Written by Menswear Style in Tips & Advice on the 8th December 2014

Being casual in your everyday wear is second nature to some and it’s almost as easy as waking up in the morning for a few chaps. Put on your regular clothes, fix your hair and leave the house. 

'But Casual Friday in the office is something of a delicate topic & can get incredibly complicated'

It’s a way to let your hair down, but not to let up the work productivity. So if you’re worrying about making a dunce out of yourself by not dressing right then let us help you out.

Don’t be too casual 

Most people in the work place are colleagues, sometimes friend’s, so you won’t want to offend anybody you don’t know well enough by wandering into work wearing “trackies”. Jogging bottoms and trainers are for running or lounging at home and not for the work place. It gives your boss the impression that you’re done for the day and you haven’t even started working yet. Swap your joggers for some corduroy, chinos, smart denim or wool trousers that are just as comfortable but look more formal (just so long as they’re fitted grandpa).

Don’t be the grouch-o 

Casual Friday is as much a social event as it is part of the job and if you’re still turning up in full suited and booted gear you’re probably overdoing it. Taking off your tie, rolling up your sleeves or undoing your top button can even suffice in some cases for dressing down, it’s just subtle things like this that can be the most successful.

Tone down the printed tee’s 

Coming into work wearing a t-shirt is almost always appropriate for dress down Friday, so long as it’s not completely unprofessional. Wearing rude slogans, or any slogan, bright colours and printed tee’s is just distracting and also gives off a “last day of school” vibe and this isn’t something you want to put across to your boss. Going for neutral colours and maybe even a small logo subtly gives a more professional but comfortable style. Pair this with some black fitted jeans and a blazer and you’re all set.

But what else? 

Utilising an off-colour shirt, or corduroy neutral shirt with some grey suit trousers and leather shoes can deliver the correct mix of colourful and professional. You will be able to communicate with clients face to face and when you’re back at the office you can roll up your sleeves and not worry about any funny looks. 

If you’ve looking for a themed style such as a festive look, just find yourself a good old fashioned Argyle pattern wool jumper. These are great for relaxing in and they can be a great hit with everyone since they lend themselves to the smarter side of the Christmas themed office attire.

Know your bounds 

It’s all well and good knowing that you shouldn’t be too formal or not formal enough but this is a case by case affair. You may find it useful to know what the rest of the office is wearing and see how they dress. If you feel you’re too casual, match it to somebody else but don’t copy. Nobody likes to be wearing their favourite casual Friday shirt to then have a colleague turn up in the same one. Chat to your colleagues and find out what works such as "Are trainers ok?" or "What's the rule with denim?", especially if you’re new and they’ll be able to push you in the right direction.

We take a look at the smart casual dress-code and provide you with tips and a guide on How to Dress Down at work for winter 2014.