Business Casual?

[TheSiege]

So, as I mention in a earlier post, I applied for a blue collar job and got a management position. Well I have always been blue collar and have absolutely no business casual dress. I have maybe 2 button up shirts. What should I be buying? I won't be interacting with clients, just vendors. I tried googling this and all I got was models. I need shoes, shirts, and jackets. I am hoping I can just use my pants I have now. Thoughts? Where should I go? Etc...

 

[ElFenix]

buy slacks and sport shirts at costco. sturdy black shoes with mid to dark gray slacks. cheap black belt from wherever.

nice tans slacks with a good polo would also work. need brown belt and shoes. lots of people wear polos with grey slacks as well.

khakis with sport shirts is schlubish.

if you're not huge you should get slim fit shirts, or darts put into your shirts. all that excess material that comes on regular size shirts looks terrible on thin people.

 

[Ns1]

- charles tyrwhitt, buy a ton of non iron shirts
- find a vendor that does non-iron pants that you like (i'm asian so that usually defaults to uniqlo)
- ????
- profit

 

[Homerboy]

You should consult their HR department to see what is allowed/expected.

Some business casual allows polos. Others do not.
Some business casual allows (nice) jeans, casual dress shoes and a button down. Others (most) do not.

You are generally going to be safe with khakis (or any color variant of a similar cotton pant) and a button down dress shirt, but you may not need to be that "formal" for their business casual.

Edit: Don't get "non-iron" stuff. It looks and feels like shit. Ironing a pair of Dockers takes 30 secs.

Edit 2: And no god damn pleats in your pants! This isn't the early 90s anymore!

http://www.amazon.com/Dockers-Signa...TF8&qid=1455747493&sr=8-1&keywords=Dockers+D3

 

[dullard]

Banana Republic for Polos. They go on 40% off sale regularly and will be as low as $11 for the normal material and ~$20 for the good material (the name varies over time but it is clearly marked like Luxe-Touch, Signature, etc). Both look about the same, but I really prefer the better material.

Just about any store can give you a few khakis for the polos.

I personally really like Brooks Brothers for button up shirts. I can get any diameter shirt, any collar size, and any sleeve length that way. Otherwise, other shirts from other stores just don't quite fit me. But they are a bit pricey. I get them at their 3 for ~$160 sales.

For dressier pants, you need to go to your local tailor. No reason to spend a lot on ill-fitting pants.

And be prepared for an increase in testosterone and better negotiation powers:
http://www.houstonchronicle.com/loc...e-the-man-and-affect-his-hormones-6602937.php

 

[ImpulsE69]

One thing that may not be apparent. Before you go buying a bunch of stuff online, go try some dress pants on. They DO NOT fit like jeans. Generally you need to go up a size or two depending on your build and what type of jeans you wear.

Also, I'm not sure if it is a cheap vs. expensive thing or not, or simply material, but they tend to shrink faster than jeans, so you may be replacing them more often (it's not because you are getting fatter).

 

[dullard]

Edit 2: And no god damn pleats in your pants! This isn't the early 90s anymore!

This should be repeated over and over again.

 

[Jeeebus]

Banana Republic for Polos.

Where should he buy his flip flops to complete the business casual look?
Business casual is slacks and a button up shirt.

 

[CraKaJaX]

Looks like clothes have been covered....

As for shoes, I highly recommend going to a Clark's store and trying some different pairs on. I have a few pairs and have zero complaints. They look good, feel good, and won't break the bank.

 

[dullard]

Where should he buy his flip flops to complete the business casual look?
Business casual is slacks and a button up shirt.

3 of the first 4 responses here mention polos.

Half of the google links for "business casual" mention polos. I only went through the first few pages of links though.

Maybe polos aren't business causal to you. But they are to many companies. The OP can figure that out at his company on the first day. Wear a button up shirt, and see what is around him.

Business casual is looking professional in any way shape or form, but not going all the way to a suit. A cheap, ill-fitting Walmart polo with a floppy collar and probably sport team on it probably isn't business casual. But a nice one (and I specifically mentioned the signature collection) certainly can be professional.

 

[Ns1]

3 of the first 4 responses here mention polos.

