Dear reader, Magdy El-Masry has recently landed a job at a company that has an established dress code of business casual. “It may sound great, no more concerns about what to wear to work. But what exactly is business casual and what should I wear?” asked El-Masry in a letter to Entre Nous. The term business casual is somewhat subjective. Business wear has changed in the past couple of years in order to promote comfort. To be frank, there's a lack of consensus on what actually defines its wardrobe. It's difficult to find items of clothing that fit, flatter and are fashion forward and still appropriate for the office. It would generally also depend on the type of company or industry you're in. Just because you're not expected to wear a suit and tie every day, doesn't mean you can forgo all style and fashion sensibility. Keep your business casual wear trendy, yet professional with flattering colours, fabrics and sensible fashion designed for both work and play. Business casual requires a wardrobe of separates and the necessary sense to mix, match and coordinate. Here are the fundamentals of a business casual wardrobe: Flat front slacks: A flat front is much more modern and sleek than classic pleats. A pair in dark grey, navy or navy stripe, and tan or brown will do the trick. Great belt: Go for this two-in-one, black and brown reversible leather belt. Collared shirts: Opt for bold colours, stripes and patterns. Since you probably aren't wearing a tie and jacket every day, your shirt needs to stand alone. An all-season wool (or wool blend) blazer: Invest in something with texture that goes with almost everything; a velvet or corduroy jacket for Fall/Winter and linen or cotton twill for Spring/Summer. Nice socks: Avoid unmatched socks. Invest in a pack of nice dress socks in an array of dark colours and patterns like argyle. When in doubt, match your socks with your pants. A nice pair of dark jeans: Find a dark wash with minimal fading and stick with a straight leg or boot cut. Jeans can be worn with your jackets and collared shirts, just like slacks. The right shoes: Avoid athletic footwear, shiny leather or very pointed toes. Don't be too dressy or too sloppy or clunky. Opt for moccasins to show off your sense of fashion. Vintage cords: The perfect mix between casual and dressy can be achieved with a vintage look. Cords work well with a cardigan, V-neck sweater or even a cashmere half-zip sweater. Outstanding outerwear: The collar coat would be an amazing addition to your business casual wardrobe. A pea coat also works nicely with any casual style.
