Understanding Business Attire for Men
Your best success will come when you dress the part. Business attire for men can range from traditional and formal, to smart casual, business casual, and even casual. However, even in a casual business attire environment, executives usually dress slightly more formally in business casual attire. The saying goes, dress for the job you want, not the job that you have. How you dress sends messages about you to customers, clients, coworkers, and company executives. Make sure that you know everything you need to know about proper and expected business attire for your workplace.
traditional business attire
Traditional business attire means one thing, matched suits. For an office with a traditional business attire dress code, it’s best to err on the side of formality and wear a dark, solid-colored or pinstriped suit. Pair the suit with a white dress shirt, a conservative tie, and leather dress shoes. Accessories can include leather briefcases and portfolios.
Small casual Business Attire
Perhaps the most common business attire for men is business casual attire. This dress code consists of either khakis, dress, or Dockers-type pants. Pants should be paired with button-down shirts or golf-type shirts with collars. Either type of shirt can be worn with sweaters or vests. Occasionally, you might add an informal jacket and tie to the ensemble. In general, if you are unsure, it is better to arrive wearing a jacket and tie and then taking one or both off if you find yourself too overdressed. It is much harder to dress up a plain shirt. As with the previous dress codes, this one should be worn with attractive leather shoes and accessories. It hasn’t been mentioned before, but for all of the business attire levels, socks should match the trousers.
Casual Business Attire
The most casual business dress code consists of casual pants or jeans, paired with shirts that may or may not have collars. As with the business casual attire, shirts can be worn with both sweaters or vests. Dissimilar to previous business attire dress codes, casual business attire can be worn with casual shoes including athletic wear.
By understanding business attire for men, and following the appropriate guidelines, you can look professional in your workplace. Understand the standard that is expected of you and your position, and then assemble a wardrobe that is both attractive and comfortable. Looking professional at work goes a long way in influencing the impression of your boss, coworkers, and customers about your capabilities and professionalism.
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