Dress Casual: Your guide to not dressing like an oxy-“moron”
by Ben Graham

Dress casual is a tough assignment for a lot of men. While most men have a pretty clear idea of formal or business dress (crisp white shirt, neat tie, polished shoes, etc.), they really struggle when the situation calls for attire that falls somewhere between business dress and casual dress. One of the biggest reasons that men struggle with smart-looking, dress casual clothing is there is a tremendous variance in company policies and guidelines pertaining to business or corporate casual. There are just too many gray areas for guys to muck it up. When it comes to clothes, most men like clearly defined rules. Example – “When I wear black pants, I need to wear black shoes and socks and my belt needs to match my shoes.” The following guidelines will help you put together a dress casual look no matter whether you are headed to a Chamber Business P.M., a date, an after-work social, or church.

One leg at a time. - The first part I want to talk about is pants. So many guys mess up their business casual dress because their pants don’t fit well especially when it comes to pant length. If you are not exactly a 30” or 32” inseam then have your pants hemmed or cuffed to fit your exact size. The back of your pants should fall just above your heel in the back and should have a slight break in the front.

To pleat? Or not to pleat? That is the question.- There are many fashion “experts” on television preaching that the sky will fall if you wear pleated pants. While that may be their perception coming from New York or Los Angeles, most of these “experts” do not consider the athletic build of many men in the Tri-States. (Midwest men are generally broader in the shoulders and thicker through the hips and thighs.) Having measured thousands of pants on men through the years, the only reality I know is that some guys are going to look poorly in pleats while others are going to look poorly in flat front pants. Like pant length, finding the proper fit that best suits your build is the key to whether pleats or flat front pants are right for you.

Come fade away. Come fray away with me. – If there is a faded line in the crease down the front of your pants do not wear them for dress casual situations. If your pants are frayed at the hem, cuff, or pockets do not wear them for dress casual. Many of the “wrinkle free” treatments on cotton pants make them susceptible to fading and fraying. Choose wool, wool blends, or microfiber for dress casual pants. They are superior in performance and less prone to color loss, shrinkage, fading, and fraying.

If the shoe fits - One area of business casual or dress casual that so many men overlook is their shoes. Your shoes need to reflect the occasion as well. A little part of me dies each time I see a guy wearing a nice pair of slacks, a cool polo shirt, and egad…his dressiest wing-tips; or a nice pair of wool pants, a crisp shirt, and yikes…a pair of chunky Doc Martens. There are many great choices out there for dress casual shoes in both lace ups and loafers (slip-ons). While you are choosing your shoes remember to match your belt color to your shoe color.

“ A belt??? But my pants stay up just fine without one.” – 1. You need to wear a belt. 2. It’s okay to have more than one belt. Belts not only give your pant waistband added support and structure, they provide a clean line and separation between your pants and shirt. Do not hang your keys or cell phone on your belt in dress casual situations. Put them in your pant pocket or better yet, store them in your sport coat pockets

Those can’t be wrinkles. It says wrinkle free right here on the tag. – I think wrinkle free and easy care clothing is awesome. I love it and my customers love it. You must remember however that a wrinkle free tag on your shirt is not a force field that makes wrinkles invisible to everyone around you. If your shirt looks wrinkled around the buttons and the collar is curled (especially on your polo shirts) you need to spend some time with an ironing board or visit your nearest dry cleaner. No matter how costly your shirt may be, badly wrinkled clothes cheapen your appearance.

Aloha! – Leave your Hawaiian print silk shirts and your Green Bay Packer polo shirt at home for dress casual situations unless of course there is a pep rally or a luau following the event. One of the simplest things you can wear is your dress shirt open at the collar. Earn extra style points and wear a French cuff shirt with silk knots in the cuffs.

Hey there, sport! – While not a requirement to wear in all dress casual situations, a sport coat or blazer is a key piece in a man’s closet. Sport coats quickly and easily give a guy a little added polish and sophistication. A sport coat also provides lots of pockets to hide keys, a portable phone, a day planner, a pen, etc. It is much better to hide them in your coat than to hang them from your belt or cram those items into your pant pockets.

Please know that the above guidelines are not intended to single out or insult anyone. Most men dress inappropriately not because they are ignorant or they don’t care, they struggle because they have never been taught how to do it well. While I absolutely know that it is what’s on the inside that really counts, I do argue that it is both respectful and respectable to put your best foot forward when it comes to your clothing and your appearance.

If you have clothing questions, please visit Joe, Howard, Joie, or me at the store. We are located at the corner of 9th and Main in fabulous downtown Dubuque.