Men's Style Strategies: Dressing Up, Dressing Down

Suit, shirt and tie, that's the standard workday uniform, and chances are good that every other guy at the water cooler is wearing the same thing. But unless you're presenting to the boss or your office has an extra strict dress code, you've got some room to play with the tried and tested formula. Let your fashion sense loose! Style your weekday outfits differently and be just that more envied by everyone else at work.

Ditch the Jacket
If you're not making a major sales pitch or meeting heavy hitter clients, a jacket-less look would most probably be okay for a whole day behind your desk. Besides, leaving it at home isn't without its benefits. You're a lot less restrained throughout the day, for one, and you get to try out some of these more interesting alternatives.

Swap the jacket out for a cardigan, especially if you live in milder, more fashion-friendly climes. Instead of the typical thin style, though, look for a chunky knit piece with a collar that has some heft to it. The weight of the cardigan should make up for the absence of the jacket, while at the same time giving you a more comfortable piece of outerwear. It goes without saying that, like your jacket, the cardigan should be modern, slim but not skinny.

On colder days, a peacoat could also do an equally admirable job as outerwear. It's like a middle ground between a coat and a topcoat, which also means that you can't style it with either of the two. Aim for a simple one in gray, black or navy without any excess details. No belts, no patches and no epaulets. You want to look distinct in the office, but there's no point in attracting the wrong kinds of attention while you're at it.

Put the Pants Away
Formal slacks are held highly in men's fashion, often described with words like 'classic' and 'timeless'. If you don't mix them up every now and then, though, even the most classic and timeless of these style pieces can become downright boring.

That's why you should try swapping them out with dark, dark jeans in a slim cut. Don't go for anything that looks anywhere near an embellishment; fades, rips, tears, whiskers, extra zippers and contrast stitching are all out of the question. In fact, you should get a pair as close to a true black as possible. The point is that a pair of denims that's dark and simple enough can fool most others into overlooking the fact that it's not a pair of slacks.

Once you've got the perfect pair - you should find one easily enough as countless men's fashion boutiques now sell them - you can style it with practically anything you'd usually wear with slacks. Wear it with your usual shirt and necktie. Go out in it and a v-neck tee. The only difference is that you now wear all those outfits with a much more rocker, tough guy vibe. And it's not every day that that vibe gets past your office doors.

Stow the Shoes
Leather lace-ups are fine and dandy for the office (as well as a great number of sartorial situations), but they're not the only office-safe style in the entirety of men's fashion. The alternatives are either equally dressy or will add an appropriate touch of casual to your usual workday look.

Boots, for example, are turning into a major men's fashion trend this season, and the kind that everyone says you have to get is actually pretty good for the office. Look for elegant black lace-up boots instead of the waxed workman variety. It maintains the elegance of its leather material but adds just a tiny bit of edge to your outfit.

More casual days, meanwhile, call for more casual shoes like boat shoes. Loafers are the less formal leather alternative, but a clean-lined black boat shoe evokes an inimitable Americana vibe. Wear it with any suit, even a navy three-piece one, because it can sufficiently dress anything down to get you ready for the weekend.

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