how to dress for a business casual office

We normally keep things pretty casual here on the blog in terms of style scenarios, from how to dress for a rock concert to how to wear your new favorite denim jacket. That focus is changing today, however, with a business-ready #OOTD that’s going to get you ready for a casual-yet-polished day at the office. Think your favorite men’s style essentials, just remixed ever so slightly. That is to say, I think picks like the Taylor Stitch Everyday Blazer — as highlighted below! — are perfect if you’re searching for advice on how to dress for a business casual office. It seems that most offices these days are leaning toward casual — a mix of high-and-low pieces on most days, with things maybe leaning a bit more polished for a big meeting. I know that describes the PR office I’m in right now — maybe you’re in the same boat. The great thing is, the casual pieces you know and love, like a classic Oxford shirt and slim dark denim, can be pulled together in one ensemble to help you take on the day in polished professional style. A company logo polo and beige khakis, this is not. No sir, I hope this suggestion pushes you to look just a bit better than average at the office. What say you? Ready to get to work? I sure hope so.

The right mix of laidback essentials and polished pieces for the office.

The Blazer: Taylor Stitch Telegraph Blazer in Everyday Navy, $348 — Made from comfortable, year-round suiting wool in a tailored fit, the Telegraph Blazer from Taylor Stitch could work any day of the week for you.
The Classic Oxford Shirt: Flint and Tinder Garment-Dyed Oxford, $98— When in doubt, a soft-washed Oxford shirt like this one from Flint and Tinder is the way to go.
The Denim: Taylor Stitch Slim Jean in Cone Mills ’68 Selvage, $145 — Are you sensing a theme here? Your favorite dark denim — I.E. the amazing Taylor Stitch Slim Jeans — are absolutely office-ready this early fall.
The Chukka Boots: Allen Edmonds Montauk Plain Toe Chukka Boots, $325 — Classic suede chukka boots can — and should — be worn whenever you can, especially these refined Allen Edmonds chukka boots. Think of these as a comfortable-yet-casual step up from brown leather dress shoes.
The Belt: Levi’s Premium Leather Icon Belt, $33.99 — Feel free to go a little more casual with the Levi’s Premium Leather Icon Belt — versatile enough to wear on the weekends, too.
The Socks: Little River Sock Mill Textured Herringbone Crew Socks in Cocoa, $22 — Because it’s early fall after all, stylish herringbone socks from Little River Sock Mill provide comfort and seasonal style.
The Watch: BREDA Visser Watch, $90 — With an #OOTD like this, mixing both casual and slightly more refined pieces makes your watch choice easy — the BREDA Visser Watch is a stylish everyday watch fit for work.
The Everyday Carry Essential: Bellroy A5 Work Folio, $199 — For prepping for a client meeting or a monthly presentation, organization is surely key. What if I told you the Bellroy Work Folio could help with all of that while keeping all of your ducks in a row? Good stuff, right?
The Grooming Essential: House99 Purefectly Clean Face Wash, $25 — Your routine for a day at the office should definitely involve a purifying face wash — it helps that this one comes from David Beckham’s new line.
The Finishing Touch: Duke Cannon Solid Cologne in Land, $25 — It’s amazing how one small finishing touch can elevate your look and your confidence — solid cologne from Duke Cannon, a personal favorite, works nicely and leaves you smelling just great.

