Business Casual Attire for Men: How to Dress Well in 2024

Below the formal tuxedo or a matching suit jacket and trousers sits the sport coat. So named because this more casual style of jacket originally was made from more rugged fabric and worn for sporting pursuits like hunting, the sport coat today (or blazer) is made to be worn with contrasting trousers, jeans or chinos, and features less construction than a suit jacket.

From my time in the menswear world, a blazer or sportcoat is like a secret weapon, particularly in a color like navy. It’s versatile, appropriate for most everything from client and coffee meetings to networking events, and happy hours, and can work well with dark, dressy jeans or chinos in a variety of colors.

Business casual sport coats and blazers come in a variety of fabrics, like wool blends or cotton stretch fabrics – these are also more laidback than suit jackets, and more comfortable to wear as a result.

Pay attention to relaxed details like patch pockets or a lack of shoulder padding, and look for a color you can wear frequently, like dark grey, charcoal or navy.

Your shirt is yet another key category that can make or break your business casual wardrobe.

I mentioned that dressier items like suits are best worn with a crisp, ironed dress shirt, usually made out of a more fine, thinner dress shirt fabric. So, when going with the best picks for a business casual wardrobe, choose a shirt that’s, well, more casual.

I’ve found that it’s tough to go wrong with the sturdy-yet-soft nature of the Oxford shirt (named for the Oxford cloth used in original British versions). The style features a chest pocket, a detail not found on most dress shirts, and also includes a visible buttondown collar. The buttondown design helps the collar hold its shape and makes it easier to wear unbuttoned, without a tie.

In fact, this is my preferred style of shirt to wear for business casual situations – when in doubt, the classics go the distance.

What about a tie?

If you do opt for a tie, ensure you’re sticking with something more textured and again, casual – old-school knit ties are a cool business casual style move.

I personally love wearing a knit with an Oxford shirt, since the knit tie is visually interesting and less formal than a 100 percent silk tie.

Business casual wardrobe selections are terrific because they give you so much leeway to layer and dress in interesting ways.

For chilly fall and winter days, a well-made sweater can stand in for your blazer with ease.

As for my own wardrobe, I love the layering potential of business casual style, especially in the fall and winter months. When the time comes to put a sweater on atop a stylish Oxford shirt, count me in.

I tend to look for classic crew neck or V-neck designs, the kind you can layer over that trusty Oxford shirt, for instance.

I also opt for soft cotton or cotton stretch (or merino) blends in seasonally friendly shades. Plus, a neutral sweater in navy, tan or grey pairs up with just as many essentials as your trusty sportcoat.

No wardrobe filled with the best picks for the perfect business casual wardrobe should overlook your pants, since they’re often what makes or breaks a look.

Granted, you can sometimes wear suit trousers with business casual looks (like wearing suit trousers alongside a cashmere sweater and an Oxford shirt), but let’s go with pants that truly fit the business casual mode.

Here, the classic chino – with a five-pocket design and sturdy-yet-soft cotton twill fabric (sometimes garment-dyed for texture and often made with stretch) is your best friend. I’ve found that chinos are the perfect middle ground for business casual style, particularly in a neutral color like navy or tan that you can team with just about anything.

When I’m dressing in business casual style, I’m mostly wearing chinos – the more versatile, the better.

The best chinos work with a blazer and buttondown, or with a merino tee-plus-blazer combination. You can even dress them down on the weekends with a henley and rugged shawl cardigan.

Dark, well-fitting jeans can also work in business casual settings, provided the jeans feature minimal fading or added details (think of them as “dressy” jeans, and wear them with your soft-shouldered navy blazer).

Details make the difference with an outfit, particularly as you dress to head back to the office, so make sure your ensemble is on-point from head-to-toe.  I always say that the right pair of socks is certainly no exception. For starters, opt for socks that you wouldn’t wear to the gym – no athletic socks with these looks, folks.

I favor a mix of either neutral or subtly patterned socks in soft fabrics like cotton or merino wool (for moisture-wicking and anti-microbial properties), and the more wearable, the better.

In my experience, merino wool is an excellent sock fabric that can take you through a long day at the office into the night without missing a beat.

What’s the first thing people notice about your outfit? Sure, it might be your watch or your blazer, but when the first step literally makes a first impression, it’s all about the best dress shoes for the office. There are plenty of casual shoes you could rock these days, but you might commonly see the classic Oxford shoe.

