The not so standard office

Like most of you people and the rest of America, I work in a typical office. However, I do not work in an industry that requires the "standard office uniform" of dress pants and button-downs. This trend is ever expanding.

Recently, fields such as finance, where typically a suit is required are falling prey to this trend. This can be a blessing to us free-style thinkers but a real demise for those out there that have no idea what to wear. The office uniform is an easy look that most people can master with little effort.

Schools institute uniforms so everyone looks the same and helps to eliminate competition/distraction. The same can be said for offices. A standard work uniform can give a company’s employees the illusion of put togetherness. Clients like to see the people they are paying looking respectable. The uniform can also save people from style mistakes.

So what happens when you don’t have that mandated style path to follow?

Don't freak out, you have two options.

Option 1: You give yourself a uniform. Maybe you become the dress pants and button-down guy or pull a Michael Kors and wear the same outfit every single day (black t-shirt, black blazer and jeans). Don’t get me wrong, Kors looks good and put together, but everyday? Pitfalls of this practice are pigeonholing yourself as a one trick pony or being flat out boring. If I wear a suit to work my boss assumes I have an interview. Yeah, it’s like that.

Option 2: Pay attention to what you wear and mix classic standards and styles with updated fashion ideas. Try these quick looks:

* Black dress pants with a simple light striped button-down, tucked in of course, but rock with a pair of bright white sneakers. Go old school like Adidas or Converse.


* Throw on a simple black t-shirt (no, there can’t be anything printed on it) with mid-tone wash jeans and a black blazer. No, don’t tuck in the t-shirt. Top it all off with a pair of shined, black classic cap-toe lace-ups. This outfit looks grownup because of the blazer and the classic shoe but the jeans and simple t-shirt bring up the cool factor. Professional but stylish. A man pushing a look like this is assumed to have his shit together. Michael Kors does it for a reason.



* Pair dark jeans with a button-down. Roll up the sleeves above the elbow and throw on a loosely tied tie. You can go with anything on your feet as long as it’s matching your belt.

It all comes down to paying attention and looking like you care but aren't trying too hard. You don't want to dress way above your other co-workers and you don't want to look like you got dressed in the dark. Find that middle ground where you feel comfortable as well as being proud of what you're presenting to your peers.