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Introduction
Your manly aesthetic in the work place is one of the most important times you need to be looking your best. You meet customers, go on business lunches, attempt to handle a drink or two and are surrounded by colleagues who barely know you (but will maybe want to?).
Everyday is like a first impression being repeated. If you look like a respectable gentleman, undoubtedly you will be treated like a respectable gentleman.
Sadly, that big promotion will not make itself happen. Same as that tea won’t brew itself and flat packed furniture will remain just that. But anything you can do to help it along the way is surely worth a try, right?
Adding creativity and excitement into your outfit will show those around you that you are a creative and exciting person – a sure fire way to get noticed. In this how to guide I will pass on wisdom about dressing for your age and point you in the right direction of some garments that will give you that all important edge.
Office Wear On Lookbook.nu
Office Wear Trends
The Trend: Summer Chic
Formal wear in the summer is a tricky topic for most men. Should I wear shorts? Are sandals an acceptable form? Should I still wear a tie to work at the risk of looking too casual if I don‘t? All of the above?
Many mornings I have pondered these plights. Thankfully, those hours have come to pass with the introduction of alternative summer chic office wear.
The Season: Summer
Formal shorts, as seen below, create a real preppy, youthful appeal in your outfit. Beige and blue are always popular summer colours. The two work great as part of a sophisticated look or you can use them as part of a traditional nautical style. The addition of a bow tie really wraps the outfit up nicely (as any good bow would).
The Looks
Left to right: Cream trousers/baby blue blazer [E.Tautz at LFW], cream shorts/blue bow tie [E.Tautz at LFW] and grey shirt/yellow cuffs/cream flared shorts [Topman Design at LFW]
How To
- Working the shorts for your body really depends on your age and size. From forty onwards, I would err towards a lightweight summer suit in the place of shorts.
- Guys who are straight up and down can use the flared shorts to add curves to their hips and create a waist using a tight fitting belt.
- For the older gentleman, as mentioned before, choose a suit which plays with youthful trends but has that sophisticated edge that says “I know who I am and I am proud”. The loose fitting blazer will hide any lumps and bumps you may have accumulated over time and is a removable option for the fluctuating weather of summer.
The Trend: Winter Prestige
The Season: Winter
We too are feeling the frostbitten pain of all our Beaners yet to recover from a never-ending winter. But before you go putting those boots and bombers up for sale on eBay to free up space for your summer wardrobe, take note of the A/W office trends fresh from the LFW catwalk.
The Style
As I sat teetering on the edge of my seat watching LFW menswear day, the recurring theme for AW became apparent: prints.
Leopard print was a huge trend for women last year. But this season round, men are being called upon to awaken their animal instincts. Think faux fur coats and fur collared parkas. Pair with subtle detailing (leopard print ties are not subtle) and rule the jungle. If leopard is a bit too much for your taste (or work environment) then fret not; alternative prints which are set to be big news in office wear this year include your standard stripes, checks, spots, paisley and the current favourite… gingham.
The Looks
From Left to Right: Leopard print shirt [Topman Design at LFW], metallic trench coat [Omar Kashoura at LFW], red shirt/grey chinos/black bag [Topman design at LFW]
How To
- As has been mentioned in previous articles, pairing prints can be difficult. Educate yourself with the use of a biblical guide to style (also known as FashionBeans) and you can never go wrong.
- Pairing your print with monotone trousers creates a lean silhouetted, a straight up and down look adding height to your body.
- Incorporating a high waist in to your trouser choice can also create a figure-flattering mirage, as it lengthens the appearance of your legs. But only if your body type allows for it.
- Metallic hues are going to be another key part of your wardrobe come the next A/W call-upon. This is where the rest of your already established wardrobe can be utilised. Metallic’s work best with a plain counterpart.
Sign off
The suit is the pinnacle of a man’s wardrobe. It defines a man in an instant as being of a gentleman status. Many will argue subtlety is the key that opens the door of sophistication.
If you are already established (you measure this by your assistant’s salary – not your own), you may feel that donning bold colours and controversial patterns is not the way to go for you. Keeping colours simple (black/grey/navy) is acceptable but only at base level. You will not be disregarded or shunned from any water cooler chat simply for stepping your boardroom attire up a sartorial notch.
A suit is not traditionally called a suit unless it is cut from the same cloth. However, just because the term ‘suit’ is used, it does not mean the colour of your jacket must match your trousers, which must match your tie, which must match your shoes. You can play with it as much as you want.
You must ensure your new work look is tailored to your body. Any ill-fitting clothing leaves a lot to be desired at the best of times, but when your judge and jury surround you 9-5, you’ll want to impress with more than just your punctuality and ability to make a decent brew.
