Business Casual? - Page 2

Business casual to me means something less than a suit, or even less than slacks and blazers. Out here, that means chinos, cords, maybe, very slight maybe "dressy" jeans, and anything but a t shirt.

The jeans and tie/jacket are inconsistent. Jeans/Blazer, okay. Not a tie or a vest.

While I don't like the individual pieces, you're not that far from what I think of as "business casual". However, I'd make the following changes:

Jeans - The advice here has been pretty solid. If you need a bit more room I'd look at Rag & Bone RB11x in blue resin or brown resin (Nordstrom).

Shirt - Can't really tell; the one you have could work, but you don't want it to look like a very dressy shirt that's missing the suit.

Tie - Either go knit, wool or tieless. The type you are using is better left for dress.

Vest - I wouldn't go with a button-up vest and a jacket for this type of thing. That type of vest would stand on its own for business casual. A v-neck pull-over would work better.

Jacket - It looks a bit like an orphaned suit coat, not a casual/semi-casual blazer. If you don't need it as a suit anymore (and that is indeed what it is), perhaps some new buttons would do the trick (probably brown horn or even wood).

Shoes - I don't want to harp on this too much, since you seem to realize these aren't the ideal shoe. All I'll say is that for this type of shoe a dressier brown oxford or loafer can be dressed down nicely and if you're considering new shoes than a pull-on Chelsea boot always works well.

Without new shoes you're never going to achieve a decent look. Pick up a pair of dark brown AE on Christmas Sale or order a pair of Meermins (www.meermin.es), if you're on a tight budget.

I agree with TimelesStyle, try a knitted tie, and yes, jeans and shoes are your main problems right now, try a pair of jeans that fit you well, and a pair of brown oxfords.

Understood, though you may have to up the budget a little to get some good jeans for business casual. Do you have access to a Nordstrom Rack? Earnest Sewn, which they often have, might work, though they'll probably be around $60; same with some of the stuff you'll see on Gilt (not sure if you're a member).

You could try an H&M or similar but you may well find their denim too slim. Some may suggest Levi's, though I don't know the fits/cuts/lines well enough to suggest something.

If you'll be doing your shopping in Chicago proper, then know that there are two racks (downtown and River North) and that you might also do well with the sales at Bloomingdale's and even Macy's (the State St. store is the only one with nice stuff).

Levi's can be had for $40 sometimes. Via the Levi's website, Macy's, etc.