'Business Casual'?

Author
Discussion

AyBee

10,533 posts

202 months

Thursday 4th October 2012
quotequote all
Jasandjules said:
TBH I'd more than likely go in wearing a suit until I saw what everyone else wore...
This, much easier to take off the jacket and leave suit trousers and shirt on (button undone) than it is to go in in jeans and desert boots (wtf?) and then find everyone else in suit trousers and a shirt...

wildcat45

8,072 posts

189 months

Thursday 4th October 2012
quotequote all
You can't go wrong with a good suit and shirt.

Jacket off you are smart yet casual. Jacket on, a bit more serious. Keep a tie in your desk or briefcase/bag and in seconds you can be fit to go and meet the most important of people.

Its worked for me for years. The day I came in dressed like crap (On a weekend) was the day I was invited by the MD over the phone to a directors box sporting event. Cue a panic rush home to change. Had I been doing the suit thing, there would not have been a problem.

Running our own company now, and we tend to do the smart jeans, suit jacket nice shirt thing. Our company, our rules. Myself and my business partner do dress down Fridays pretty well. Unshaven, old rugby shirts, old jeans, knock off at 3 and off to the pub. We both know, one day this will bite us on the bum!


Oakey

27,561 posts

216 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
No sports casual?

Hackney

6,828 posts

208 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
"Business casual" two words that make my heart sink.

I own suits, shoes, shirts and ties for work.
I own jeans, t-shirts and trainers etc for not work.

So, thanks to some stupid "relaxed" dress code, I have to buy some third set of clothes.
Possibly worse still is the "casual Friday" after suit / shirt for the rest of the week which means buying this crap for one day per week.

Brilliant.

Disastrous

10,079 posts

217 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
Do the people saying wtf at desert boots know what they actually are? You know we're not talking about enormous military boos here, right? I think they're fine.

Pints

18,444 posts

194 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
timbo999 said:
Where I am now its suit without jacket (Gov Ministry), where I was before (Well IT consultancy) it was suit without jacket or tie (so suit like trousers and a proper shirt).

What's the organisation?

Suggestion is you go with first of these above on your first day and see what everyone else wears.
Good suggestion.

My first day would always be suit, with a tie ready in the pocket.
Looking back at my first day photo (security pass), this is what I wore. Now I'll get away with jeans and a polo shirt.

RichB

51,531 posts

284 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
Disastrous said:
Do the people saying wtf at desert boots know what they actually are? You know we're not talking about enormous military boos here, right? I think they're fine.
I think you can safely assuem we all know what a suede desert boot looks like rolleyes

AyBee

10,533 posts

202 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
Disastrous said:
Do the people saying wtf at desert boots know what they actually are? You know we're not talking about enormous military boos here, right? I think they're fine.
yes We're not r-tards, we all know they're suede boots, I still don't think they're appropriate work wear though, they'd do for dress-down though.

killsta

1,729 posts

228 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
My business casual is smart trousers, shirt, no tie and shoes.

AyBee

10,533 posts

202 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
killsta said:
My business casual is smart trousers, shirt, no tie and shoes.
This is my take on business casual, however, I'd rather be safe than look like an idiot on the first day, nobody will comment if you wear smart shoes while they're all wearing desert boots, they will if you wear desert boots and everyone else is wearing smart shoes...

Disastrous

10,079 posts

217 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
RichB said:
Disastrous said:
Do the people saying wtf at desert boots know what they actually are? You know we're not talking about enormous military boos here, right? I think they're fine.
I think you can safely assuem we all know what a suede desert boot looks like rolleyes
You know this is PH, not The Sartorialst, yes? Based on previous 'style' threads, I wouldn't assume anything at all. So go and roll your eyes elsewhere.

Disastrous

10,079 posts

217 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
AyBee said:
Disastrous said:
Do the people saying wtf at desert boots know what they actually are? You know we're not talking about enormous military boos here, right? I think they're fine.
yes We're not r-tards, we all know they're suede boots, I still don't think they're appropriate work wear though, they'd do for dress-down though.
Agreed; they're nowhere near formal but I'd argue they're pretty versatile In terms of dressing up or down...you wouldn't wear them with a suit but depending on how casual the smart/casual is, then I think they'd be ok.

I enjoyed the posters who have basically said smart/casual is the same suit you wear for 'smart' but without a tie. Rock and roll. hehe

aka_kerrly

12,417 posts

210 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
What is all this talk of desert boots.......

Google says:



I say: Only Peter Pan would be seen on those, I certainly wouldn't turn up for a first day or even a last day with those on!

AyBee

10,533 posts

202 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
aka_kerrly said:
What is all this talk of desert boots.......

Google says:



I say: Only Peter Pan would be seen on those, I certainly wouldn't turn up for a first day or even a last day with those on!
That's them hehe

vixen1700

22,864 posts

270 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all


Don't forget that tweed will make a positive impression when you start. smile

schmalex

13,616 posts

206 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
aka_kerrly said:
What is all this talk of desert boots.......

Google says:



I say: Only Peter Pan would be seen on those, I certainly wouldn't turn up for a first day or even a last day with those on!
Totally agree. They are, IMO, completely inappropriate for office wear at any time.

Pothole

34,367 posts

282 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
I'm amazed that the ridiculously outdated concept of 'looking professional' in 'business dress' still exists. It's global stupidity on a grand scale.

Has this thieving taught us nothing about appearances being deceptive?


anonymous-user

54 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
Oakey said:
No sports casual?
I worked for an Australian bank for a few years and the dress code was none existent in the office.
"Aussie culture" apparently.

I went in on my first day (in a suit + tie) and was meeting the directors, when straight away one of them told me there was no need at all to dress how I was.

It would seem that sports casual was indeed the order of the day for most people.
In all honesty it took me ages to get used to. I always felt somehow really scruffy when walking into the office.

Got used to it after a while though smile

vixen1700

22,864 posts

270 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
Oakey said:
No sports casual?


OP, you could wear a Pringle/Lyle & Scott with a Fila tracksuit if you took this option. smile

anonymous-user

54 months

Friday 5th October 2012
quotequote all
Pothole said:
I'm amazed that the ridiculously outdated concept of 'looking professional' in 'business dress' still exists. It's global stupidity on a grand scale.

Has this thieving taught us nothing about appearances being deceptive?

This was the Mark Zuckerberg argument wasn't it? He caused cuff link wearers all over the world to spit their tea out when he attended a board meeting in a hoodie.

I don't honestly think dress is relevant for work, unless of course a uniform is required for, well, making everyone 'look uniform' for business branding reasons.

Why not just wear what you want?

I had better be careful what I say though because a poster took huge offence at casual dress and told me in another thread a while ago, that they wouldn't take me at all seriously at all 'in business' if I didn't attend a meeting in a suit, with cuff links and a 'nice watch'... rolleyes

They went on to say they would base their business dealing with me on what I wore.

Makes you wonder doesn't it...