What Does Business Casual Attire Mean in 2025? A Guide for Men
GQ RecommendsThe best business casual clothes are the best clothes, period.By John JannuzziDecember 18, 2024Image: Getty; Collage: Brittany LogginsSave this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.In an increasingly casual world that also has us splitting the working week between our homes and offices, what clothes count as “business casual” has only become more clouded. A decade ago, it was much clearer: you’d be wearing pants that weren’t jeans and a more casual button-up shirt, and probably only on Friday. And while that formula still very much works, the spectrum has undeniably widened. Jeans are no longer frowned upon, and more casual pants and sweaters have come along with them.Unfortunately, that widening has brought with it even more ways to get it wrong. But worry not: We’re here to demystify it all for you. Below, we’ve thought about exactly which clothing categories define the business casual look today, and then gone one further, choosing our favorite picks within them, and filtering out exactly what works for corporate types, creative types, and more. No matter the industry you’re in—and as you’ll read, that matters—there’s a fit for you on this page.The Business Casual Hit ListDo-It-All Derbies: Dr. Marten’s Mono Derbys, $140Loose (But Locked-In) Chinos: Corridor Straight Leg Chinos, $245The A.C.-Defying Knit Full Zip: Todd Snyder Merino Full Zip Sweater, $328The Self-Respecting Button Down: J.Crew Secret Wash Cotton Poplin Shirt, $89The Deskside Denim: Alex Mill Original 5 Pocket Jean, $185In This GuideAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronWhat is business casual?What business casual means for different industriesWhat is business casual attire for men?Business casual attire FAQWhat is business casual?Business casual is a way of dressing that’s more relaxed than formal business wear, but still comes across as professional. At its core, it’s all about walking the line between what you wear on a weekend and what you might’ve worn if you were a midcentury executive. It’s approachable but controlled, tailored but comfortable, and these days, it’s the dress code in most corporate environments. So props to you for coming here to brush up on the basics.Admittedly, the downside of business casual is it eliminates the possibility of wearing a number of casual staples: Hoodies, sweats, and beat-up sneakers, for example. But there’s also a giant upside to the category: It’s also where, as we’re about to demonstrate, some of menswear’s most versatile closet staples reside. We’re talking dark jeans, unstructured blazers, sweaters, and smart-looking shoes. The most fun thing about shopping for business casual pieces is that the best ones can also make up the true staples of your entire wardrobe.Because business casual doesn’t have to be boring. You should still look like you: Your job is just to find which pieces land on the bullseye in the Venn diagram featuring your job and your sartorial vibe.Read more: 41 Dos and Don’ts for Getting Dressed for the OfficeWhat business casual means for different industriesExactly where your company falls on the business casual spectrum is largely dependent on what business you’re in. If you’re working at a boutique marketing, design, or architecture firm, chances are nobody is going to email HR if you wear a pair of jeans with an untucked oxford. However, if you’re logging long hours moving money around the markets, it’s likely that you should still steer clear of relaxed denim entirely.If you’re not sure what it means at your job, look around the next casual team hang, and go with the flow. (If that hang hasn’t happened yet, take a look at everyone’s Monday outfits, and imagine what they would look like if they were 15 percent chiller.) Play it safe, and edit as you go. And most importantly, make sure you feel comfortable in whatever you choose. As with all dressing, that’s kind of the whole game.What is business casual attire for men?Let’s rule out the obvious before we get into the nuts and bolts. There’s no business place for hoodies, sweatpants, or anything that could be loosely defined as streetwear. Anything with rips, tears or holes is out, too. Save all of that for leisure time.The good news is the pieces that do make the cut are insanely versatile, making any investment well worth it. You’ll want to take stock of your trousers, chinos and immaculate denim — all of them will fit the bill. Next up, inventory your button-ups, whether they be oxfords, poplin shirts, or dress shirts. (Some people might be able to get away with a polo depending on the office, but that’s not a guarantee.) Everything can be wrapped up with a classic blazer or a handsome sweater, too — just keep it clean and simple. Last but not least, don’t forget a well-crafted loafer or perhaps a minimalist sneaker. (And please, steer clear of the “fun” socks for work.)Blazers for Anywhere but the B
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
In an increasingly casual world that also has us splitting the working week between our homes and offices, what clothes count as “business casual” has only become more clouded. A decade ago, it was much clearer: you’d be wearing pants that weren’t jeans and a more casual button-up shirt, and probably only on Friday. And while that formula still very much works, the spectrum has undeniably widened. Jeans are no longer frowned upon, and more casual pants and sweaters have come along with them.
