Fashion/Style: Finding comfort and elegance in business casual

Noticed the emergence of less formal office wear in as far as men’s wear is concerned? It is the new craze in the concept of business-casual that hit the male business world and has caught on here. Forget casual -dress-down Fridays that have now become part of the accepted dress code for many companies.This is semi-casual –dress down Monday through Thursday. What is the description of business -casual dress? It is typically cotton open collar button down shirts, suiting pants and, if you like lightweight jackets minus the neck-tie. The traditional corporate look of dark sombre suit, crisp cotton –long –sleeved shirt (preferably white or light blue) and tie is still the commonly accepted norm. And we all know you can rarely go wrong with a basic suit. This look is expected and even demanded of high level executives, since many associate a highly professional look with authority. We cannot deviate completely from the norm because we live in a society and society will always have rules concerning the way we should dress to work. So, when is pure business-dress-code an absolute necessity? A first meeting with client would be a good example; a more professional look will certainly add an amount of trust, comfort and security. It’s advisable when dressing for business to determine what the style at your company is. If it is an office that puts emphasis on the corporate image, wear a tie and jacket. If, for instance, you are a midi-or to low level banking executive, a tie minus the jacket should do just fine. If on the other hand, it is a company that will stress being smart and presentable but still comfortable, then business casual is for you. It has been said that dressing down for the office is a balance between comfort and taste. And you know what to do to get the look without appearing sloppy. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense in our hot weather. martin.bishop18@yahoo.com