CASUAL DRESS FOR MEN – OUTFITS AND STYLE
Things are not so easy with casual dress. A suit is a uniform that complements itself, but there is no such copout with casual dress – you have to mix and match different garments on your own, and there is no tailor to hide behind, it is all about how match your attires!
For so long, the suit was the default attire for men. But now, with fewer people having to wear them for work – one in ten people now wear one to work according to one survey – they are focusing more time and spending more money on their casual clothing. But where to start? There are numerous Business Casual and Smart Casual dressing guides out there, but what about looking good when dress codes don’t apply?
WHAT IS CASUAL DRESS FOR MEN?
The first rule of casual dress right now is that there are no rules. You can, quite literally, wear what you want and be considered ‘casual’, but therein lies the problem. There is no direction, no predefined set of rules. One answer for some men is to follow the crowd. Next time you go to the pub on a Saturday night, spot the gaggles of identikit drinkers all decked out in jeans and some form of untucked shirt. There is nothing wrong with this, of course, but to stand out in casualwear, conversely, takes a bit of effort.
Casual wear is relaxed, with the right amount of elegance and laid back and suited for everyday use. Casual clothes typically blend personal comfort and individuality – since you have to mix and match different garments to create your unique look.
Experiment and discover what works best for you. You can, quite literally, wear what you want (except maybe if you are thinking of running errands in your couch potato wear).
If there are no strict rules and few limits, there still are style guidelines for Casual clothes worn outside of the privacy of your home, however.
Whether you choose to keep it simple or are feeling a little adventurous, Casual can be interpreted slightly differently depending on the situation and venue. This leaves you with the difficult task of figuring out what to wear to find the sweet spot between overdressed and underdressed.
When in doubt, you should always subscribe to the golden rule that it’s always better to be overdressed than to be underdressed whatever the occasion may be. In actual fact, that is the beauty of casual clothing. Unlike with tailoring, where you generally have to fork out a substantial amount to buy a fine suit, you can look ace on very little budget. Just follow our pointers below if you’re stuck on where to start. These ‘rules’ are not set in stone and are merely suggestions, but they are a good place to start if you’re looking for casual style inspiration.
RULES OF CASUAL DRESS:
PAY ATTENTION TO FIT
As with tailoring, fit can make all the difference with casual attire. The difference is, you don’t always have to look tailored. How should your clothing fit? This really depends on the look you’re going for and your body type.
Traditionalists will say that a slim-but-not-restricting fit should be the ideal to aim for, but there’s been a shift towards looser styles in reason seasons, with boxy shirts, and outerwear, and wide-legged trousers proving popular amongst designers and fashion-forward consumers. That said, there’s still an argument for slimmer fitting clothing that flatters the wearer’s body shape.
The point is, fit is one of the most important aspects when it comes to clothing and it should be considered above all else.
COMFORTABLE MATTERS
There’s no use investing in hoards of the latest streetwear if you don’t feel comfortable wearing it. Wear what feels right to you, because if you feel self-conscious then this will show and it won’t matter how many hundreds you’ve dropped.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Minimal style is not necessarily en vogue right now; rather, loud logos and oversized statement pieces are where it’s at… for some. But simple, pared-back clothing will never not be cool, so swerve the masses and combine easy, straightforward garments together for an effortless take on casual style.
DETAILS ARE KEY
Take a denim jean and T-shirt combination; it’s arguably the archetypal casual combo, yet it still can be worn in numerous ways. Tuck, half-tuck or untuck the T-shirt? Roll the sleeves or leave them be? Pinroll the jeans or have them tailored Ankle Fit jeans would an alternate? Slim or relaxed cut jeans? These are all subtle tweaks and variations, yet they make a fairly substantial difference.
