Men Made to Wear a Dress to Work

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The old rules of dressing for work are entirely out the window. This is both good and bad. Good, because that means you've never had more opportunities to flex your personal style at the office. Bad, because it also means you've never had more opportunities to completely screw it up.

Let's be clear, here: The fact that the strictures of office style have shifted doesn't mean they've disappeared entirely. For the sake of your job—and your self-respect—you should still be dressing to send the right impression. But now everything depends on context. What kind of office is it? How do your coworkers (and boss) dress? Is a hoodie really the only thing a tech guy can wear? (The answer to that last one is no.)

Here's how to get dressed for every kind of modern office, whether you're working in a creative loft, a corporate tower, or somewhere in between.

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The Styles

The Creative Office | The Mostly Business, Sorta Casual Office | The Sorta Business, Mostly Casual Office | The Suited-Up Office | The Home Office—aka Your Couch

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The Creative Office

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Jacket by Drake's; T-shirt by Saturdays NYC; jeans by Uniqlo; socks by Bombas; shoes by Dr. Martens.

Yes, you can wear jeans at the office. They can even have a wash on them, like the medium blue pair here. Ditto that for a T-shirt—even with a graphic. The idea, when it comes to dressing for a laid-back office in industries like media, tech, or advertising, is to adhere to the same sort of thought process that informs the work.

That is to say: It should be creative enough to make an impact, but professional enough that it doesn't set off the wrong sort of alarm bells. Just put a little polish on the whole look with proper lace-up shoes and a toned-down shirt jacket and you're golden.

J.Crew Field Mechanic Jacket

Now 19% Off

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Uniqlo Slim-Fit Jeans

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Saturdays NYC White Orchid T‑Shirt

Now 60% Off

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Dr. Martens 1461 Oxford Shoes

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Gucci Snake-Dial Watch

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Ralph Lauren Purple Label Felt Baseball Cap

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The Mostly Business,
Sorta Casual Office

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Double-breasted blazer by Ring Jacket (not available online); sweater by Todd Snyder (not available online); trousers by Uniqlo; sneakers by Saturdays NYC; watch by Timex + Todd Snyder.

You could also call this office, "The Office Where Guys Haven't Entirely Forgotten That Blazers Exist." It's not quite a full suit-and-tie gig, but you might have client meetings or need to impress the boss with a bit of tailoring from time to time. The key is to balance the buttoned-up pieces (say, a double-breasted navy jacket and mid-gray trousers) with elements that don't feel so fussy. A striped crewneck sweater adds a little extra visual interest, and crisp white sneakers will work for pretty much every day you don't need proper oxfords.

Todd Snyder Striped Crewneck Sweater

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Uniqlo Ankle-Length Pants

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Suitsupply Havana Navy Jacket

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Saturdays NYC Derek Sneaker

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Timex + Todd Snyder Marlin Blackout Watch

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J.Crew Glossed-Leather Belt

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The Sorta Business,
Mostly Casual Office

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Knit polo shirt by Sunspel; trousers by Todd Snyder (not available online); socks by Nice Laundry; shoes by Saturdays NYC; watch by Zodiac; bracelet by Miansai.

If your workplace swings towards the casual side of business casual, you can likely get away with the Standard American Male Office Worker's uniform of collared shirt, non-jeans pants, and dress shoes. But why not add a little extra flavor into the mix? Instead of a cheap, blousy button-down, opt for a sleek knitted polo in a trim fit. Instead of baggy khakis, reach for a pair of tailored trousers with an interesting pattern. Finish things off with moc-toe lace-ups (which are having a bit of a moment right now) and a pair of white socks (which are having a major moment right now; get used to it).

Sunspel Merino Wool Polo

Now 18% Off

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Saturdays NYC Bill Abrasivato Shoe

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Suitsupply Checked Trousers

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Zodiac Olympos Automatic Watch

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Miansai Singular Cuff

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Nice Laundry Tech Varsity Socks 6-Pack

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The Suited-Up Office

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We tend to think of suit-and-tie corporate offices literally—as in, you need an actual necktie all the time. But if you play your cards right, you can save the accessorizing for big occasions and take it easy when you're not taking meetings. That trim knitted polo from the business casual repertoire? Throw a perfectly tailored navy suit over it. Grab a slick-but-not-too-slick soft-sided leather briefcase, and pull on a pair of polished dress boots. Good to go.

Theory Semi Tech Jacket

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Theory Semi Tech Pant

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AMI Double-Breasted Coat

Now 40% Off

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Cole Haan Wagner Grand Boots

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Sunspel Merino Wool Polo

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Brahmin Beckett Avalon

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The Home Office
(AKA Your Couch)

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Shirt by Rowing Blazers; sweatpants by Aviator Nation; shoes by Puma.

When you're working from your actual couch, you likely aren't trying to impress anyone with your outfit. But you should still, you know, put on pants. And a shirt. And all the better if the shirt is one that might actually impress someone (the delivery guy, for instance). A boldly striped rugby has personality while keeping things casual. And sweatpants, well... they're sweatpants. Which means they're comfy as hell. It's your home "office." We're all good with it if you'd like to take full advantage of the self-imposed dress code.

Rowing Blazers Argentina 1965 Rugby Shirt

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J.Crew Slim-Fit T-Shirt

Now 60% Off

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Aviator Nation Logo Sweatpants

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Best Made Co. Enamel 20 oz. Mugs

Now 62% Off

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Bombas Solid Calf Sock

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Puma Roma Classic Sneakers

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One Last Thing:
The "Oh-Shit" Blazer

There will come a time when you are called upon to show up to a meeting, a lunch, or drinks looking more polished and professional than normal. Inevitably, that'll be the day you skipped a sport coat or blazer because you had nothing big on the agenda—at least initially. Here's the hack: Keep an easy-to-wear blazer on hand at all times. Make it navy, or gray, or maybe even black. This is your Oh-Shit Blazer.

Throw it on over your current outfit, because even a simple tee will look 97 percent more formal when it's topped with a proper jacket. Now, go forth and impress.

Topman One-Button Jacket

Now 50% Off

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Folk Unstructured Blazer

Now 40% Off

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Suitsupply Havana Gray Jacket

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Mr P. Navy Unstructured Blazer

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Bonobos Jetsetter Sport Coat

Now 50% Off

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Suitsupply Havana Green Jacket

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Photography by Kat Wirsing • Video by Tyler Joe • Grooming by Amanda Wilson • Models: Trey Anderson at New York Models, Jino Chun at Q Model Management

Jonathan Evans is the style director of Esquire, covering all things fashion, grooming, accessories, and, of course, sneakers. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and son. You can follow him at @MrJonathanEvans on Twitter and Instagram.

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Source: https://www.esquire.com/style/mens-fashion/a23011997/how-to-dress-for-work-office-style-men/

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