Many men seem to struggle in the no-man’s-land of the business casual dress code. When they leave the relative security of the business suit and tie, choices abound and there are a couple of options which, to me, are ridiculous. And what man likes risking ridicule?
The first faux pas is a decent suit worn with an open-necked shirt, the type of shirt expressly-designed to take a tie: not a button-down Oxford or a soft-collared architect’s shirt .
There are several arguments against it, apart from my visceral hatred. Suits were designed to be completed by a shirt/tie combo. If you want to be free of this formality, ditch the suit altogether and wear a more casual jacket with chinos and a casual shirt with a collar that sits well.
- Image via Wikipedia
A suit is a statement of rank and status: losing the tie just makes you into a twat. Finally, you’ll look like you’ve just arrived from an all-night party (OK, maybe you have but don’t show it!). Or like a sleazy adulterer who is not clever enough to cover his tracks. Adultery is fine: the open-necked shirt is a give-away where the socks inside-out are not.
The other utterly prattish combination is a suit jacket and jeans. Cool? Well, you might think so but, to me, it looks like you’ve run out of imagination, dress sense and propriety. Take the jacket to a charity shop for eff’s sake and wear anything else with those jeans: Harrington jacket, denim jacket, velvet or cord jacket, blazer…anything. Except a Barbour jacket.
What most rankles with me about these idle dress combos is the sheer lack of any flair. A man will spend days slavering over car websites and reading car reviews in the Sunday paper on the loo. But seconds over his personal presentation and clothes.
While the Porsche is parked in the basement for the working day, colleagues giggle in undisguised glee over your pinstripe suit jacket, designer jeans, orange socks and pointy toe casual shoes from Paul Smith. With the polyester-mix pink shirt which looks like you washed it with your wife’s red underwear. Hang on a minute, is she having an affair (too)?
Jeremy
WordPress Support for blogs and websites