Today, it’s become increasingly popular for men to wear a more casual look for the office. But getting this style right isn’t always as straightforward as you might think. 

To help you make the right choices, our master tailors have put together this expert guidance. It focuses on 10 items of clothing that can help you create a stylish business casual look.

To achieve a confident business casual look, you still need to opt for a dress shirt for the office, rather than a polo shirt or even T shirt.

We recommend you mainly go for traditional block colors like white and light blue, and a few alternatives in other colors and subtle patterns, such as pin stripes or gingham checks.

The main thing you want to avoid is something too brash and lively that’s more suitable for an evening event.

It’s also important to get the fit of your shirt right. Slim fit remains very popular at the moment. But if that’s not a good choice for your body shape, don’t go for it.

Choose a regular or relaxed fit instead. Or even better, think about having some made to measure shirts created for you that fit your unique shape perfectly. They’re always a sound investment.

Finally, if you’re not going to wear a necktie with your shirt, only unbutton one or two of your buttons at the top.

Too much skin or chest hair is not what the business casual look is all about.

When it comes to business casual pants, you mainly need to be looking at formal suit trousers or chinos.

In terms of color, we think you can be a little bit more expressive than usual. So, sure, navies and grays are fine, but also feel free to go for warmer shades, such as tan, sage or plum, or whatever you fancy.

Overall, the most important thing is that your dress pants or chinos fit you well. This means:

• Your waistband sits at a mid-to-high hip level (just below your belly button)
• The waist is snug enough for your pants to sit at the appropriate height without a belt
• The crotch area of your pants shouldn’t be too roomy or tight
• The seat of your pants (around your bum) isn’t saggy or too tight
• Your pants don’t crease too much around your ankles

Contrary to some online guidance about wearing business casual, we do think you can get away with wearing jeans for the office with a dress shirt.

However, we definitely think they should be black, dark navy or dark grey (never a mid or light blue).

Also, a good fit is essential once again, which is why it’s definitely worth asking about the bespoke jean service offered at HKT.

If you work in an office, it’s more than likely you’ve already got the shoes you need for your business casual look.

Certainly, traditional black or brown brogues, an Oxford shoe with a closed lacing panel, or a Derby shoe with open lacing are a good choice.

But what you can also go for to dress things down a little are a slip-on Chelsea boot, lace-up dress boot or even a leather or suede loafer.

However, if you do decide to go for a loafer, please remember that this is edging towards a completely casual look, so use them carefully.

Maybe with a pair of chinos if you’re going into the office on a Friday, or for a meeting you know is going to be super relaxed.

Most importantly of all, though, look after your shoes. Even when you’re going for a business casual look, make sure they’re polished and pristine.

Remember, many people make shoe contact before they make eye contact with a person.

Business casual doesn’t mean you need to ditch your suits completely. And in fact, wearing a suit jacket and pants may still be something that’s expected at your work or a business you’re visiting.

What we’d say at HKT is don’t go for anything too traditional or stuffy. Embrace different colors to navies, grays and blacks. Also look at checks, pinstripes and plaids. Although avoid anything too loud.

A lot of the time, achieving a good business casual look with a suit is about how you wear your suit and what you accessorise it with. Our top tips include:

• Avoid buttoning up your jacket
• Don’t wear a tie
• Wear a shirt that isn’t white or light blue – experiment with color and subtle patterns
• Wear a brightly colored or patterned pocket square
• Wear colored socks that contrast with the color of your suit

Another option is to simply come to HKT and discuss the look you’re trying to achieve. We can then show you hundreds of exquisite cloths and styles that are perfect for looking dapper but not too formal.

If anything shouts business casual, it’s a well-fitted sports jacket or blazer with a dress shirt.

Pair these with some dress trousers, chinos or dark-colored jeans and you’ve got a truly sophisticated look that’s fresh, modern and not too formal.

So definitely think about adding some bespoke blazers, tweed sports coats and corduroy jackets to your wardrobe if you want to keep ticking all the business casual boxes.