Men’s SS13 Fashion Trend: Ethnic Inspired
Men’s SS13 Fashion Trend: Denim
Men’s SS13 Fashion Trend: Statement Tailoring
Men’s SS13 Key Colour: Pink
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i hate to say this but, i dont think i could wear any of these items to my office or business meeting :/
Doing office wear articles is always tricky because there are so many different professions and appropriate forms of dress that there is never a generic tip apart from making sure your suit fits correctly.
However, if some of the readers could give us an idea about what the dress code is like in their company, the profession they are in, and what type of company it is (small/medium business, FTSE 100 etc.) then maybe we could begin to produce a series of articles tailored to some of the majority groups we find.
This however is just an article to show what has been making waves this year on the runways in terms of formal/office wear. I am sure some of you would be able to take bits and pieces away from the article and integrate it into your personal style.
Even if you kept the suit razor sharp and monochrome you could incorporate a patterned shirt very easily with a bold coloured tie or pocket square. Some may be able to get away with tailored shorts or a “short suit”, whilst others could pull off a ‘separates’ look without coming across unprofessional. Integrating patterns through accessories such as ties/bowties/pocket squares/belts is another easy way to get on trend and make yourself stand out.
I neither see how many of these items could be worn to a workplace unless you work in Topman oxford circus. Yes, I do see how a few of the items that you suggest from high street retailers could be possible to mix an match with your own wardrobe which is great. However most of the looks are unrealistic for the modern man to wear. The looks are very much repeated in every trend that seems to be submitted which includes dickie bows, chinos and brogues. I for one would like to see more classic outfits that would be staple wardrobe pieces which would run from work daywear to evening. Title for new article : Staple items for your wardrobe! or even for the recession thinking man, How to build an outfit on a budget? Hope i wasnt too critical…Thanx!
Great article. I just wish I worked for a company which was’nt full of people who are stuck in the barbour jacket and winkle picker shoe generic office trend.
Anything but that is frowned upon. Took my Mulberry bag in the other day……. one of the cavemen asked why I had a handbag.
an article on office accessories would be interesting. :)
Ridiculous article. I would never hear the end of it if I turned up to work in any of these outfits, apart from the monochrome outfit from asos.
why was my comment removed?
@Ayman – Your comment isn’t removed, we have to moderate all new comments for the first couple of times just because we have so much spam which would bring down the quality of the whole site. You should see your comments going on immediately from now on. Feel free to join in the discussions across the site.
TO ELGRINGO AND AYMAN: The looks in this article are a base for you to create an outift on. Printed shirts being banned in the workplace is something I am yet to hear of personally, but the options of beige and blue are also discussed in the article, as well as being provided with other options to wear them with. Metallics were also another popular trend at LFW, and many other FW’s, which again i’m sure will be an acceptable work outfit. And Ayman, the reason some of the looks might be repeated is because fashion is about trending. As you say about staple pieces, some would view the bow-tie as a staple to an outfit as it adds quirkiness as opposed to the regular windsor knot most men are sporting. Thank you for your comments, I do appreciate you being honest, which means we can take feedback from your suggestions to create a fashionbeans everyone can appreciate.
TO JOE: You read my mind. A two part accessories guide for a/w and s/s is currently in the making so keep your eyes glued to the site and thank you for your comment
TO A C LOWE: Thank you for your comment. Maybe you can be the man the rest will follow. Try introducing your colleagues to something new that isn’t too far from their norm. Going metallic will be a huge trend this summer, as well as throwing in a few prints and patterns. Who knows? They might surprise you.
I work for one of the largest food companies in the world in the R&D department most people wear smart trousers and shirts some wear jeans / shirts so it’s pretty relaxed and pretty boring no one in their right mind would wear shorts to work (I didn’t wear them when I was 8 years old at school!) I think it would damage your reputation within the company. Maybe if I worked for a small design agency in London and I was in my early 20s and super fit then I would might consider it but I don’t! I think it would be useful to get some tips about adding small touches to what I wear to be less boring but at the same time fit in with the culture of the company I work in. I think you have missed this point fitting in with your work colleagues is really important. But having a cool pair of shoes that lifts a plain pair of trousers or a white shirt makes your look less boring.
