Dressing casually as an adult means having well-built, properly fitting, and refined basics like t-shirts, jeans, chinos, sneakers, boots, and loafers. When you can, incorporate just one slightly dressy piece, like a blazer or sleek leather shoes. Express your individuality through pops of color and with your favorite pieces of outerwear, like corduroy jackets, quilted vests, and classic coats.
Do you know what the paradox of choice is?
It’s when having more options makes decision making more difficult.
Ironically, constraints are then more freeing.
This is men’s fashion in a nutshell. The rules of formalwear make looking good easy, while the lack of them in casualwear makes is a challenge. This is especially so as you get older.
That Super Bowl jersey from the ESPN store or the latest limited-edition kicks that made you a hit at frat parties isn’t going to cut it as a grown man.
No worries. I’ll guide you through the maze we call casual dress for adult men.
How to Dress Casually but Appropriately for Your Age
First, Let Go of Old Clothes
If you have a sweater with a hole in it or jeans with tattered hems, just get rid of them.
Yes, even if you love that garment and even if it holds sentimental value. No one’s going to know that you wore that raggedy button-up that’s beyond repair on your first date with your wife. You’ll just look sloppy.
Keep a small patch of it in a lock box if you like. But if it’s in your closet, it might end up on your person, and that’s what you want to avoid.
Don’t keep pieces that no longer fit. Your body changes as you get older, and sometimes you may not realize that something that once looked great on you no longer does—more on this when we talk about fit.
And finally, really assess if there are things in your closet that don’t serve you as an adult. Since my last growth spurt happened when I was 16, I was almost 30 when I realized I still had the button-up shirt from my high school uniform in my active rotation.
If there are any pieces from the past phases of your life, they might need to be donated or sold.
Maybe you were in a folk band in college, but you’re now a corporate lawyer. Do you really need that fringe suede jacket?
Simplify Your Wardrobe
Once you’ve trimmed the fat, you need to go back to the basics.
Make sure you have all of the essentials, fill in any blanks, and ensure that these essentials are fool-proof. Meaning, 90% of the time, if you grab a top and grab some pants without actually looking at them, they’ll go together anyway.
We go deep into the importance of this in our guide to building a capsule wardrobe. Check it out when you’re done here.
This is the foundation of your entire look, so you want it to be strong and efficient.
Make sure you at least have the following:
- Well-fitting, well-built casual tops
- A pair of chinos and a pair of jeans
- Quality casual footwear, such as low-profile white sneakers, service boots, or chukka boots, and casual-leaning dress shoes like a loafer
- Well-fitting outerwear that you love
Opt mostly for menswear neutrals, like gray, olive, burgundy, navy, shades of brown and beige, and light, soft versions of other colors like yellow, orange, and purple.
A bright orange T-shirt might not go with everything, but a soft peach will.
Avoid graphic tees, loud patterns, and bright colors such as neons. The simpler, the better.
Identify Your Baseline Style
I know the idea of developing a uniform sounds boring, but it actually helps define your style and makes you more distinguished.
How would you describe your personal style? If it’s neutral then your casual tops might consist of crewneck t-shirts and henleys. If you’re more formal, old world, or preppy, then perhaps you’ll have knit polos instead, and khakis over jeans. If you like a loose, casual style, then you’ll go for camp collar shirts.
If you’re not sure how to describe your style, stick to neutrals and classic fits. Remember: every man looks good in well-fitting, well-built t-shirts, jeans, chinos, sweaters, and unstructured blazers.
If you find you prefer utility shirts or denim jackets, maybe you have a taste for workwear. In this case, you can add camp moc boots to your capsule wardrobe.
Or perhaps you find you love shawl cardigans and cable-knits? To match this style, you can make loafers your everyday shoe.
Make Sure Your Clothes Fit Properly
Finding the right fit is paramount to looking good in any dress code. Get your pieces tailored whenever you can. You’d be surprised at how much higher-end, even a budget henley looks when it fits you perfectly.