This is a lace-up dress shoe (black is dressier, dark brown or tan works well for business casual), sometimes with a captoe design for a bit of visual interest. Think of them like your workhorse business casual shoes for most times of year.

In the warmer months, the slip-on loafer, with a sleek toe and a design that allows you to show off some ankle, can be a nice change of pace from Oxford shoes.

Every well-stocked menswear rotation of business casual picks should boast at least one pair of brown leather dress shoes. If you’re anything like me, you might grow to love brown leather dress shoes or brown leather loafers – they work seamlessly with plenty of off-duty looks, too.

And best of all is the fact that you can get much of the same refined-yet-versatile style in the brisk fall and winter months with Chelsea boots. I personally love wearing Chelsea boots as often as possible, as you get the bold style of a boot and the same refined performance as dress shoes.

Elastic side gores make it easy to step into these boots, the stacked heel and slim profile are perfectly dressy yet acceptable with chinos or denim, and they often come in handsome shades of leather to suit every style.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Your accessories are going to set your outfit apart from the pack, and the belt is essential when wearing an Oxford shirt and chinos (among other business casual combinations).

Your belt is going to be front and center, so make sure your selection is a belt made with a slimmer, more dressy design (versus a thick, sturdy leather work belt you’d wear with canvas work pants).

In my experience, a belt with a roller buckle or a slide clasp is going to be the right option for business casual situations.

Pay close attention to your dress shoes – your belt should closely (or exactly!) match the shade of leather of your shoes, and the color scheme should work well with your pants.

If you’re wearing navy chinos, match up a tan belt and tan dress shoes, or use a dark brown belt and dark brown dress shoes. When I’m getting dressed, I style dark brown dress shoes or Chelsea boots with a dark brown belt, and then team up my chinos accordingly (think olive, tan or navy chinos).

Let’s get one thing clear right off the bat: There are bags made for the gym, bags made to haul tools for yard work and outdoor projects, and bags made for business casual settings.

Rarely do you find one that checks all the proper boxes, but a good rule of thumb is to find a bag made from sturdy, stylish materials (like leather, canvas or even a durable nylon). As for me, I’m all about the rugged-yet-refined appeal of a bag made from leather – or even canvas with leather accents.

Some leather bags get better with age, like leather boots, and that’s a nice added bonus of making a stylish carry-all part of your day-to-day business casual ensemble.

Then, ensure that bag can haul your office essentials, like your laptop or iPad, a notebook, documents, a pen, a charger and perhaps even a water bottle. Messenger bags or briefcase-style bags deliver the utility you need while resting easily on your shoulder and fitting compactly beneath your desk, underneath a train seat or at a conference table.

Through the years, I’ve found that either a messenger bag or a briefcase can carry everything I need comfortably and in style, whether I’m wearing a lightweight navy blazer and a merino tee, or an Oxford shirt and knit tie.

Put all of these essentials together, and you’re well on your way to developing what I think might be the perfect business casual wardrobe.

What is business casual attire?

Business casual is neither too stuffy or formal, nor too laidback – think of it like a middle ground, one that works at a large majority of offices these days. Even if you work from home multiple days a week, as I do, the return to the office is where these business casual basics are going to come in handy.

It’s crisp, but not as refined as wearing a suit, nor is it as relaxed as wearing lounge pants and a merino T-shirt on the weekend. In fact, dressing in business casual fashion is one of my favorite ways to dress, since it works well with pieces that I love (like an Oxford shirt), plus accessories that I admire (like an office-ready leather watch and crisp leather dress shoes).

Dressing business casual these days means you’re mixing and matching tried-and-true menswear staples with a decidedly dressy (but still casual!) approach.

To name but one example: You’ve probably got a navy suit in your wardrobe. Replace that suit jacket with a more casual sport coat, swap out your starched white dress shirt for a more easygoing Oxford shirt, and trade in your suit trousers for tan chinos. Boom: You’ve just gained but one example of how to dress business casual.

When should you dress in business casual attire?

Go with more formal wear (like a sharp suit, or even a suit sans tie) for big presentations, for instance, but you should be able to stick with business casual men’s style picks most of the rest of the week.

In my experience, every guy can look great in well-fitting business casual pieces, like a subtle navy blazer and a well-fitting Oxford shirt and chinos.

And yet, when in doubt (as in, dressing for a wedding or another formal event), try to follow the provided dress code. The rest of the time? Business casual style is your best friend, and this is our guide on how to wear it well.