Men’s Fashion: Dressing in Style for Work
For any modern man, the need to look good is strong. With more style choices and worldwide influences, the ability to express oneself via fashion is easier than ever before. Yet can the same be said for when going to work?
Well these days, many workplaces have a much more relaxed attitude about the need for stringent work attire. No longer do you need to dress in a compliant way, where you match your coworkers with that dull black suit from Monday to Friday. Now, you should have the ability to flex your creative muscles, and create a look that mixes business with your individual personality. For a little inspiration, read on for how to dress in style for work.
Clean and contemporary
If you have a prominent role in a professional office space, you will want to reflect this with a professional appearance. Even though it generally isn’t compulsory to adorn a suit in this day and age, going that extra step means you are radiating an ‘I am here to do business’ attitude. Not to mention that a tailored, eye-catching suit is arguably the most empowering form of clothing you can wear.
As for what suit to go with, there are many options available that will create a clean and contemporary look. You really can’t go wrong with a single breasted suit, as evidenced by the countless movie stars, businessmen and politicians that wear them. That said, there are a few things to try and avoid – such as overly baggy suits or those that feature a garish color scheme/pattern.
While the suit is the main foundation, other aspects need to be brought in to complete the package. After all, and despite the quality of the suit, the wrong shirt could result in a mismatch style that drops the ball despite a promising early run. There are a couple of simple rules to follow when choosing a shirt. If you have a simple suit, pair it with a shirt that adds an opposing vibrancy. If the suit is more dynamic – such as boasting a checked or pinstripe design – go with an understated shirt and tie combination.
Beyond the suit and shirt, you should also place an emphasis on the shoes that will be worn with the outfit. Going with a pair of formal shoes that matches the suit color is always a safe bet, as a misjudged shoe color can easily destroy the overall appearance of a suit. Also don’t forget to add a few eye-catching accessories such as a watch and cufflinks. While small in the grand scheme of things, they can add that finishing polish to your look.
The smart causal look
For a number of years now, the smart casual look has been a popular choice for the modern businessman. Alongside a slice of professionalism, you combine this with a comforting dollop of casual wear. Done right, the smart casual approach has the potential to produce the same empowering effect of wearing a suit.
One of the most common methods of producing results with this style is by wearing a jacket or blazer with an attractive shirt. Right now, it’s no different to actually wearing a suit. However, combining this with a pair of chinos or jeans – along with, say, some chukka boots – is where the casual element comes into play. By the way, this is just one example that works well when fitting the smart casual brief. That’s because the brief is one that is broad, varied and less restricted by rules due to the nature of combining styles. Due to this, you should have some fun when trying to produce a combination that will work. Just one word of warning: don’t try and throw too many patterns and colors together, as this could result in something that overwhelms the senses, but not in a good way. Keep it simple to an extent, such as having one distinct piece of clothing that stands out, while building around this with neutral hues/tones with the rest of the outfit.
Overalls don’t have to be boring
If you operate in a workplace that wears overalls, you might think that you’re already a lost cause – yet this is far from the case. Overalls for men are no longer simply a practical form of clothing that supplies little in the way of imagination. In fact, Differio provides a range of overalls and coveralls that give you the chance to stand out from your work colleagues in style – whether you want to tap into your retro tastes with a classic denim overall or go with something edgier.
T-shirt and jeans
If you work in a casual setting and don’t feel the need to go with a smart look, there’s no reason not to go with the classic t-shirt and jeans combo. With that said, you still shouldn’t avoid the fashion side of things even with something so outwardly simple and mundane. For instance, casual doesn’t mean unprofessional. That means you should avoid jeans that are baggy, torn or distressed, and instead go for a pair that are fitted and straight leg in style. The t-shirt should also be kept simple and fitted in a classic way, with a color that matches favorably with your jeans. A blue tee with blue jeans is not an attractive look for example, whereas a white t-shirt with blue jeans provides a nice balance.
Throw in some smart shoes or plain trainers, and the casual look is complete with little effort.
Tackling the mandatory work uniform
When you’re hit with a mandatory work uniform – think a t-shirt that displays the branding of the company you represent – you might consider this a death sentence for your fashion dreams. However, you still have the ability to work around this in most cases. For example, and even if you have to match a certain dress/color code, you can still pair up this unsightly work tee with a pair of on-trend trousers and shoes. For an extra touch of personalization, add some accessories like glasses and a contrasting belt.
