How to: The Ultimate Guide to Dress “Business Casual”

When you work at home, there is no dress code. The only rule in my office is, well, make sure you put on pants before 9:00a. Otherwise, let the agenda dictate dress. 

Yet, there are still a surprising number of places where I’m invited to dress “business casual.” Actual meetings with real humans (gasp!), conferences and summits, PR parties and events, and general social gatherings and celebration.

And, since I’ve never really had a job where business, uh, regular? is the standard, scaling back from that isn’t always clear.   That’s why I love this guide from The Effortless Gent. It not only seeks to help you figure out how to make the most of “business casual,” but does so by picking ten basic pieces, and helping you assemble seven solid options from the collection. 

Since “business casual” is so open to interpretation, Barron suggests,

Choose a dressier shoe, always. You can’t go wrong with a brown leather wingtip. Experiment with lighter shades like Walnut or Tan. Try colors other than brown, too.

Adding a tie brings your Business Casual outfit up a notch. Since it’s optional with all these variations, try it out when you feel like getting a bit dressier.

White and light blue dress shirts go with everything. Other color options? Lavender, pink, mint green. You can also choose a pattern but keep it subtle for maximum versatility.

Check it out in full at Effortless Gent: The most concise, useful, and informative guide on how to dress “Business Casual”, ever