Office Wear For Men: How Formal You Should Go!

In recent years there has been a huge amount of conversation surrounding what is appropriate attire for the modern-day office? It can depend on a myriad of factors, which we will go through in this article to help you come to the best decision for your particular job and office environment. Here is a concise guide to what to wear and when to wear it depending on your particular office and job role, formal suit or something more casual?

What Is Your Job Role?

Are you in a managerial role or are you merely a general worker.In almost all situations I would argue that management should be setting a formal tone with a formal model of attire, after all, you are the image of discipline and organization of the office and the way you look should reinforce that idea. For other workers, a little more flexibility may be allowable as no-one is looking up to you, but don’t take it as an excuse to dress sloppily as this will impress no-one.

Is There A Written Policy?

Obviously, if there is a written dress-code at your office then the decision is somewhat taken out of your hands. It always gives you a little bit of room for individuality, so be creative with it but be sure to avoid disciplinary action where these rules are enforced. If nothing else you will want to fit in with the general vibe of the office to be seen as not being an outsider.

Suits Are Always Going To Be Classic

Even if it’s not mandatory, you should always consider the idea of wearing a business suit as it can give an ambitious impression which always helps your career chances. Consider every aspect of putting together a suit from the suit itself to the shoes, shirt, and ties for men, as an ill-fitting or badly put-together combination is worse than no suit at all.

What Exactly Is Smart Casual?

This is a question that it seems no-one has a definitive answer to. Clearly, it’s something that lies below traditional business attire in terms of formality, but how far below should you go?For office work, it should still be the aim to look professional, so if you are not in some extremely easy-going start-up tech firm then things like trainers and t-shirt should be avoided, proper shoes, trousers, and an open collar shirt should be sufficient.

Do You Face The Public?

One question that should be addressed when choosing what to wear for the office is do you do any business face to face? As in do clients and customers come to your place of work to visit? If they don’t then there is an argument to be made saying that what you wear doesn’t matter, but there is still professional pride and giving the right message out to your manager. If you do though, then be sure to dress in a way that you would like to be greeted by a professional if you were the client, as impressions of professionalism are very important.