Unfortunately, that widening has brought with it even more ways to get it wrong. But worry not: We’re here to demystify it all for you. Below, we’ve thought about exactly which clothing categories define the business casual look today, and then gone one further, choosing our favorite picks within them, and filtering out exactly what works for corporate types, creative types, and more. No matter the industry you’re in—and as you’ll read, that matters—there’s a fit for you on this page.
The Business Casual Hit List
- Do-It-All Derbies: Dr. Marten’s Mono Derbys, $140
- Loose (But Locked-In) Chinos: Corridor Straight Leg Chinos, $245
- The A.C.-Defying Knit Full Zip: Todd Snyder Merino Full Zip Sweater, $328
- The Self-Respecting Button Down: J.Crew Secret Wash Cotton Poplin Shirt, $89
- The Deskside Denim: Alex Mill Original 5 Pocket Jean, $185
What is business casual?
Business casual is a way of dressing that’s more relaxed than formal business wear, but still comes across as professional. At its core, it’s all about walking the line between what you wear on a weekend and what you might’ve worn if you were a midcentury executive. It’s approachable but controlled, tailored but comfortable, and these days, it’s the dress code in most corporate environments. So props to you for coming here to brush up on the basics.
Admittedly, the downside of business casual is it eliminates the possibility of wearing a number of casual staples: Hoodies, sweats, and beat-up sneakers, for example. But there’s also a giant upside to the category: It’s also where, as we’re about to demonstrate, some of menswear’s most versatile closet staples reside. We’re talking dark jeans, unstructured blazers, sweaters, and smart-looking shoes. The most fun thing about shopping for business casual pieces is that the best ones can also make up the true staples of your entire wardrobe.
Because business casual doesn’t have to be boring. You should still look like you: Your job is just to find which pieces land on the bullseye in the Venn diagram featuring your job and your sartorial vibe.
Read more: 41 Dos and Don’ts for Getting Dressed for the Office
What business casual means for different industries
Exactly where your company falls on the business casual spectrum is largely dependent on what business you’re in. If you’re working at a boutique marketing, design, or architecture firm, chances are nobody is going to email HR if you wear a pair of jeans with an untucked oxford. However, if you’re logging long hours moving money around the markets, it’s likely that you should still steer clear of relaxed denim entirely.
If you’re not sure what it means at your job, look around the next casual team hang, and go with the flow. (If that hang hasn’t happened yet, take a look at everyone’s Monday outfits, and imagine what they would look like if they were 15 percent chiller.) Play it safe, and edit as you go. And most importantly, make sure you feel comfortable in whatever you choose. As with all dressing, that’s kind of the whole game.
What is business casual attire for men?
Let’s rule out the obvious before we get into the nuts and bolts. There’s no business place for hoodies, sweatpants, or anything that could be loosely defined as streetwear. Anything with rips, tears or holes is out, too. Save all of that for leisure time.
The good news is the pieces that do make the cut are insanely versatile, making any investment well worth it. You’ll want to take stock of your trousers, chinos and immaculate denim — all of them will fit the bill. Next up, inventory your button-ups, whether they be oxfords, poplin shirts, or dress shirts. (Some people might be able to get away with a polo depending on the office, but that’s not a guarantee.) Everything can be wrapped up with a classic blazer or a handsome sweater, too — just keep it clean and simple. Last but not least, don’t forget a well-crafted loafer or perhaps a minimalist sneaker. (And please, steer clear of the “fun” socks for work.)
Do you need a jacket to meet the business casual bar? No. Is it an extra style flex you can easily incorporate into your rotation? Absolutely. The ideal business casual jackets could never be mistaken for being the top half of a suit. Instead they’re made from more relaxed fabrics like tweed, corduroy, and cotton, which means they'll harmonize with almost any kind of chinos, jeans, or professorial pleated pants.
One thing doesn’t change when you migrate from business to business casual: Shirts are still the anchoring hero of your work wardrobe. In an often waist-up, hybrid working world, they get the most airtime, and they’re a quick signifier that you take yourself seriously.
