Unbuttoned collared shirts, no tie suitable for casual day
Q. I work in a fairly casual office. Essentially, anytime I see someone who is wearing a tie, I know he is meeting with a banker or managing a meeting with outsiders and insiders. The boss never wears a tie, just dress shirts. So I follow that lead. My question is: What is one step down for Fridays and summer?
A. It is wise of you to observe and follow the lead based on what the boss is wearing. That is always a smart strategy.
I know of no rule that says every office must adopt a more casual dress code on Fridays and in the summer months. It used to be when men wore suits regularly to their offices, they often dressed more informally during the hot summer months and on Fridays all year long.
This made sense because the establishment form of dressing was rather staid and formal. But now, when wearing a tie in many offices signals that something special is going on, there would seem to be no reason to seek something even more casual. Still, since you have asked, you must be looking for some change from your daily routine.
I should point out that there are a few very different forms of going tie-less. They progress from more formal to more casual. The most formal is wearing a not-too-dressy suit with an open-at-the-neck dress shirt and no tie. The next step is wearing a blazer or sports jacket and dress pants with an open-at-theneck dress shirt and no tie.
Another drop more casual is a nice open-at-the-neck dress shirt and dress pants or khakis with no tie and also no jacket. The reason I keep mentioning “open-atthe-neck” when describing a shirt worn without a tie is that I really dislike the look of an all buttoned-up shirt when it is worn without a tie. To me, that look has a nerdy, almost foolish look. This can be cultural and even geographic, where despite previous standards, it is becoming common, as you’ll see among some celebrities with “air ties” — which is really no tie — but it isn’t easy for most men to pull off.
So, what are a few options for your even more dresseddown days? If your office is a jacket-and-no-tie place, you could substitute either a lightweight sweater or a vest for the jacket. This sort of layered look can be casual and a bit polished. Or, if your office is more casual and no one wears suits or sports jackets, except on those meeting days when they add a tie, then you still have a couple of choices, specifically what type of shirt you choose.
The men’s shirt counters of the world are filled with a vast variety of handsome shirts that are one step down, or a few steps down, in formality from dress shirts. Some of these are what used to be called “blazer shirts,” that is, certain shirts — notably bold plaids, broad stripes, and darker colors — that work well with the informality of a blazer and are generally not quite appropriate with a business suit. Any of these could be a great answer for your question.
If a broadcloth or Oxford cloth blazer shirt still seems too dressy for your purpose, you might consider shirts with some texture, perhaps seersucker in summer and flannel or denim/chambray in winter. Tasteful sport shirts (long-sleeved and shortsleeved) are other possibilities. And, if you feel you’d be comfortable carrying it off, here’s a unique option. Since the whole concept of Friday dressing began years ago in Hawaii as “Aloha Fridays” before the idea migrated to the mainland, you might occasionally add a subtly patterned, not overly colorful Aloha shirt to your Friday rotation.
The most relaxed shirt choice that I can recommend would be a nicely styled polo shirt in pristine condition. Forget casual T-shirts. Any shirt you wear in an office setting should have a collar.
And always remember: “Casual” does not mean “sloppy.” Don’t act as if your office is your driveway and you’re preparing to go out and shoot baskets. This is still a work setting and should be treated with a professional approach. You don’t have to be dressed-up to look polished. All the elements of careful grooming are still the order of the day.