If you have never worked a job with a business casual dress code, it can be confusing at first. Many are relieved to not have to dress as formal, but make the embarrassing mistake of assuming business casual is totally informal.

The site The Adult Man offered a very thorough explanation of what all your options are for business casual as a man. Here are some of the key points to focus on when figuring out what is permitted for this style.

The gist of it is that business casual means you can forgo having to wear ties or jackets as part of your everyday wear. Slacks and button-down shirts are still generally the expectation for what constitutes business casual in most workplaces.

Some form of dress shoes like loafers is also the standard.

All that being said, there is certainly flexibility in the dress code, and that is only continuing to expand. Business casual means you can also add a tasteful sweater on top of your outfit if your office is chilly. You can still be comfortable while dressing up.

And in recent years the dress code has relaxed at some companies even further. Some places will be fine with you wearing a nice-looking pair of jeans (as in no pants with rips designed to be stylish).

In fact, even sneakers can replace dress shoes in some organizations. You could also potentially substitute the button-down shirt for a polo shirt.

However, if you are unfamiliar with the company, it is always wisest to err on the side of caution as you start out.

Start more formal and once you get a feel for the personality of the office you can always dial it back to match your coworkers. Better to stand out for looking too nice than for looking too leisurely.

Lastly, in terms of personal hygiene, neatly groomed beards are also acceptable. Regardless of what you are wearing, having messy hair will take the luster off your appearance. Don’t skimp on the basics of keeping a nice cut neatly combed.

If you want a more comprehensive run down of all your style choices for business casual, read very detailed explanation on The Adult Man.

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Host Don at 40 Over Fashion shares his “smart casual” fashion hints that allow men to dress appropriately no matter the occasion.

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