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What you’re looking for here is something that shows off a little personality, but isn’t shouting it from the rooftops. Have some fun with colors and more relaxed fits, but if you take a trip to paisley town, you’ve probably gone way too far.
Read more: The best oxford shirts for men
The sweet spot with business casual pants is to be obviously less formal, but still kind of tailored. The best ones today skip the gimmicks—we're looking at you, moisture-wicking—and achieve comfort the old-school way, with the types of looser cuts, softly-slouching fabrics, and retro-inflected pleats that dominated corner offices for the majority of the 20th century.
If your outfit ever skews too relaxed for some colleagues, a solid pair of shoes pulls everything together, and communicates you’re still here to work. (Rules to keep in mind: Single color leathers, minimal adornment and no soles that might be confused with all-terrain boots.) If you've got choice paralysis, know that a pair of simple black derbies is more versatile than Daniel Day Lewis—except maybe tux trousers, there's no pair of pants they can't elevate.
Read more: The best loafers for men
There's something inherently business casual about a sweater. Natural fibers sourced from far-flung regions gives them sophistication, but the knit construction makes staring at a screen all day as comfortable as possible.
Offices are also notorious for blasting the A.C., so much so that you might be reaching for a cardigan even in the depths of August—so feel free to also keep one of these over your chair for good measure.
Of all the elements we’re talking about here, denim deserves the most consideration.
Not because it’s an overly complicated thing, but because when done well, it transmits laid-back confidence. But when done poorly—think brightly-colored jeans, or denim pooling at the ankles—everything starts to look a bit, well, summer camp. Here’s a selection that should make the right impression.
Whether you tell your boss or not, a workday in 2025 can include more movement than your old school 9-5. You might be working from the gym in the morning, taking a lunch meeting in the afternoon, then heading to the office after that. That’s a pretty full day—bring your things along for the ride in one of these versatile styles.
Read more: The best briefcases for men
If your office is Air Jordan-amenable Monday through Friday, you don't need this guide. If you're surrounded by those monsters that look like dress shoes on top and running sneakers on the bottom, you absolutely need this guide.
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When you're adding sneakers into the business casual equation, err on the side of timeless, and keep it very minimal.
Your work watch doesn't have to be fancy—and certainly not smart. As a general business casual guideline, there's no real need for the luxury brands—you ideally just want some metal in the mix and a dial with hands. And don't sleep on a GMT (a.k.a. dual time zone) watch if the job has left you with the ability to name your top-5 skylounges.
Business Casual Attire for Men FAQ
Are jeans business casual?
We get this one a lot. Which makes sense, because there’s a lot to consider. If you’ve gotten some kind of invite with a “business casual” dress code listed, we’re going to advise you to steer clear of jeans and keep it to chinos and trousers. But, if we’re talking about a workplace environment, there’s a strong case to be made for a specific type of denim.
Before you pull on just any blues, remember that all jeans are casual, but not all jeans are business casual. In general, you should keep the fit as clean as possible, and when in doubt, know that darker rinses are always better.
Are polo shirts business casual?
The short answer: Generally yes, but it’s a fine line and truly depends on the workplace.
The long answer: Polos are traditionally associated with country clubs, leisure and sport — concepts famously divorced from work. Whether you can wear one to an office or not largely depends on the vibe of your workplace. If you’re in a small shop, doing creative work, and your team is pretty lax when it comes to dress codes, we say go for it. But, if you’re working in any kind of financial institution, we’re gonna advise you to save it for the company barbecue. Or maybe a back nine business deal.
Are sneakers business casual?
Yes! Or at least, they absolutely can be—provided they’re minimal, sleek and unassuming. Don’t walk into the conference room in Yeezys. Stick with leather or plain canvas, in simple colors, and you should be just fine.
Where do you buy business casual outfits?
Truth be told, you can find business casual clothes at almost any brand. But a good place to start would be those mall brands that are punching well above their weight these days—J. Crew, Banana Republic, GAP—and some of the wallet-friendly, high-quality Recommends standbys, from Alex Mill to Buck Mason. Though for those fashion heads wishing to get a bit more advanced, there’s a whole host of brands that are currently putting their unique spins on traditional office-wear, with designs that’ll attract compliments from the interns while still fitting in with the top brass when they have to. Some leading lights among them? Our Legacy, Drake’s, Mfpen, Studio Nicholson, and NN. 07.
