Dress to Impress: A Guide to Men’s Style in the Office

Men’s style for the office has undergone a lot of changes in the past decade. Suits have been banished from some workplaces in favour of casual options, and the post-pandemic return to offices around the world may bring more work from home-inspired style.

But if you work in finance, real estate, or as a lawyer in British Columbia, you know that suiting will always have an important role to play in office wear.

And even if your office has transitioned to business casual, there are still many ways to make an impression as a sharp dresser. 

So whether you are considering bespoke suiting to make an impression with your clients or want to know “how casual is too casual”, this article will help you build a dependable wardrobe.

Suiting and Jackets

Even if suits are becoming less popular in the workplace, the modern man still needs a couple of versatile pieces for getting him through the day, in addition to any events on the side.

For business purposes, one navy and one charcoal (or grey suit) is a great place to start. Avoid black, since it can be considered boring or overly stuffy. Subtle patterns and textures are ideal for these “workhorse” suits, but loud checks or stripes are best avoided - let your shirt and accessories bring colour to your outfit instead.

Once you are confident in your suits, you can start mixing things up with blazers. Like we mentioned in our blog post on the differences between a blazer and a suit, blazers are meant to contrast with your trousers. A casual blazer in an earthy colour like brown, grey, or dark green will pair well with neutral-coloured trousers. This is where you can start to have some fun with patterns and textures, but don’t go overboard - first impressions matter in the business world.

Custom Shirting

It is important to choose the right shirts for your office wardrobe since shirts need to be more versatile than any other item of clothing. They will see you through the hottest days of summer, and evenings spent making deadlines in November. When you get back to your desk from lunch, chances are your jacket comes off and your shirt takes center stage.

Common shirt issues are often the biggest problem for men who dress up for work. Tight collars, too-short sleeves, or the dreaded “muffin top” (when the excess fabric on your torso billows outward) can be torture when experienced 8+ hours a day.

So what is the solution to this widespread problem? Unless you are willing to sort through dozens of shirtmakers to find “the one” off the rack style that fits you, custom or made to measure shirts are the best option for the Vancouver businessman.

Custom shirts measured by an experienced suit consultant account for your unique posture, which has a dramatic effect on how easily you can move when wearing your shirt. There are also many solutions available for common problems like sweat stains on the inside of your collar or tight cuffs that don’t fit over your diving watch.

Many men wonder how much to spend on a shirt for the office, and we find that this is one of the best investments you can make if you go the custom route. Try building your wardrobe with a selection of three shirts: a classic white oxford, another with navy stripes, and a chambray button-down in grey or light blue (which can function as a casual option).

Trousers and Casual Pants

In the most formal offices out there, pants are an afterthought - you wear your suit trousers and get on with your day. But now that even major investment banks are promoting business casualwear, things get a lot tougher.

Owning a few pairs of well-cut chinos or khakis is a great place to start. These look great when paired with a contrasting blazer, or even when worn with a less casual polo shirt or merino wool sweater.

If most of your suit pants are worsted wool, they will probably look best when worn with the matching jacket. To help mix and match, invest in some charcoal or navy trousers. A light houndstooth or check pattern can help add some depth and give you more ways to watch with your existing wardrobe. 

Denim is contentious in the suiting world. Many purists don’t think it is appropriate to wear jeans with a suit jacket, but the trend is slowly becoming more accepted.

If this is something you want to try out, be sure to invest in well-cut selvedge denim, avoid a pair of denim with a wider cut.

Versatile Footwear

Dress shoes are a little bit easier for most guys to wrap their heads around when it comes to dressing for the office. Most men know what qualifies as an acceptable dress shoe, but many can’t tell the subtle differences between classic styles.

We recommend investing in two pairs of business-ready shoes like monk straps, oxfords, or wingtips. These styles never go out of fashion. It’s important to understand the differences between the most popular types of dress shoes, including versatile and stylish loafers and Chelsea boots.

Much like how denim is creeping into business casual wear, sneakers are often worn to make an outfit more casual. If you see others in your office trying this out, feel free to wear minimal white, cream, or black sneakers. However, keep in mind that this works best with leather “dress” sneakers while running shoes are faux pas in most formal workplaces.

Office Style for the Modern Man

Now that office and business casual styles change so fast, it seems crazy to think that the standard uniform for office workers stayed the same for decades on end. 

So, don’t get left in the dust. Think your office wardrobe needs a touch-up? Get in touch with our suiting consultants to find versatile pieces that will help you dress well every day with minimal effort--so you can focus on doing what you do best.