Weirdly, one of the most confusing directions we can be given in fashion is the idea of “business casual”. Sometimes it means button up and chinos, sometimes it means jeans and a polo. For someone who wears a full suit to the office everyday, getting the opportunity to dress things down a bit can be very welcomed. However, you don’t want to overdo it and show up looking sloppy. Essentially, you always want to make things your own. Don’t just grab the typical things that every other guy will be wearing, or if you do, try your best to style them in a way that’s different. Here’s what I did…
My advice is to go for the dressier or edgier side of things to keep yourself safe, however, I also took some liberties with today’s look, so we’ll discuss where you might want to switch it up.
I started off by layering my patterned button up with this cashmere sweater from Sharply. It’s a perfect look to keep you comfortable in mostly any weather. Obviously if it’s freezing you’ll want to wear a coat, but a couple of layers is great once your inside. You can wear a sweater like this over a shirt and tie, on it’s own or over a t-shirt (which isn’t my favorite move, but it can work). I carried my jacket in case I needed it later in the evening.
I wore black jeans, because I think a good pair can be interchangeable with chinos or slacks, but if you’re going to an event that’s slightly more formal, I’d avoid denim.
I also wore sneakers because I like to stay on the edgier, more comfortable side of things but if you’re wearing chinos, I’d recommend boots over dress shoes. After all, the whole idea behind business casual is to wear something different than you wear everyday at work. Also, sneakers are more acceptable than ever before. Don’t be afraid to be a trendsetter with a pair that are naturally a bit more dressy and classy.
It all started with the Sharply sweater, so be sure to check out their stuff for totally elevated basics.
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