How to Dress Stylishly for Everyday Life - Tips for Men's Business Attire

Stylish and good business attire consists of a combination of personal style and a few basic rules of situational dressing, which guide the assembly of outfits and make it easier to create combinations.

There is a lot of variation in men's work attire, and clothing should ideally fit within the general style boundaries of your workplace. Occasionally, it's also good to break the usual dress codes at work, for example, by switching from a hoodie to a blazer or even a neat sweater. 

Clothing is one of the most important parts of a first impression, and a first impression is a very important part of the work environment. Therefore, it is especially worth putting thought into dressing. At the same time, it's worth considering what kind of image you want to present of yourself and how well it reflects you in reality. With just your appearance, you can at best, for example, reinforce a professional and trustworthy impression.

Clothing is not always easy, especially if it doesn't feel like your thing. For example, changing jobs can be a situation where it's worth considering your own dressing style. However, with a few tips, it becomes easier and you don't always have to revamp your size wardrobe when you want to make changes to your dressing style. Business attire can be divided into three different categories,

• Business formal: the most formal dress code for work
• Business casual: a slightly more relaxed outfit than a regular business suit
• Smart casual: neat, but significantly more relaxed outfit 

From these three areas, it is easy to find tips that suit your daily life and, if necessary, adjust your wardrobe to a few pieces of clothing that serve as the cornerstones of your wardrobe. The basic idea in all parts of dressing is neat, intact clothes that are not used for sports ;)

Business formal

Business formal, business attire or a suit is the most formal and neatest form of workwear, which is particularly suitable for office work that includes official client meetings, business meetings, and so on.

Business formal is a form of dress code adapted from the dark suit dress code to smart casual, which essentially refers to a dark suit designed for work use.

Traditionally, a suit intended for everyday use is usually single-breasted and either gray, dark blue, or black in color. An easy and practical rule of thumb when choosing an everyday suit is to select it from durable and high-quality materials, as the suit needs to remain neat in almost daily use for a long time. In terms of materials, a woolen suit is often the most durable and breathable.

A blue suit is always stylish and suitable not only for work but also for celebrations. Always ensure when buying a suit that it fits well, as this makes it comfortable to wear and look good. A leather briefcase is a long-lasting classic that will surely impress with its elegance and complete the business formal attire. 

The dress shirt worn under the suit should preferably be light-colored, most classically either white or light blue. Subtle patterns are also allowed, but a solid-colored dress shirt is always the safest choice. The tie is determined by the dress shirt; with a solid-colored shirt, you can wear a patterned tie and vice versa. Of course, the tie can have some color, but I recommend choosing the pocket square to match either the tie or the dress shirt.

Shoes with a business suit should be neat and leather, either brown or black. Lastly, the belt, which always matches the color of the shoes. Brown shoes - brown belt, black shoes - black belt.

When cold weather surprises, a neat and timeless wool coat that covers the suit jacket completes the business formal attire. A black or dark blue wool coat works wonderfully in formal everyday life and remains equally stylish year after year. With a neat scarf and leather gloves, you give the final touch to your style.

You can add color to your wool coat with a stunning silk scarf. Stylish brown leather shoes are one of the cornerstones of a wardrobe. 

Business Casual

Business casual clothing is a form of neat dressing that is more relaxed than formal business attire, suitable for occasions such as casual parties and neat office work when there are no official representation events planned.

A dark suit is still a suitable choice in this form of dress, but now you can leave the tie at home, open the top button, and add more color and pattern to the ensemble with a collared shirt. The fabric of the suit can also show more personality and freedom; for example, a lightly checkered blue suit is a very stylish choice for business casual attire. 

Bold-colored accessories or a vest with a suit add personality to the outfit, but it remains a very stylish choice and is well-suited for various occasions. With a separate jacket, you can create versatile combinations; a good blazer adapts to both festive events and stylish everyday wear in different outfit forms.

