We are now several decades into the "business casual" era and it's still a disaster. I used to say that nobody knew what it meant, hence it led to all kinds of miscues and embarassments. The second half is still true but the first, no longer. "Business casual" now has a hardened meaning, and it sucks.
All over Manhattan, and in any expensive downtown office center in the blue cities, this is what you see. Well-heeled men off to high-paying jobs wearing:
-Suit pants, mostly blue or gray, often striped.
-No jacket
-A spread or point collared shirt in white or blue or blue stripe; i.e., a business configuraiton, color and pattern; often french cuff
-No tie
-Black shoes, duck-billed as often as not.
So this is how men have interpreted "business casual": start with the same suit, shirt, tie & shoes outfit you would have worn in the business formal era, leave the tie and the jacket in the closet, head for the office.
Whatever you do, don't do this.
All over Manhattan, and in any expensive downtown office center in the blue cities, this is what you see. Well-heeled men off to high-paying jobs wearing:
-Suit pants, mostly blue or gray, often striped.
-No jacket
-A spread or point collared shirt in white or blue or blue stripe; i.e., a business configuraiton, color and pattern; often french cuff
-No tie
-Black shoes, duck-billed as often as not.
So this is how men have interpreted "business casual": start with the same suit, shirt, tie & shoes outfit you would have worn in the business formal era, leave the tie and the jacket in the closet, head for the office.
Whatever you do, don't do this.
