How to dress business casual?
So I have to go to a conference thing next week. I don’t dress up ever — didn’t even wear a suit for my wedding. (In my defense, I did dress nicely, just not in a suit.) I’ve been told the dress code is business casual — button-down, blazer optional, nice shirt with jeans is okay.
I’ve collected a few decent clothing items over the past umpteen years, especially recently as we’re getting on more towards funeral age, but I don’t know how to wear them. Help!
I have:
* Light blue checked shirt
* Gray larger-checked shirt
* Dark blue less-formal large-checked shirt (not flannel, but a softer fabric)
* Grey/green very wrinkled shirt with a different hemline (straight rather than curved)
One blazer, gray. I don’t know for sure that it fits — I don’t know how to tell. I also don’t know if you ever button blazers. Do you?
One pair of very dark gray/light black pants that I assume are business pants — I think they’re these, gotten majorly on sale: https://www.ministryofsupply.com/products/mens-kinetic-tapered-pant
Plenty of pairs of jeans, blue, black, or gray
Shoes:
One pair of these, dark gray: https://yoursole.com/us/shop/footwear/jasper-chukka/darkgrey/10 (My wife thinks they’re too busy with all the other colors I have going on, but she could be wrong)
One pair of black leather North Face shoes with gold laces and white soles
One pair of these, in canteen: https://obozfootwear.com/en-us/product/mens-bozeman-low-leather
The conference is four days long. I want to only bring one bag. I would prefer to not embarrass myself or my company. What should I do?
(Oh, and do you tuck in nice shirts? Or leave them untucked? What if you’re wearing them with a blazer too?)
Thank you so much for any help. I am so clueless here!
P.S. The conference is next week but I could go shopping this weekend if there’s something I really need. But if there is, please be really specific so I know what to ask for at the store. Did I mention that I’m bad at this?
SOLE
Jasper Chukka - SOLE
The Jasper Chukka offers everyday casual comfort. It's soft, lightweight and breathable. Featuring premium quality, innovative materials including the first ever ReCORK Recycled Cork midsole.Best for Everyday wear, strolls, apres-anything, campsite slippers, travel and around the house.Soft, supple upper With no rigid structural elements, the up...
Oboz Footwear
Oboz Men's Bozeman Low Leather Casual Shoe
The Oboz Bozeman Low Leather is ready to take on a lunch time hike on the Highland Glen Trail or any last-minute errands around town. The Bozeman Low Leather has classic mountain-town good looks and a construction that provides all-day comfort and performance.
39 Replies
Oh, I forgot to actually add photos, sigh
Tuck the shirt in and I'd wear brown or black leather shoes personally
Blazer is a personal choice but all of the fits with the shirt tucked in I think are fine for business casual
Yeah, I would say the shoes are bad, but everything else is fine.
It sounds like jeans are acceptable too. You can probably wear those shirts and blazer with a pair of jeans.
Yeah, I stopped having brown or black leather shoes about a decade ago because I never used them.
A decent pair of leather shoes would probably be the biggest improvement you could make. If you are willing to consider that, what's your budget?
In the "leather" category I have hiking boots and a decade old pair of MBTs
if you're only going for four days you can probably survive on one pair of jeans and one pair of non-jeans, just rotate the pants
It's geeks so I was thinking shoes would be low-key irrelevant in that crowd, but my CEO is also goingn to be there....
BTW, the straight hemline on the shirt indicates it's intended to be worn untucked.
Thanks! Invaluable and something I've really never needed to know.
I'd spring for shoes if I thought I'd ever wear them again. I suspect a lot of these folks will be dressing up from "normal" as well.
Not saying that isn't a good recommendation, I'm just hoping that I can skip it for now until I have time to shop properly for them.
Pretty sure the last time I had to travel for work was pre-pandemic and a giant conference, where people have absolutely no fashion sense, so it's hard to look worse than average.
I have a pair of those Oboz shoes, btw. They are probably fine with jeans and a collared shirt. I personally wouldn't wear them with a blazer, tho.
I wouldn't wear any of those shoes with a blazer tho
re blazer fit those aren't the greatest pictures to tell but are you able to fasten the top button and feel comfortable in the suit?
But, as you said, it's not like the fashion police are going to be there.
or you could take a picture like that^ to check
The blazer was more of a "I have this, when would I wear it?" / "Should I wear it?"
I also have a NAU raincoat that I could wear over things while traveling.
Yeah, post a fit check pic for the blazer
I'll see if I can snag my wife again for another round.
Well, see if you can button it comfortably (top button only). If you can, it's probably fine.
😂 ok, so I didn't even need to take a pic. I think even I can tell that doesn't work. Was a medium on closeout that I thought might work (most of my stuff is L).
Stuff you wear at home doesn't have to fit well, but a blazer is another ball of wax. I'll probably donate it then, maybe somebody smaller can make use out of it.
It was like tying a rubber band around my waist.
okay then. 🙂
Though this looks on the tight side as well (from the web). But I think there was a distinct crease line on mine.
you can't really tell from that pic because of hands in pockets
Given the clash w/ the shoes (which I am unlikely to source in time), it seems sensible to skip the blazer altogether and KISS.
Thanks everybody for your comments and insights! I'll skip the blazer, pack a neat raincoat (hello Seattle!) and call it good. Fingers crossed this is a one-time thing. Some of us basement dwellers like it here.
no lie i think that's ai lol
That is the world we live in today, sadly.
only other thing would be maybe bring a sweater (probably navy). helps in cooler weather plus it can read as more formal sometimes
Thanks, I should be indoors mostly, but will be trying to eat outside whenever possible.
for a four-day work trip idt we need to get into the minutia of blazer fit
Yup. Was most of a curiosity of "how to blazer?" and if "usually buttoned" is the answer, then the answer is "no" in this case.
Definitely one of those ... aspirational purchases.
If you want to experiment with blazers, you can get them cheap secondhand on eBay.
You can wear it unbuttoned nbd
not so much "want" so much as it seemed like something I should have at some point.
It wasn't a planned purchase so much
let the mood strike you when it strikes you
sounds more like the shoes and the blazer would be sending mixed messages
a suit you should have in case you're called upon for a funeral
yes
leather shoes would make more sense with a/the blazer if you're packing it
Last shoes I had in that vein were either something like this: https://us.mbt.com/men-s-kech-brown-703018-22n.html or some brown suede-looking Rockport loafers.
I like the all grey combo. I highly recommend getting some leather shoes - if you don't like formal wear you can get loafers or even boat shoes. Of course leather shoes need some wearing in but they become quite comfortable!