The Modern Day Guide to Men's Business Casual

The days when "business attire" meant wearing a full suit to work are behind us, and what’s emerged in its place is “business casual.” But what exactly does that mean, and why is it often thought of as such a grey area in men’s fashion? 

As the landscape of menswear is ever-changing, it can be hard to keep up with trends while deciphering what is acceptable to wear to work vs. what isn’t. To help the modern-day man, we’ve put together our guide to business casual. But remember, when it’s time for you to put your own business casual look together, always keep in mind that the look must be professional over anything else: clean, crisp, with no holes or rips - unless you are an artist or rockstar.

Consider your work setting to ensure an appropriate business casual look. Do you work in tech, where you’re surrounded by men in hoodies? Do you work in finance, where you’re surrounded by men in suits? Do you work in fashion, where you’re surrounded by men donning the latest designer pieces? Do you work in the art world, surrounded by people in head-to-toe black? Do you typically have important meetings every week which require you to be more formally dressed? What do your colleagues often wear to work? Taking all these elements into account is essential, as it allows you to set guidelines for yourself when dressing. This helps sharpen the grey area business casual often lives in and helps establish how professional you may or may not have to dress. 

At Well-Guided Style, we believe you should always dress for the life you want. Consider your colleagues' attire and take it up a notch. Think about how you want to be perceived and how you can show it in your look. You should aim to show your personality through your style in a professional, appropriate way. Your appearance may not determine what you are capable of, but others will perceive your capabilities by the way you look regardless.  You have a sense of what is and isn’t ok to wear to the office, so stick to that realm. So, what exactly should you wear? 

Regardless if you need to wear a suit to work every day or not, every man should invest in a modern suit that is perfectly tailored to his body. This is the suit you will wear for interviews, important meetings, weddings, speaking engagements, and special dates. We recommend a basic navy or grey suit, as those colors are versatile, seasonless, and can be mixed and matched with different color shirts, sweaters, and ties. Look for a modern suit with a soft shoulder, high armholes, and a slim lapel. The jacket should be tapered at the waist and cropped. Today's modern suit is much more versatile than your dad's boxy suit and the proportions of this suit will be the foundation for your business casual looks. 

Now let’s deconstruct this suit and create a few looks for “business casual” days.  Lose the jacket, and throw on a zip-up sweater, there’s a look. Lose the tie and sweater, and there is a look. Now lose the dress shirt and try a crisp t-shirt with your suit, and there’s another look. Polish off your appearance with a belt in the same color leather as your shoes.

Are you able to push the creative boundaries at work? Consider adding layers.  Pair a hoodie with a crisp blazer to amplify the look. Know that you can wear jeans to the office? Do it, but pair it with a clean button-down and a sport coat to up-level your appearance. Love wearing tennis shoes? Do it, but make sure they’re clean and work appropriate. Always feel free to soak up the “casual” aspect of business casual, but make sure it’s professional and appropriate, and you won’t go wrong.