Business Wardrobe?
So you know what business casual is. You know what kinds of clothes to avoid, now you need what clothes
you need!
Now, ask yourself just one question:
How often do you do laundry? This is important because your clothes can determine how you clean them as well. A good tip for men is to have at least two weeks worth of clothes. You want enough for the week and of course you need extra in case of emergencies or accidents.
On average, people do their laundry once a week. In that case you want:
- 1-2 Coats
- 2 Jackets (Formal and Casual)
- Around 10 Tops
- At least a couple of Sweaters
- 5 Pants
- A Weeks-Worth of Underwear and Socks
- 2 Pairs of Leather Shoes
- At least 1 Pair of Sneakers
Here some tips regarding these clothes:
- You want different items of clothing so you don’t wear the same thing in the row.
- We all groan at the thought of laundry. That is why it is good to have extra clothes so you have something to wear.
- Accessories are purely optional. Make sure they are not distracting, but accessories are good because it tells others what your flair is and who you are.
- The wardrobe above is good for all year long.
- Work with neutral colors first when you pick them out.
What Clothes To Wear
Below is the list of clothes that you need. It will go in order from casual to business.
Coats
Trench (Casual)
Mac (Both)
Single Breasted Overcoat (More Business)
Double Breasted Overcoat (Business)
Jacket
Denim Jackets (More Casual)
Field Jackets (Casual)
Minimal Leather Jacket (Both)
Peacoat (Both)
Patterned/Solid Single Breasted Sports Coat (More Business)
Double Breasted Sports Coat (Business)
Shirts
Solid T-Shirt (More Casual)
Polo (Both)
Button-Up Shirt (Both and Business)
Sweater
Sweatshirt (More Casual)
Shawl Collar (Both)
Cardigan/Turtleneck (Both and Business)
Pants
Solid Denim (Casual)
Drawstring Trousers (Casual)
Chinos (Both)
Cotton Pants (Business)
Wool Pants (Business)
Shoes
Work Boots/Boat Shoes/ Sneakers (Casual)
Driving Shoes (Less Casual)
Lace-Up Boots/Loafers (Both)
Wingtips (More Business)
Monkstraps/Oxfords (Business)
Conclusion
That really all there is to the business casual guide for men. It is now up to you to put it together. If fashion is still an issue, talk to friends, family, colleagues, and look online for resources.
With all of this info at your fingertips, you can now have the best business casual wear of the office!