Unintentionally oversized clothes can make you look like a kid who just swam through your dad’s closet, while overly tight clothes are simply unflattering.
You have to figure out your body type. Tall men, thin men, as well as especially broad and wide men should avoid overly skinny fits. Meanwhile, shorter guys should go for higher-waisted pants and avoid baggy clothes.
Dressing for your body type is an art in and of itself, so take some time to figure out your type and the sorts of clothes that will look good on you.
Choose a Color Palette That Works
There’s nothing wrong with wearing your favorite colors as accents and bright pops here and there. To complement your natural features though, you’ll want to consider choosing shades that go well with your complexion. At the very least, you should do this with pieces that sit closest to your face, like shirts and scarves.
For deep skin tones, you have a wide range to choose from. Other deep colors like dark blues and reds match the richness of your complexion. Meanwhile, pastels and earth tones offer an organic looking contrast that isn’t too dramatic.
Meanwhile, cooler tones like blues and greens go well with lighter skin. Additionally, warmer pastels and jewel tones can brighten up your complexion. Just avoid beige and creams too close to your face, as it can make you look tired or sick.
According to color and style expert, Julia Dobkine, choosing the wrong colors for your complexion will wash you out while choosing the right ones will “make you pop.”
And who wouldn’t want to be instantly more attractive?
Upgrade Your Jeans
Jeans are a true casualwear staple. This means finding the right pair is of utmost importance.
Avoid jeans with holes or ones that are too tight or too baggy. These qualities go in and out of style, and you’re welcome to experiment with them. However, they mustn’t be part of your mature, everyday capsule wardrobe.
As we explain in our guide to how jeans should fit, you want your pants to be able to sit on your upper hip without a belt. There should be a slight break towards the end of the pant legs, which must land on the top of your foot. If the inseam pulls at your knee when you bend them, they’re too tight.
Upgrade Your Footwear
For the most minimalist collection of casual shoes, you’ll want a low-profile white leather sneaker, a pair of good leather boots, and leather or suede loafers.
Minimalist white leather sneakers are the grown-up answer to colorful kicks or skateboarding shoes. Save performance-forward sneakers for the gym. If they’re too techy looking, it doesn’t look like you dressed with intention.
Leather service boots or chukka boots look beautiful with jeans or chinos. Since we’re building a real grown-up shoe closet, your best bet is to invest in full-grain leather boots that are either Goodyear welted or at least Blake stitched.
Remember when I said adding one dressy item to your outfit can make it look more grown up? Well, leather loafers are the most casual form of dress shoe. You can wear them with a suit or a T-shirt and jeans.
Style Inspiration for Effortless Casual Outfits
Here are three successful casual outfits you can use for inspiration.
1. A Pop of Color
By anchoring his outfit in tried and trues (a quilted zip-up, a waxed jacket, and a neutral pull-over), he creates a preppy template that he can have a bit of fun with.
The green pants are distinguished and appropriate with the classy countryside look, and the pop of color in the socks is tempered by his leather loafers—which are a perfect example of adding one slightly dressy component to your casual outfit.
2. Layers and Structure
By anchoring his outfit in tried and trues (a quilted zip-up, a waxed jacket, and a neutral pull-over), he creates a preppy template that he can have a bit of fun with.
The green pants are distinguished and appropriate with the classy countryside look, and the pop of color in the socks is tempered by his leather loafers—which are a perfect example of adding one slightly dressy component to your casual outfit.
3. Sporty Elegance
Through the use of a neutral palette and proper fit, this guy successfully takes traditionally athletic pieces and makes them look refined and grown-up.
He sticks to three solid colors when it comes to his clothes, making the Nike swooshes on his shoes a bit of a statement, though they aren’t too flashy in their brand-forwardness.
Conclusion
It’s so easy to think only your formal pieces deserve attention and care. But, don’t you want to look your age all the time? Not just when you’re at the office?
And for those of you who have casual dress codes at work, the tips here are even more important.
Remember: Simple is better. Fit is king. And invest in high-quality casualwear.
