Style Scenario: Contemporary Creative Business Casual

What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions then add your own tweaks and ideas. That’s what these are for. The work world is getting increasingly more casual. Forget neckties, even collared shirts can look stuffy in certain places of work. But that doesn’t mean you can’t dress with a bit of purpose. Here’s one way of doing just that, without ruffling the feathers of the sneakers and t-shirt crowd… who happens to makes up 95% of the office. And if this looks a bit like the last style scenario to you? Yes. It does. That’s the point. To show that it’s really not that hard to dress up or down a certain look by keeping the same palate and swapping in different pieces.

The T-Shirt: Bonobos Made in LA Tri Blend T-Shirt – $16.80 FINAL w/ STEAL ($48). “Yo, that’s fifty dollars for a t-shirt.” No Macklemore, it’s not if you wait for it to go on sale AND they throw an extra 40% off code at you. But yes, it’s expensive to start. Made in the USA. Final sale. Shirt at the top of the post is actually a graphic tee (the horror!) from the merino brand Icebreaker. Got it on mega sale during an end of season clearance.

The Watch: Christopher Ward C3 Grand Tourer – $455. An investment, and a quartz, which’ll be a turn off for plenty. But Christopher Ward knows how to make a fine feeling and wearing watch. This $99 Seiko chrono balances the retro and contemporary aesthetic for a lot less.

The Sportcoat: Good Man Brand Slim Fit Soft Blazer in Cotton Wool Blend – $198.98 ($398). Just featured in yesterday’s best sportcoats of the fall post. Big fan of this thing. Too pricey? Head to Target for their cotton/poly blend blazer that’ll be a more than fine cheap replacement.

The Belt: Suitsupply Grey Suede Woven Belt – $59. Something that’ll jump a bit off the dark wash denim. Ships and returns free via Suitsupply. A dark brown belt would be fine here too.

The Briefcase: Filson Ballistic Nylon Brief in Whiskey – $140 w/ STOCKUP18. One of their less expensive options. Still looks (and feels) rugged, still should hold up for years and years.

The Sneakers: Adidas Wilsy SPZL Sneaker – $110. Meet the latest J. Crew Nike Killshot, uh… killer. Sure, they’re just as if not more expensive, but at least they’re in stock. Got a pair on the way for review. Ships and returns for free via Nordstrom. Shoes actually shown at the top of the post are the ol’ standby Stan Smiths.

The Jeans: Amazon Goodthreads Selvedge Jeans – $50. Available in multiple fits. Just a bit of stretch woven in for comfort. Full review here.

The Socks: Airka Merino Wool Blend Socks 2-Pairs Pack – $16.99. Oddly nice for the price. Two pairs per pack. 45% merino wool, 40% nylon, 8% Polyester, 7% spandex. It’s hard to find a mid-weight wool sock like this. You’re either in thick camp socks, or super thin dress socks. These are right in between, and comfortable and durable as hell. Great for wearing with sneakers or chukkas.