Business casual clothing should always be considered based on the situation and environment. If there is no specific dress code at the workplace or, for example, in an event invitation, but neat clothing is desirable, it is advisable to opt for business casual.

In addition to a dark suit, a business casual outfit can also be composed of items such as dress pants, chinos, a neat sweater, a collared shirt, and a blazer. Accessories can easily add stylish color and personality to the ensemble in any situation. However, remember to keep the overall look clean and functional when creating your outfit. Shoes in this form of attire are also leather, preferably black or brown.

A high-quality briefcase crowns even the most demanding workday needs. A brown leather briefcase combined with a neat business suit is surely the perfect combination for a business casual dress code. 

When planning work attire and purchasing clothes for it, it's always worth investing in the quality of the clothes and good, durable materials. These clothes are often worn for very long days, during which they need to remain neat and fresh. 

Breathable natural materials like cotton and wool are absolutely fantastic. Wool, for example, breathes excellently and is not easily wrinkled; plus, maintaining woolen clothes is really easy. As a material, wool cleans itself, and woolen clothes can be kept clean and fresh-smelling mostly just by airing them out. Viscose is very soft and feels pleasant against the skin. Cotton is durable, and when combined with a small amount of elastane, it stretches just right, providing excellent fit and comfort to the garment. 

Smart Casual

Smart casual still represents neat but now slightly more relaxed attire that works both in leisure time and in a tidy indoor job. Smart casual clothing allows for outfits where your personal style can be showcased more strongly. The boundaries of this style are somewhat blurred and open to interpretation, but there are a few basic rules for it as well.

Stylish clothing can be personal and comfortable, a flexible blazer adapts to many styles and is nice to wear size day. When you have a quality knit in your wardrobe, it works both as a companion to the blazer or on its own. You can add a twist to the outfit with, for example, checkered pants. 

One good rule to remember is that smart casual clothing can certainly be relaxed, but since this dress code still falls under work attire, it should remain appropriate. While the smart casual dress code gives the wearer freedom to express themselves, it also brings the responsibility to stay between over- and under-dressing. Slightly overdressing is, however, a better option than underdressing in formal situations.

Since smart casual clothing is considerably more relaxed in terms of a person's own style, you can see outfits built on it in many different ways. A well-fitting blazer, dress shirt, and trousers are an easy and stylish combination. When turning to a slightly more relaxed smart casual style, the blazer can be swapped for a vest or a sweater if desired.  

The blazer can have a different cut that adds a relaxed feel to the jacket, and it can easily be paired with black chinos and leather shoes with sneaker soles. A neat and well-thought-out outfit is always stylish and perfectly suited for a smart casual dress code. 

In your free time, smart casual can even consist of a combination of jeans and a neat collared shirt. Shoes can also be chosen a bit more casually according to this dress code; for example, lightweight moccasins in the summer and leather shoes with sneaker soles in the fall work perfectly to complete the outfit.

The cornerstones of a smart casual wardrobe: 

• Neat trousers, for example chinos or fabric trousers
• Collared shirt (with or without a pattern, preferably both)
• Cool sweater
• A blazer that suits your style
• Leather shoes (do not need to be dress shoes)
• High-quality belt
• Overcoat

Always invest in quality to ensure that clothes are durable. By combining different pieces of clothing, you can create many different outfits. Chinos and a sweater work well together as they are, and when the weather is cool, you can add a blazer over the sweater. A blazer always works with a collared shirt and is an easy classic. Comfort in an outfit comes from well-fitting cuts and good materials, which can also have some stretch. When you want to change up your outfit, use accessories like a pocket square or scarf, etc. A colorful lighter scarf can also be worn with a blazer indoors, giving the outfit a fresh look. 

Clothing can be extremely enjoyable, and if you need tips on dressing, we at the in the boutique are happy to help you create different outfits. We consider what you need and which products suit your personality and needs. See you at the in the boutique! :)