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Business casual questions

as22

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A few random questions about business casual. In my situation, it means dress shirts with no tie, nice trousers, and rarely a sportcoat.

1. Is it mainly an American thing about french cuffs only being for suits? I see pretty casual looking designs from H&K, H&H, TM Lewin etc. which seem like they'd be fine with silk knots and no tie or jacket. What's the big deal?

2. Are black cap-toes considered okay for business casual? If not, what's wrong with black loafers? I go on AAAC and they make it sound like you must wear only button down shirts, sportcoats, and no black loafers.

3. After a navy blazer, what would be next to pair with charcoal, black, and grey trousers which are either solid, herringbone, or houndstooth. I'm looking at either black/white glen plaid or grey tweed.

4. What's the difference in belts for business formal vs. casual? Seems a little bit overboard.
 

Will

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Originally Posted by as22
A few random questions about business casual. In my situation, it means dress shirts with no tie, nice trousers, and rarely a sportcoat.

1. Is it mainly an American thing about french cuffs only being for suits? I see pretty casual looking designs from H&K, H&H, TM Lewin etc. which seem like they'd be fine with silk knots and no tie or jacket. What's the big deal?

2. Are black cap-toes considered okay for business casual? If not, what's wrong with black loafers? I go on AAAC and they make it sound like you must wear only button down shirts, sportcoats, and no black loafers.

3. After a navy blazer, what would be next to pair with charcoal, black, and grey trousers which are either solid, herringbone, or houndstooth. I'm looking at either black/white glen plaid or grey tweed.

4. What's the difference in belts for business formal vs. casual? Seems a little bit overboard.


2. Black cap toes are too formal for anything but a suit. Nothing wrong with black casuals but brown is more fitting with casual clothes during the day.

3. A wheat or cream solid jacket. Pattern mixing jacket and trousers is more of a country look. Possible, but hard to say something works without seeing it.

4. A braided belt, for example, is more casual than plain calf, just as brogued shoes are more casual than plain ones.
 

as22

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Thanks. I know these questions are pretty basic.

This is for a 1st yr associate in a law firm or inv. bank type of environment, so the sportcoat would ideally be something darker. What kind of dress casual shoes do you recommend? I actually like some of the AE dress casual shoes. Most people seem to go with Ferragamo. Any other more unique options?

Anyone else?
 

philosophe

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The jackets you list would be fine with solid trousers.
Re shoes, how about some classic loafers from Alden or AE as an alternative to the ubiquitous Ferragamos?
 

odoreater

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Originally Posted by as22
A few random questions about business casual. In my situation, it means dress shirts with no tie, nice trousers, and rarely a sportcoat.

1. Is it mainly an American thing about french cuffs only being for suits? I see pretty casual looking designs from H&K, H&H, TM Lewin etc. which seem like they'd be fine with silk knots and no tie or jacket. What's the big deal?

2. Are black cap-toes considered okay for business casual? If not, what's wrong with black loafers? I go on AAAC and they make it sound like you must wear only button down shirts, sportcoats, and no black loafers.

3. After a navy blazer, what would be next to pair with charcoal, black, and grey trousers which are either solid, herringbone, or houndstooth. I'm looking at either black/white glen plaid or grey tweed.

4. What's the difference in belts for business formal vs. casual? Seems a little bit overboard.


1. I don't know if it's an American thing or not, but, I suppose you could get away with wearing french cuffs without a tie and jacket. I wouldn't do it personally because I see french cuffs as too formal for wearing without a tie, but that's just my personal feeling on the thing, I don't think there's a feeling throughout America on this one way or another.

2. Black loafers are fine to wear for business casual and so are black captoes. The only people that will notice that you are wearing black captoes without a suit and the only people that would care are members of this (and related) forum - and those people are very few and far between. To think that anyone at a big law firm or investment bank would care that you're wearing black captoes with a business casual outfit is ridiculous. If anything, all these people would think is that you're new and you only have one pair of shoes. In fact, most men who are not members here probably only own a pair or two of shoes.

3. I'd go with a brown tweed blazer.

4. No difference, wear the same belts. There are more casual belts, but they aren't really appropriate for business casual either. For example, a ribbon belt is more casual, but I wouldn't wear it with a business casual outfit. I just wear the same belts - brown, black and burgundy, depending on what shoes I'm wearing.

Most important of all, don't forget that your clothes aren't the most important thing at work - far from it. Your work ethic and quality (and speed) of work product will determine your future first and foremost.
 

as22

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Thanks, that's the info I needed. Do you know where I can find something like these on sale? Or alternative brands with similar styles. I'd prefer to pay less than 250 (on sale).

Granby_large.jpg


SFN6021_mn.jpg


SFN5150_mn.jpg
 

Dragon

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Instead of those loafers, I would suggest getting some derbies instead.
 

PuppetBoy

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Originally Posted by Dragon
Instead of those loafers, I would suggest getting some derbies instead.

+1 -- consider derbies/bluchers rather than loafers.

A couple years ago my interest was drawn to kiltie tassels, but fortuntely I was dissuaded before buying any.
 

as22

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Could you all post some suggestions? Why don't you like any of those loafers?
 

Jared

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Originally Posted by as22
Why don't you like any of those loafers?
To tell you the truth, I have a visceral reaction to loafers, so I can't really say. But I believe the general feeling is that loafers are casual, obiqutious, lazy, geriatric, unrefined, or even sleezy. They can be done well (particularly for trad), but should not be the business casual staple that so many men seem to consider them as. In a nutshell, shoes with laces look smarter.
 

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