Alright, my friends — who’s ready to crush that big day at the office? The old mantra “If you look good, you feel good” absolutely applies here. And if you start with timeless menswear essentials like the Telegraph Blazer from Taylor Stitch, you’re well on your way to being the best-dressed guy in a casual office. Picks like a classic men’s Oxford from Flint and Tinder also strike the right balance between laidback and polished — the same can be said for the classic, office-friendly Taylor Stitch Slim Jeans in a rich indigo. The major building blocks of this ensemble are balanced nicely alongside classic suede chukka boots, especially the refined Allen Edmonds Mountauk Plain Toe Chukka Boots. As ever, I urge you step up your accessories ever so slightly for the office — durable, versatile picks like stylish herringbone socks from Little River Sock Mill should play nicely off the Levi’s Premium Leather Icon Belt. Keeping everything for your presentation or meeting organized can be a tall order at times, yet the Bellroy Work Folio should help you accomplish that feat easily — and in style, to say the least. The BREDA Visser Watch is also the perfect timepiece for this ensemble, with an air of casual refinement that’s not too gaudy. I’m also a big proponent of starting your day the right way — Duke Cannon’s Solid Cologne and the House99 face wash as shown above are going to get you out the door in fine fashion. So, what do we think? Will you be incorporating the Telegraph Blazer from Taylor Stitch (and other men’s style essentials) into your next business casual look?

Editor’s note: You’ve surely seen this hashtag lots of different places, including on Instagram. But how does that carry over to real life? The #OOTD series will take one great item and put together a versatile, stylish outfit around it. Look for past features here.

So we’re slowly but surely creeping towards warmer spring weather, at least in NYC. That’s good news if, like yours truly, you were getting sick of the cold (as much as I love layering with rugged winter style staples). As the weather warms up and gets more breezy, you might run into the temptation to shelve your blazer (or your black dress shoes) in favor of more laidback style combos. But you can definitely still nail a sharp business casual look using pieces that are in play the rest of the year — namely, a classic navy blazer with a subtle pattern, plus a sharp white shirt. The below look should be sharp but not stuffy, featuring just enough personality to set you apart from other, less well-dressed fellas. That’s the goal of these things, right? To leave #OOTD suggestions of your own, head over to The Style Guide Facebook page. Stay stylish!

Business-ready spring style with sharp black Oxfords and subtle patterns.

The Blazer: J. Crew Factory Thompson Microdot Blazer, $131.50 — Recognize this blazer? It was first featured in this St. Patrick’s Day style feature, but it works plenty of other times of the year thanks to the subtle variation in pattern.

The Shirt: Paul Fredrick Extra Trim Fit Non-Iron Button-down Dress Shirt, $89.50 — The upscale, dressier answer to a more laidback Oxford-cloth shirt, this piece is part of the brand’s new, slimmer offerings.

The Pocket Square: The Tie Bar Corduroy Dots Pocket Square, $10 — Dots on the blazer and … dots on the pocket square? Yes, indeed — the color and scale are just different enough where it works out, plus the corduroy breaks up the dots on your top half, too.

The Pants: J. Crew Factory Slim Bedford Linen-Cotton Pant, $55.50 — While lightweight khaki chinos can also work here, these pants will serve you well in breezier, warm spring and summer days alike. The slim stripes and light grey color are a nice change of pace, too.

The Shoes: Jack Erwin Noah Quarter Brogue Oxford in Black, $195 — Black shoes can still be worn in spring and summer even when everyone else turns to brown; it makes this outfit all the more sharp sans tie.

The Belt: Tanner Goods Classic Belt, $100 — Just the right mix of casual and formal, this is a go-anywhere belt that works in casual and formal situations.

The Socks: Society Socks in Visionary Blue, $9.20 — Lest this outfit miss out on the sudden arrival of color that is spring, these socks add a definite pop to the get-up.

The Watch: Daniel Wellington Classic Sheffield in Silver, $229 — Daniel Wellington’s watches, while a step up in price from a Timex or another casual watch, provide sharp, versatile style — and in this case, sufficiently dressy looks.

The above ensemble perhaps isn’t the most groundbreaking offering — it does feature a navy blazer, a white dress shirt and black Oxfords, for instance. But that’s where subtle changes in pattern, better quality (in the case of the shoes) and a bit of color — by way of the pocket square and socks — come into play. The black leather watch and belt shown above are timeless staples that’ll work in any outfit across the rest of the year, too. Plus, the shirt should fit nice and trim if you take off that blazer during the course of the day. Now, roll up those sleeves and get work — this new gear won’t pay for itself!

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Tag / how to dress for a business casual office

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