A good professional look has always been associated with discomfort. The knot of ties right up against your throat. Formal shoes cutting into your ankles. Blazers and shirts that make you feel way too hot.
But professional style seems to have gone through a lot of changes in the last decade or so. Perhaps we have startup culture to thank for it, or maybe people are finally getting to grips with the fact that someone’s dress sense doesn’t tell you all that much about how hard a worker they are.
These days, a lot of business people look truly comfortable. This doesn’t always mean “scruffy”, by the way; it simply means that comfort and personality is becoming more important when it comes to professional style. Much of the time, modern office workers look really casual. This doesn’t necessarily refer to the business casual style – there’s even less of an emphasis on “business” these days! Everyday comfortable wear is now considered a staple of modern offices.
Of course, you can still wear that business suit if you want. The casualization of modern business attire isn’t necessarily something you need to lament; you can buck the trend by wearing your suit anyway. But what if you’re totally down for casual wear, but need a style that leans a little bit more towards professionalism? It’s a step below business casual, but you’re not coming in looking like you’re still in high school. That kind of look. Well, here’s how you can achieve it.
Tops
Suffocating buttoned shirts begone! Bolder colors and more comfortable fabrics are now becoming the norm in modern offices. More and more people are looking into getting the sort of gaming or film shirts you can buy at lucbauer.com. There’s a difference between something that looks childish and even obnoxious with something fun and stylish, however. Slogans that are trying too hard to be funny don’t usually look very good. Make sure you don’t look like you’re wearing a top that you’d be happy to wear into bed – this is a common fault when people start to lean towards more ‘fun’ shirts!
Jeans
One of the most notable changes in the modern office is the switch from suit trousers to jeans. Jeans are a staple of pretty much any casual look, including business casual. Jeans is an area where comfort and style is simple to accomplish. You might want to check out telegraph.co.uk for a list of the most stylish denim brands out there for men. Don’t be tempted to pick up a pair for too cheap a price; they’ll wear away too quickly. Be willing to invest in a pair of jeans that are comfortable, strong, and extremely stylish. Cheap jeans tend to lean a little too far into ‘scruffy’ territory. Oh, and something you absolutely mustn’t do: don’t buy pre-torn jeans. They’re not a good look here!
Shoes
Stylish trainers are getting more popular in the workplace. But it’s not as if you have to pick between stiff leather shoes and the new Yeezys. Loafers combine comfort and style flawlessly. You can find a list of the best of 2017 over at toptenmusthave.com. They’re basically you want more comfortable and better-looking versions of traditional business footwear!