Half of the google links for "business casual" mention polos. I only went through the first few pages of links though.

Maybe polos aren't business causal to you. But they are to many companies. The OP can figure that out at his company on the first day. Wear a button up shirt, and see what is around him.

polo and khakis =

 

[Herr Kutz]

Assuming you have an athletic build...

I like the slim fit polos from express. They fit great for those with an athletic build, the logo is small and classy, they are not too expensive when bought on sale (they're almost always on sale), and there are many colors to choose from.

Do not look at their slim fit button down 1MX shirts. They wrinkle as soon as you look at them.

 

[Imported]

Rockports on Amazon are pretty good value IMO for dress shoes. Easy return if they don't fit.

 

[dullard]

polo and khakis =

Or:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/f9/74/14/f9741448a1117bfb330fe6677ad63dbc.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/32/41/34/3241345aefab3cc94aec5577ff2311ab.jpg

 

[Ns1]

so, guys on their way to a geek squad interview?

Or:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/f9/74/14/f9741448a1117bfb330fe6677ad63dbc.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/32/41/34/3241345aefab3cc94aec5577ff2311ab.jpg

 

[dullard]

so, guys on their way to a geek squad interview?

What part of business casual do you not understand?

It is all about looking professional. If it looks professional, then it can be appropriate.

 

[highland145]

You should consult their HR department to see what is allowed/expected.

Some business casual allows polos. Others do not.
Some business casual allows (nice) jeans, casual dress shoes and a button down. Others (most) do not.

You are generally going to be safe with khakis (or any color variant of a similar cotton pant) and a button down dress shirt, but you may not need to be that "formal" for their business casual.

Edit: Don't get "non-iron" stuff. It looks and feels like shit. Ironing a pair of Dockers takes 30 secs.

Edit 2: And no god damn pleats in your pants! This isn't the early 90s anymore!

http://www.amazon.com/Dockers-Signa...TF8&qid=1455747493&sr=8-1&keywords=Dockers+D3

lol I get iron free Dockers but I iron them anyway after the wash.

And I only get pleats. Hides the imprint of my .38

As mentioned, try them on. I order 3 pairs of the same Dockers that I want and send 2 back because the fit is different on all of them.

Shoes...Sperry's but from an outlet like designer shoe warehouse. We have a local store and it's cheap.

+1 for costco for a quick fix.

 

[Ns1]

What part of business casual do you not understand?

It is all about looking professional. If it looks professional, then it can be appropriate.

what part of "it still makes you look like you work for geek squad" do you not understand?

 

[highland145]

what part of "it still makes you look like you work for geek squad" do you not understand?

The geek part...

 

[kt]

Stop with the khaki nonsense, just go with dress pants. Dress pants look nicer and generally last longer. Dress pants are suitable for occasion where khaki is appropriate but the reverse is not true, so you are getting versatility with dress pants. If you want a more casual look, throw on a nice polo shirt instead of button down shirt.

 

[dullard]

what part of "it still makes you look like you work for geek squad" do you not understand?

If it makes you look like your first photo, then it isn't professional. You need to step it up above that. But a quality polo can still work quite well.

I can post a bunch of non-professional button up shirt photos. Does that mean that button up shirts aren't business casual?

 

[kt]

If it makes you look like your first photo, then it isn't professional. You need to step it up above that. But a quality polo can still work quite well.

I can post a bunch of non-professional button up shirt photos. Does that mean that button up shirts aren't business casual?

Polo shirt says, "I am about to do some grunt work but I want to look nice doing it", to me. And that's a perfect description for the geek squad.

 

[Ns1]

I can post a bunch of non-professional button up shirt photos. Does that mean that button up shirts aren't business casual?

No, it just means the person wearing it is a slob or has gotten off a 18 hour shift as a salaryman.

A person with a neat polo just looks like someone who did their laundry and knows how to use an iron before going to their job at the geek squad.

but please, tell me more about how professional polos look. i think it looks especially professional if you get your company logo plastered on it.

 

[brianmanahan]

all the blue collar managers i know wear jeans and a t-shirt

 

[brianmanahan]

ITT: a bunch of managers expounding their usual drivel about something that makes absolutely no difference in actual business function