7 Stylish Ways to Mix Casual & Professional Attire

Have you ever passed someone on the street, or maybe had a friend or co-worker, who liked to “mix it up” stylistically by wearing any sport coat they might have in their closet, pairing it with jeans or chinos, and just calling it a day? This is not an uncommon option for many men–but there are actually multiple ways for you to add a unique spin to your outfits to make them more stylish and more functional.

Mixing Casual & Professional Attire In Stylish Outfits

1. Pay Attention To Fit

I remember a few years ago I was preparing for a trip to New York City. I spent what felt like hours scouring my closet, trying to find things to put in my suitcase that would give me the best versatility. I soon realized that I had selected some items that looked preppy and others that were quite professional–but that these two types didn’t quite mesh well together (especially in terms of fit).

To fix this problem, I had to get out of my head, stop envisioning myself as some sort of “menswear cover model,” and think realistically. I took a moment to figure out what would make the most sense, so I’d look stylish, be prepared for all of my meetings, and still have the flexibility to be able to explore the great city of New York without having to continue to run back to my hotel for an outfit change. Having the correct proportions in terms of fit will help show you in your best light.

2. Always Choose Quality Garments

It’s also important to make sure you’re choosing the best quality garments as much as possible, but what do we mean by quality? Quality isn’t always defined by what the price tag says, it’s also about the durability and longevity of the garment. Quality pieces are often significant investments, but their longevity will be such that the overall cost-per-wear of the garment over its lifetime will be low.

3. Look for Seasonless Pieces

I always like to look for seasonless pieces. These are versatile options that work well into your capsule wardrobe–meaning that, speaking generally, they can be worn at any time of year, and also that almost any piece in said wardrobe will pair reasonably well with any other when assembling an outfit.

4. Know Which Items Are Key

It’s always helpful to know which items are key in your wardrobe for maximum versatility. Examples of “staple” pieces would include medium- or dark-wash denim, cotton chino pants in neutral colors, solid or gently patterned suits in navy or dark gray, a year-round navy blazer in wool, leather dress shoes in black or dark brown, and accessories like a watch, a ring, sunglasses, or even a pocket square.

5. Pay Attention to The Season

It’s important to pay attention to the season in which you’re preparing your outfit, as this will help you determine which colors and materials you should be utilizing. Now, using the list of key garments mentioned above, and also the color and pattern suggestions that are going to follow, you’ll be able to add more uniqueness and pizzazz to your outfits going forward.

When it comes to the season of spring, you want to look for colors that are light and have a pastel tone. In summer, try something brighter and much more vibrant. In autumn, earth tones always look fantastic, and in the winter season, think of something dark and more subdued.

Other than seasonality, consider that some colors are more advantageous for certain men than others, depending on skin tone, hair color, eye color, and so on. Popular pattern options would include stripes, windowpane, buffalo check, paisley, and Glen plaid. Keep in mind, there are also numerous other patterns to consider, but patterns also have a different effect on different people depending on their build.

6. Matching Seasonality and Formality

A correct example would be wearing a year-round blazer, a sweater, some dark wash jeans, and perhaps a pair of boots. Here we see the formality and seasonality of everything harmonizing together wonderfully. It shows somebody who is aware of the season in which they are dressing.

They’re keeping the majority of their outfit fairly neutral–perhaps it has one to two pops of color–and the best part is that it’s versatile. Remember, sticking with neutral tones for a majority of your outfit, and then having one to two accent colors, will help you to look distinguished and cohesive.

7. Pattern Matching

As we said previously, there are a great many patterns out there; stripes, dots, paisley–what do we do? Perhaps you’ve heard to never mix certain patterns together, but now that you better understand color, let’s go over some ways on how you can leave this simplistic advice behind. When there are too many things going on with your outfit, it will be visually confusing to your viewer. A safe example would be wearing a solid tie with a pinstriped shirt. Introducing a pattern to the tie as well as the shirt will make things more complex.

On the conservative side, it’s always best to keep it simple and opt for maybe one to two patterns in an outfit. You can always wear multiple patterns, but the important thing is to make sure that the scale is different from pattern to pattern, so that they are not fighting for attention. It’s great to see confidence in an outfit by not being afraid to try a paisley tie with a checked shirt, or pairing your wingtip shoes with your dark-wash denim, or perhaps a casual button-down shirt with a unique pattern under a suit jacket.

How Should You Personalize Your Outfits?

Although it’s good to know what rules to adhere to when creating your new professional and casual outfit, we want to make sure that you don’t feel like it’s a uniform. Clothing is a form of expression, and it’s important to know when and where it’s appropriate to be expressive. For example, you wouldn’t want to show up to a dinner date wearing a t-shirt and long tube socks; not only is it a decidedly unstylish look, but at this dinner date, it wouldn’t be the best time to express yourself in that way. Save these bolder items for a different time.

One thing I’ve never tired of in all the years I’ve worked in retail is being able to meet all these wonderful people from all over the world. I remember seeing many different kinds of people who had frequented my place of work who really enjoyed pushing the boundaries of fashion–whether through hair color, the amount of fragrance they wore, or their overall outfit choices. One person would always arrive at the store in a cloud of fragrance, and another would only allow themselves to wear one single color, literally from head to toe.

Conclusion

It’s important to be prepared for anything when you step outside in your outfit, which means that versatility is a primary concern. However, it’s also great to see an outfit embellished with a unique ring, your favorite leather-strapped watch, or a great Fort Belvedere pocket square to add some personality. The goal here is to add a few key pieces to help show “you” in your outfit without going overboard. Dressing for multiple occasions is something that initially might require a bit more planning, but once you’ve found a rhythm in your wardrobe, it’ll feel like second nature.

Outfit Rundown

My outfit consists of alight purple and white checked shirt with a button-down collar – happens to be wrinkle-free. I’m also wearing a dark brown belt with a gold buckle and some bright blue wool trousers and some dark brown shoes and some tan socks. And the reason I chose to wear the purple shirt, the button-down collar, the placket style and some of the stitching color differences lend itself to being a little more on the casual side.

The reason I opted for the bright blue pants is because the color is a little bit off the normal vein of Navy. However, they do have classic styling details which could lend themselves to looking a little bit more upscale. You can dress them up or dress them down. And I chose to wear the dark brown shoes because I wanted to have one finishing piece at the bottom of my outfit to help elevate the rest of the look, and also I love the way the brown matches the brown belt.

How do you assemble an outfit that’s both casual and professional? Share with us in the comments!