How is repeating looks in every article trending? When its just making people conform to the same looks and have no personal sense of style? ..its not all about ‘Trends’ of the season because if i wanted to know that then id go onto style.com but i would think that people would come on here to get advice and inspiration on how to piece outfits together in general for those certain occasions i.e work, casual day or a night out…its frustrating to see that people have lost touch of what styling really is and that its not all about what the current season trend is…its about buying quality items that are timeless and classic and will be relevant to any season regardless of what trend it is…and sadly leopard print cuban heeled boots aint one of them! The article itself is as you say about showing people that those certain items do work together but i think its a completely different matter to whether people are actually going to consider them for a workplace of any kind…so maybe the pictures that were chosen didnt best represent what this article was supposed to be about? sorry again for being the critic but i guess there always has to be one…p.s i love fashionbeans!!
i love fashionbeans but agree with elgringo that this particular article is ridiculous. there is no way that i would be allowed to wear any of these outfits to my office even if i wanted to – i would think a lot of readers would say the same. for those of us who wear suits to work, what would be more helpful would be ways to improve our look such as current trends in suiting, fashionable colours of shirt etc
I do honestly like some of the pieces that were chosen if you wanted to achieve the office look without actually having to be an office. But I am pretty sure you will get fired if you wore those things above one day.
Printed shirts are a great way to add some dimension to your look, but be wary of loud, obnoxious prints such as the cheetah prints above.
Thanks for giving my wife a good laugh at some of the pics shown above
You guys have got it so wrong with this article….
These outfits are horrendous
TO EVERYONE: I agree that you should have your own personal sense of style, however trends in fashion mean that you will find a lot of people wearing similar outfits as they all want to be viewed as ‘on trend’. Donning a trend does not mean each of you should go to work in the boldest coloured shirts, leopard print boots and a coat made of tin foil. The guide is for each of you to try and take one or two points away that you might be able to incorporate into your normal workwear. As Ben has previously mentioned, creating an office wear article is tricky as I do not know every fashionbeaner’s line of work, hence sadly the article may not include something for everyone.
The general body of the article is supposed to create the message that all guys can choose one or two new pieces from the trend to add excitement to their own wardrobe. As mentioned previously, Beige/Blue/Metallic versions of clothes you already wear are not too outrageous but are still interesting pieces that will be a major player in this s/s. The same rule applies with the garments – although you may not want to wear shorts, i’m sure the option is there if done tastefully. Its about wearing what you want to wear, and most importantly feeling comfortable doing so. Once again, I appreciate the comments and welcome criticism as it opens the gate to learning about what you guys want to read in future.
Oh, and in relation to the above, there are numerous articles already available to read on fashionbeans regarding trends in how to innovate your current workwear, for example Luke Todd has produced two articles on colour trends and soft tailoring recently which some of you may be interested in. Thanks for all your comments guys, keep them coming!
Wow this has certainly got the opinions going! I can see it from both points of view because obviously some items are not suitable for professional FTSE companies where anything even slightly against the grain can be taken as you not taking your job seriously.
However, like Matthew mentions above, this is about taking small pieces away each time you read something on our site. I don’t think at any point he told you all that you must go to work wearing leopard print to be on trend – he is just showing what the designers are pushing and trying to expand your horizons. He didn’t even say you should dress like the catwalk models – who as you should know by now are used to create a visual showcase of the latest collections rather than truly wearable every day outfits.
So why couldn’t you incorporate a patterned shirt underneath your suit? Even in the strictest of companies I am sure this wouldn’t be out of line. You couldn’t opt for a hi-shine or metallic fabric for your suit/shirt/tie? I definitely know that some professionals could even get away with shorts or no socks and loafers which a couple of the images show. Believe it or not, I have had office jobs in I.T and so I do know that in the right company, outfits which incorporate individual pieces [read: not every single one] from this article would not cause me to be fired or people to question my work ethic/professionalism.
I am all for personal opinion and debate but try and take something away from everything we publish. Even if it happens to be that you think it is hideous (majority here ;)) at least you have defined your personal style that little bit more. Maybe I could encourage you to try a simple paisley/print pocket square; just for one day, just to break out of your comfort zone!?
Anyway it has been particularly good for me because obviously there is a desire for more work wear articles and it is something I have personally been working on. I have an article ready with the 2 big suit styles for this year and after that I will try and break down general guides for office wear dependant on your age and dress codes.
Keep the opinions coming good or bad guys
Its a shame I don’t have, nor do I currently need a suit. But if I did, I could certianly see it being metallic and used with patterened shirts, in fact, I think that would be a better combination than with any standard suit colours – playing two stand out styles off each other, just stick to monochrome colours.
I like it, shows some really interesting concepts, where ever applicable.
I just wanted to address Ayman’s concerns about displaying trends. That IS the basis of any fashion media and to be upset at that is forgetting that most guys who are not the most adept at putting outfits together can use trends as a very easy starting point. Your take on things is exactly that. What you deem to be styling and having classic pieces is your preference…not what everyone else should be doing. You will always have guys… such as myself that will prefer more longevity out of their clothes and so go for more classic pieces. You will also have the guys that may love the very short lived on trend items. It’s horses for courses mate! What I would like to add on the presentation of the article is that the title indicates one thing but when you then look at the lookbooks its something completely different.
