Don't be the guy who shows up looking disheveled and sloppy..."business casual" isn't code for "wear whatever you want".
The simplest way to adhere to said dress code is to think “contrasting suit”. Just about any sport jacket with complementing solid trousers will do. It’s too easy to pull a pair of grey trousers from one of your suits and a navy jacket.
Try to stay away from jeans, pulling off denim is not for a novice. A pair of jeans needs to be cut perfectly to compliment a sport jacket. You don’t want to run the risk of looking like a soccer dad rushing to a son’s game from the office. Trust me, no one wants to be caught dead in a pair of “dad jeans”.
Here, I am wearing a double breasted sport jacket, trousers and loafers all by Ralph Lauren.
Acceptable
- Any appropriately tailored sport jacket with contrasting but complimenting trousers
- A suit…ditch the tie
- Solid Button down collar dress shirt
- Any solid dress shirt with no tie
Unacceptable
- Any kind of Hawaiian or island shirt (REALLY?)
- A polo shirt with your favorite sports team’s logo on it…sorry, not your Alma Mater either
- Performance golf shirt or polo (you know what….no polo’s they are typically cut poorly and look strange tucked in)
- Short sleeved dress shirt (YIKES!)
- Some kind of “going out shirt”
- Wrinkled/washed chinos (these are for the beach/vacation)
- Baggy jeans (just stay away from denim as previously warned)
- Gym shoes (key word here is GYM)
- Sandals or flip flops (you are grown man…you know why!)
I am afraid these are the basic rules of engagement; make your life easier and adhere. In sum, if you find yourself asking “can I get away with this?” you probably shouldn’t wear it. You should not have to “get away” with anything.
