Office culture and its dress code– has changed dramatically over the past two decades. It’s certainly nothing new, especially if you’ve been employed through the transition, but, for many, the proper fit can still be a headache. Indeed, there was a time when dressing for your 9 to 5 was easy: a gray or navy suit with a pair of oxfords was always a good bet. Think Mad Men, the wolf of Wall Streetand In the air. These days, however, with Silicon Valley and start-ups across the country promoting a laissez-faire attitude, read: normcore— In open plan offices as in conference rooms, the prescribed attire is not so simple. Walk in casual wearand more specifically, business casual shoes.
The term is decidedly tricky. What does business casual really mean? What are the parameters? Here is the CliffsNotes version: business, but not too business and casual, but not too relaxed. You still want to present yourself with authority, but you also don’t want to be the only one overdressing the group. The choice of footwear, in particular, is the perfect way to meander between these two points. If you prefer the formality of a suit, pair it with a white sneaker. Likewise, if you like jeans and t-shirts, polish it with wingtips. There are also styles that match the business casual bill on their own, including desert boots, Chelsea bootsand certain types of moccasins.
Need more help getting business casual shoes? Check out the selection below. Most of us will be heading back to the office soon (if you haven’t already), and we could all use some new kicks when we do. And hey, we can also wear them OOO.
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