If the average guy came on here and saw those lookbooks on jazzing up his office wardrobe he would be no further on because as a few people have said the combo’s shown are not practical in the average office. Yes ok you may be able to pick out a piece that is deemed acceptable but you still have the rest of your outfit to put together and that’s where the article and lookbooks don’t really help a lot of guys who are trying to get their fashion handled. It touches on the subtleties of fashion media presentation as you’re often expected to do a lot of reading between the lines e.g ” just use the lookbooks as a base” but to some guys new to all this it has helped them very little and they have never been tutored on how to best use what they see in mags/internet sites.
The bottom line is we know office wear is fairly formal yet we are seeing images of what might get worn by staff at a model agency, music label or fashion house. All a bit more evocative and out there than the hum-drum offices most of us frequent! Hope this comes across as constructive and not bashing btw.
The offices I worked at in the past were semi formal non customer facing for a communications company. Shirt, trousers and shoes were the norm. Jacket was optional. No shorts..not even in summer.
TO MUSH: Thank you for your comments, they are very helpful in helping fashionbeans know what their audience would like to read. I strongly agree that the LookBook pictures do not show precise ready-to-wear outfits, but as you say yourself, the images are their for inspiration, not imitation. However, the main point of the article was to show “The Season’s Trends” as quoted from the title. I appreciate a lot of guys will not be allowed to wear some of the items to work, but I don’t believe the article to be so narrow as to rule out the majority of office wear, for example, the majority of comments have stated the clothes would be acceptable in music shops, fashion retail outlets, design studios, model agencies etc. True, that is quite a specefic demographic of young, city dwellers in the most likely instance, but a demographic nonetheless. I also agree the article could have been broader and included more options for the generic office attire suitable for the majority of men, but the angle I wanted to work with this piece was innovating your wardrobe, even if only with a couple of new items.
You make some very valid points, and once again your comments have been extremely useful to the whole fashionbeans team by the sounds of it.
TO SERGE: Always glad to be of assisstance.
Interesting article. Long time FB reader, first time poster. I have to agree with most of the comments though – the leopard print and the shorts wouldn’t work in most offices. I think their inclusion in this article is another example of the growing influence of formal wear in casual wear and the influence lookbook.nu has on FB articles. (I severely doubt any of the lookbookers pictured above actually work in an office!)
@Ben – A better article would be on how to contrast patterns/textures in a suit by using different trending layers and accessories. (Such as knitted ties and gingham pocket squares.)
Anyway…i’ll go back to being one of the happy silent majority now. Looking forward to the two suit articles you have lined up. :)
Thanks for the comments and suggestions BG I will add it to the list. Just need to point out to everyone that Lookbook.nu doesn’t have an influence on what we write or the subject matter at all. All writers are encouraged to find article content which piques their interest first and then use external sources like lookbook in order to get their point across. For trend pieces we follow the runways and pick up the major trends whether they are high fashion or what the high street are pushing. The trends in this article with regards to formalwear came direct from the London Fashion Week catwalks the past 2 season previews.
However when it comes to the high fashion stuff Lookbook is usually the only place we could find outfits which can give you (as the reader) visual clues about how you COULD make it work – should it suit your personal style and taste.
We started adding lookbook pictures to a lot of our articles because it is easy to find examples which can give everyone inspiration; whether it be certain pieces that coordinate, layering techniques, colour combinations or even just accessorising correctly. We are definitely not encouraging everyone to go out and dress like them – as they are generally the minority – but surely some visual cues instead of just an article of text and example products works a lot better?
I can see why this was a slightly controversial article, but lets all remember that it’s just fashon advice and speculation; no one intends to make you wear any of the above outfits against your free will.
I took it with a pinch of salt and apply the advice given in last week’s Legends Of Cool feature. Just consider which of the above items might suit fashion your own icon(s) and then see if they suit you and your current wardrobe.
Oops, just spotted a typo in my previous post. Any chance of adding a spellcheck to the Fashion Beans comments boxes..? lol
TO MARK: I couldn’t agree more – making the trend your own is what fashion is all about. And sadly that feature is not available just yet, we’ll all have to make do with taking a trip to dictionary.com for the time being.
@Ben – Makes sense mate. Keep up the good work! :)
can i ask where the main picture for the article is from – love the black and white striped shirt! cheers
Hi Dan, the top image is a campaign shot from Dolce and Gabbana but I think it is a couple of seasons ago now I am afraid.
Thanks Ben! I’ll check the outlet – fingers crossed!