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. If you’re lucky enough to be “WFH”, dress like circumstances were normal at least once or twice a week. We covered creating a full-suited ensemble as well as a smart casual look for your home office, but what about the days you want to have a relaxed look, but not necessarily give up and go full sweatsuit? The picks below are for your work-from-home casual Friday or half-day, when the weekend awaits and you might spend some time relaxing in your backyard while you pour yourself a cold one. Look good, in complete comfort.
The Polo: J.Crew Garment-Dyed Slub Cotton Polo in Nantucket Red- $39.50. Hey look, a collar! A perfect polo for when you want to wear a t-shirt, but also want to look a little more put-together. The garment-dyed slub cotton creates a natural weathered fade in the shade of red, which will continue to evolve over time. That slub fabric makes it more casual than, say, the Banana Republic Luxe Touch polo. If a henley is a step above a plain tee, this is a step above that henley. Wash this on it’s own for the first few times, so the dye doesn’t bleed onto other garments. A perfect go-to barbecue polo, whenever we can have those again.
The Pants: Bonobos Travel Jean in Austin Asphalt – $98. It serves all of us well to inject some variety in our denim rotation with a grey pair of jeans. Both light grey and dark grey are worthy additions, but a darker shade will help you get used to grey denim, since it’s an easier transition from dark wash/deep blue/rinse jeans. Think of them as a more casual pair of grey chinos. Grey is a dynamic color for denim, despite being a neutral, as it can produce some great color combinations with your wardrobe for spring. The travel jeans from Bonobos have been adored for years by many, come in FOUR fits -Athletic fit is shown in the photo above- and shorter inseams (28″) to create a more personalized fit. Just shy of a Benjamin is spendy for a pair of jeans, but Bonobos has been running sales more frequently, so keep your eyes open.
The Shoes: Adidas Stan Smith in White/Off White/Green – $80. Not all Stan Smith’s are made equal, and these might be the cream of the crop. No pun intended, but that creamy off-white midsole has a lot to do with it. That, and the better-than-standard soft leather covering your foot. Classics, just in time for the spring sunshine.
The Socks: Stance Gamut 3-Pack Liner Sock – $25. Stay lightweight and cool by pairing your Stan Smith’s with some liner socks. True no-shows that don’t fall down as you walk.
The Belt: The Tie Bar Suede Belt in Grey – $24 w/ WFH20 ($30). I bet you thought it would be the GAP basic leather belt. But, Dappered is SO not basic. Right? RIGHT? (Editor’s Note: I can feel the critic’s reactions now. Listen, even you “fancier” types have to admit you can’t get to Arcade Fire without going through Oasis. And most tunes don’t need a hurdy-gurdy. Most of us are just fine being hurdy-gurdy free. Anyway, back to Jason’s post…) The grey is available for those of you who wear a 33 and up, but there are plenty of other great colors for the slimmer readers. The Tie Bar makes a great suede belt for not much coin. If you’re looking for a level-up from here, check out the Allen Edmonds suede belt, but it’ll cost you a lot more than the Tie Bar belt.
The Watch: Hamilton Khaki Field 42mm – $368. A proper, classically styled field watch will work in almost any scenario. And the Hamilton gets the job done and then some. On sale via a grey market dealer, which means no manufacturer warranty. That’s what you give up for the savings. So be warned. Too spendy? Try the Timex Waterbury Chrono, which happens to be on sale for $120 with the code TREATYOURSELF.
The Sunglasses: Warby Parker Barkley Sunglasses in Matte Black Eclipse – $95. These punch well above their price range. Kinda like when Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson. And these are a knockout in aesthetics and construction. An acetate frame with dark polarized lenses provide all-day comfort and protection when you’re working outside and after you clock out.
About the Author: Jason P. is a Dappered devotee, having curated the majority of his wardrobe through the site. He is an enthusiast of wool sweaters, chino pants, and affordable automatic watches. In his free time, you can find him at his boxing gym or antiquing with his wife.