If you’ve ever looked at a dress code and have had to scratch your head in utter confusion, fear not you are definitely not alone. In generations past, or like twenty years ago, there were very strict rules for what to wear to the office; a steady rotation of black and charcoal suits paired with a pair of diligently polished black leather lace-ups ruled men’s office wardrobes. Then the world, the nature of work and office dress codes along with it relaxed ever so slightly and along came business casual.
Shoes play an integral part in any outfit choice so when it comes to dressing for a business casual dress code, the question is always do you opt for the business or casual part of the code? The answer to that is actually quite simple, the first part of the code is the really important bit; it’s business casual and not business casual. So unless you work in a very casual environment where jeans are the norm, leave your sneakers at home and opt for a pair of shoes that is both corporate appropriate and stylishly relaxed.
There are quite a few styles of shoe that would have you looking stylishly relaxed in just about any corporate environment.
Oxford and Derby
Oxford and derby shapes are the traditional go-to shoe choice for formal and conservative corporate environments but that doesn’t necessarily exclude them from business casual dressing. Black pairs of these shoes, especially high shine options, will always look and feel very formal so give them a skip in favour of brown, oxblood or tan pairs. The conservative feel of these shoes allows for more informality in the rest of your outfit, so match a chocolate pair with a pair of black or charcoal fitted chinos or a tan pair with trousers in a navy blue or lighter shades of grey. A pair of patterned socks will also give your outfit choice a more casual flair.
Suede options in either style also give a softer, more casual feeling than their leather counterparts.
Brogue
Oxford and derby styles can also be made more casual with the addition of brogue ornamentation. The brogue isn’t actually a style of shoe but refers to any shoe that has brogue detailing, i.e., patterned ornamentation created by small holes or perforations. A quick tip when deciding on a pair of brogues; the more extensive or ornate the brogue detailing, the more informal the shoe.
Monk Strap
A great way to ditch the perceived formality of laced dress shoes is to ditch the laces altogether. Of the slip-on shoe styles that would work well within a business casual dress code, the monk strap is foremost. The sleek, sharp and sophisticated shape of the shoe gives it a formal feel perfect for a corporate setting, while the strap detailing gives it a casual flair. As with lace-up shoes, black high shine variants of the monk strap will instantly look more formal than a brown or tan pair while a suede pair will tone done a suit or dress up a pair of dark wash jeans or fitted chinos.
Loafer
While the monk strap has a definite sleek and sophisticated feel to it, the loafer veers more towards the casual. Invariably paired with a pair of chinos, in a look made popular by mid-century American college boys and their Hollywood representations since, the loafer has a much younger feel to it than the monk strap. To ensure that you don’t end up looking like a college student doing some work experience always have your shirt tucked in, make sure your chinos have a more tailored fit to them and match your belt to your shoes (an actual leather belt, no knitted options).
When deciding on a pair of loafers it’s also probably best to make sure that they’re actually loafers and not their considerably more casual cousin, the driver. Loafers will have a separate sole and a low heel while drivers have a more simplistic construction and resemble a pair of slippers more than anything else. A simple way to distinguish between a driver and a loafer is to try to fold the shoe in half – if you can, it’s a driver.
If you’re starting out at a new company and aren’t really sure of what their definition of business casual is, it’s best to either just ask someone in HR or to err slightly on the side of formal for your first day, scope out what everyone else is wearing and adjust accordingly.
