Dressing for Work: Business Casual for Men
By far, the most popular Dressing for Work article has been about the power of wearing a blazer. I have just one tiny regret: now I have to wear a blazer all the time, or people call me out – ha!
Although the power of a blazer is applicable to men, it did spark an interesting question among my male colleagues: “How are we [men] supposed to dress for power – when we’re in a casual office environment?”
I turned to Emily Goodin for help. She’s a personal stylist, who specializes in working with men in Nashville and remotely across the US. I know that the idea of a stylist can sound intimidating, but Emily works with “normal” people all the time. You don’t have to be rich or famous; you just have to be someone who wants his style to convey his personal brand. Here’s what she has to say, and make sure that you read to the end for a special offer…
GUYS! Dressing for work in this new, casual workplace environment can be challenging. As a wardrobe stylist, my clients contact me to give them confidence in their choices of what to wear each and every day. How do I accomplish this? Well, there are several tips that I use to help them prepare for every situation.
Wardrobe with authority
If you own a business with a casual vibe, or you’re a manager trying to role model such, how do you be casual and command respect? By being the “best dressed” at the office. This might sound counter-intuitive to the environment you’re trying to create; however, there are ways to wear casual pieces with intent.
If your office allows jeans, chose dark, tailored jeans. If t-shirts are the norm, choose a solid colored crew neck or v-neck tee.
I often suggest that managers or aspiring managers layer their look. Throw a lightweight casual jacket (not a blazer) over a solid tee. Make sure that your shoes are stylish but casual. Athletic shoes or workout shoes do NOT go to the office.
Find a sneaker with some personality and make sure the soles are cleaned regularly (pro tip: Mr. Clean Magic erasers work wonders on white soles). Appropriate boots for the office are styles like chukka boots, Chelsea boots, or dress boots. Unless you’re a singer/songwriter or work in the creative industry in Music City, leave the cowboy boots at home.
Dressing for the big meeting
If you’re heading into a staff meeting, presentation, or meeting with a client, step up your wardrobe game that day. Perhaps choose a button-up and casual blazer to pair with your dark jeans. No ties are required, but a blazer in a casual environment will command respect and show you put in some effort.
Traditional business casual
If traditional is still in your office’s genes, you might fall into the “dressing up-down” category. You’re not required to wear a suit, but jeans and sneakers aren’t appropriate. For these professionals, try colored, flat front pants. Break out of the pleated khakis and polos!
Colored pants with a coordinating button-up will show that you pay attention to detail. A modern take on the Oxford shoe is perfect for business casual. Instead of a brown or black shoe, try a navy or grey. You will be surprised at how many outfits coordinate with these colors!
There are several brands that I lean on for traditional business casual men; Bonobos and AG are two of my go-tos.
Fit is important
Fellas, I know that you think you wear one size in all brands and many, many years of life, but… you don’t. Sometimes size also varies by brand. A 36 in one brand might be a 38 in another. Try on your clothes before you leave the store.
And no matter what your waistline says, tailored or slim fit is better for ALL. “How can this be?” you say? Because it’s the FIT that matters.
A pair of pants or jeans should fit your backside. If they don’t, it is either the style/fit you’ve chosen (often “straight leg” or “relaxed fit” is the culprit), or you need the pants altered by a seamstress. Taking your clothes to a seamstress for altering is a small step that has impactful results. Tailoring is key!
I tell my clients all of the time… a factory producing clothes does not have YOUR body in the factory to build that garment to your measurements. So, often the piece of clothing just needs a tweak to make it fit perfectly to your body shape!
Once I shop for my clients, I often schedule my fittings at a seamstress’s studio so that if there are tweaks to be made, the seamstress or tailor is there to pin it on site. For my clients who prefer fittings in their home or office, I simply pull out my pin cushion and pin them on site, then they take them in for alterations.
Need more specific help?
Men most often come to me for three reasons:
Life change. You recently lost weight, are newly single, have a new career or position.
No time. You don’t have the time to shop or think about putting together outfits.
Know that this isn’t your area of expertise. You know that you don’t know a lot about style (and you’re okay with that!). But you still want to look “put together,” so you outsource.
Do any of these situations fit you? Most men fit into at least one of those scenarios, but many have never used a wardrobe stylist. Here are a few examples of services…
Closet Audit. We get in your closet! You end the session with three, clean piles: toss/donate, keep, and alter. I handle your donations and take your alterations to a seamstress to mend or tailor.
Personal Shopping. I meet with you for a consultation to discuss your career, hobbies, and lifestyle, plus color and style preferences. We set a budget and then I go shopping! I bring options to you for a fitting, and together we choose the best pieces for your body. The shopping service can be for a special event, for work, or for a full closet overhaul!
Styling Services. I put together outfit combinations from your current wardrobe (clothes, shoes and accessories) and take pictures of the options and upload to an online closet.
As a Father’s Day gift (whether you’re actually a father or not), I’m excited to offer $200 off the Personal Shopping package for the month of June. Email me at egoodin@effortlesstyle.com, and mention this article.
We will get to work on elevating your look, how others perceive you, and most importantly: how you perceive yourself.
Images from Levi’s, Black Men’s Dossier, and Effortless Style
