Business Style All Week Long

Do you wear the same thing to work every day? Or do you switch it up on a daily basis, letting your schedule, mood, or some other factor dictate your look?

Whether your office dress code is strictly business or laid-back, kick-your-feet-up casual, it’s possible to make a sartorial statement. To help out, we’ve put together some suggestions about how to look your best throughout the entire work week.

Maybe you get up very early. Maybe you dress really fast. Maybe you wear exactly the same thing every day. Even if all of those things are true, you should plan your outfit ahead the night before. If you leave everything until the morning, you might wake up only to discover that you’ve run out of clean underwear, or that your jacket has a stain you didn’t notice before.

Prepping your outfit doesn’t have to take a ton of time, just a few minutes to gather the pieces together and inspect them.

• Use a lint brush to remove any hair, fuzz, or other easily removable bits.
• Inspect your garments for tears, holes, dirt, or stains.
• If you haven’t worn something in a while, try it on to make sure it fits properly.

Making this a part of your nightly ritual – just like brushing your teeth – will help you stay looking sharp and cut down on the morning rush.

There’s a strong correlation between comfort and confidence. When you’re dressed comfortably, you’re more likely to feel and look confident in a professional setting as well.

The secret to dressing comfortably and professionally is making sure you have clothes that fit well.<

• Look for quality materials that will feel good against your skin.
• If you wear a suit, have the pieces altered by a professional to make sure they fit properly.
• Learn several different ways to knot a tie, and experiment to see which method is most comfortable for you.

Fill your closet and drawers with items that mix and match well. That way, you’ll have plenty of options to change up your look throughout the week, without having to build and maintain a huge collection of clothing.

• Successful matching is all about contrast – a white dress shirt and a dark suit is the most basic combination, but not the only one.
• When pairing patterns with solids or other patterns, use a secondary pattern color as the point of connection.
• Don’t artificially limit your color or pattern selection, and don’t be afraid to experiment a bit.

Every company has its own guidelines about what it considers acceptable for casual-wear days, whether they occur on Fridays, the days before holidays, or at some other time. Whatever standards are set, you should strive to dress a step above expectations on casual days.

• If everyone else is wearing jeans and a T-shirt, wear khakis and a button down.
• If other guys are wearing button-downs with open collars, pull a V-neck sweater or sport coat over your own.
• If jackets and slacks are the norm, wear a suit and dress shirt, but leave the tie at home.

The goal here isn’t one-upmanship, but rather looking your best without standing out too much.