In terms of color, it’s definitely worth having some gray and dark blue jackets, but you could also see how greens, browns and light blues look on you.

One business casual look we particularly like is a jacket and pants that subtly contrast with each other. For example, a dark green jacket works really well with grey trousers, and a camel-colored jacket can work exceptionally well with dark blue pants.

We also recommend that your blazer or jacket is fully or half-lined and has some decent structure to it so a strong silhouette is created when you wear it.

You definitely don’t want something flimsy that’ll make you look sloppy and overly casual in the office.

The right type of sweater or cardigan can look great as part of a business casual outfit.

You just need to remember to not go for anything too relaxed. Chunky knits and bold patterns are definitely not the right choice for the office.

Instead, pick a lightweight turtleneck, V-neck or cardigan in merino wool or a wool-cashmere blend and pair it with a dress shirt. This can look superb with or without a jacket.

In terms of color, definitely go with something solid rather than busy. But this color doesn’t have to be conventional at all.

An orange, yellow or red sweater looks great matched with some navy trousers and a light-colored shirt underneath.

Or how about a smart gray cardigan with a pin-striped shirt and necktie? That’s a pretty formal look that’s completely softened by the cardigan and moves nicely into the world of business casual.

When you’re looking to create a business casual look, you certainly don’t need to wear a tie.

And in fact, many people would think that the whole idea of being more casual in an office involves leaving your tie at home.

In many ways, we agree with this. But if your look is edging towards casual more than business (you’re wearing a cardigan instead of a jacket, or chinos instead of dress pants), then it’s probably still worth wearing a neck tie.

Why? Because this staple of the office can instantly make your outfit look more formal and help to unify it as well.

For example, if the overall color of your tie, or a color within the pattern of it, matches the color of your cardigan, then your whole appearance becomes more harmonised and you reach a higher level of style.

The safe bet for a business casual look is an all-leather or canvas-leather bag in black or brown.

In terms of style, you want something that’s classic looking and has clean lines. So a satchel, portfolio, flap-top briefcase or messenger bag are what we’d recommend.

Controversially for some, we also think a backpack is acceptable for a business casual outfit too. But what we don’t mean is the type of backpack you can buy from a sports store.

We’re talking about an elegant backpack in black or brown leather that’s minimal and doesn’t draw too much attention to itself.

This advice applies to all your outfits, not just your business casual attire, and that is your leather belt, watchstrap and shoes should all match.

So if you’re wearing brown leather brogues, make sure your leather belt and watchstrap are brown too, rather than black or another color or material.

Paying close attention to these details will help you move your style level up a notch and harmonise your whole outfit.

In terms of style for your belt, you don’t really have too many options. Simply go for a thin belt that’s either plain or braided and features a traditional frame-style buckle.

Certainly avoid a belt that’s overly wide or features a plate-style or large box-out buckle, as these can look too casual and unbalance your look. They’re much more suitable for blue jeans at a weekend.

Pocket squares are brilliant for adding a dash of color to your business casual outfit, and instead of making you look more formal, they can actually help to dress it down a little.

If you decide you’d like to wear a square in the pocket of your suit jacket or blazer, make sure it’s a contrasting colour so it really pops.

Also, if you’re going to wear a tie, consider how your pocket square could complement it.

One way you can do this is by first finding a patterned pocket square that contrasts with your jacket. Then find a tie that picks up on one of the colours in your pocket square.

Or, alternatively, find a striped or patterned tie that works with your jacket, and then find a pocket square that picks up on a colour in your tie.

Overall, try to be bold and playful with your pocket square if the rest of your casual business look seems quite formal. Or go for a more traditional square if your outfit is already looking quite casual.

This guidance is also something you could follow with your socks, which could also be used to complement your tie and pocket square.

So there you have it, our 10 top tips to follow for a great casual business look. We hope it inspires you and helps you make the right choices for when you next head to the office.

But if you’re still unsure about what you need in your wardrobe and would like some expert guidance, please use the link below to book a style consultation at HKT.

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