Nowadays there aren’t many people who know how to dress appropriately when their company adopts a casual dress code, or the famous ‘casual Fridays’. There are those who confuse ‘casual’ with ‘sporty’, in other words, they use clothes more appropriate for a social club than a professional environment
A company’s workers represent its image and, therefore, should dress appropriately for a work environment, passing the image that they respect the place they work in and the people they work with, even when there is no strict or explicit dress code.
There are professions in which there is a great deal more flexibility in the way one dresses, such as, for example, publicity agents, designers, artists, architects, landscape gardeners etc. On the other hand, of course, there are those who work for big institutions, or highly formal and regimented offices or corporations, where there are strict dress codes. In this report, we’ll be looking at Smart Casual.
Trousers
These should have a tailored cut, which means they should be classic and refined. If you opt for jeans, go for a darker pair, without marks, tears or fading, which are a just fit – avoid low waists. Twill trousers are welcome, but preferably the fewer details the better. An important aspect to take into consideration concerning masculine elegance is the length of the trouser legs. The seam must be sewed, never stapled or stuck together with tape.
Shirts
The ideal is long-sleeved shirts, striped or plain, but between the two plain is preferred. Stripy shirts need to be discreet and not at all overly colourful. Another important point is the collar; it should be neither too tight nor too loose.
Polo shirts
These are associated with sporty environments, however, gradually, they have been coming into the workplace as an item of clothing that can be acceptable, as long as a few rules are followed. Use a good quality one, which has a good fit, without many details. Use them with jeans or twill trousers. A nice option, if you want an up to date look, is jeans + polo + blazer; it gives a contemporary and elegant result.
Blazer and jeans
A never-fail double act. This combination (with dark jeans) always goes down well in a professional environment that requires a certain amount of formality in appearances at all times. It gives off an air of professionalism and elegance. At the moment, individually adjusted slim-fits are recommended.
How to match shoes, socks and belt
Ankle-high shoes are recommended over suede moccasins, even if they have rubber outsoles. Also, trainers are a no-no in the workplace (irrespective of how modern they are), as are cowboy boots, caramel coloured footwear and shoes with varnish. Socks should match shoes, or trouser colour-tone – one shade lighter or darker is fine. For belts, keep colours similar to that of the shoes – nut-brown with brown, for example.
Image saboteurs
– Don’t use football shirts or T-shirts with adverts or logos, unless your company expressly requires them
– Overly tight or overly loose clothing
– Always use socks
– Don’t use attention grabbing prints: your professionalism is what counts, not your clothes
– Never use vests, not even at the company barbecue
– Never fold your shirtsleeves over your blazer or jacket
