Have you had difficulties finding the items that are just right for looking put together without going overboard?
Like you want to look well but not go crazy.
You might not be a suit man. Suits and ties may be excessively formal for the workplace and unquestionably overdressed for, say, a casual date.
To show you how to do it, I put up a 15-piece capsule wardrobe with 10 different outfit ideas.
A business casual dress code is what I’m referring to here and what this capsule wardrobe is based on.
Most likely, you’ve heard of the expressions “smart casual” and “sharp casual.” I’m not one to really get caught up in rigid classifications, even though there might be small differences between them and business casual.
Whether you’re talking about business casual, smart casual, or sharp casual, I believe the main goal of the dress code is to appear put together without coming across as overly formal.
It’s that simple.
And any of those three dress code categories could use the 15 pieces I’m about to present.
15 Business Casual Capsule Wardrobe Essentials
Despite the fact that business casual is commonly associated with wearing no suit, I am including a suit in this definition.
Particularly when the suit is made of a hopsack fabric, a suit does not always have to be formal.
Suit & Jacket
A hopsack suit is quite versatile. Additionally, it presents as a more casual suit option and makes a fantastic standalone jacket due to the weaving and texture of the material.
I suggest a jacket with patch pockets, which also adds to the casual vibe.
A light grey sport coat will be the next jacket we introduce. Because I wanted my wardrobe to be as versatile and simple to dress as possible, I decided against a second jacket in a pattern and instead went with a solid color.
Particularly for someone who may be just beginning their fashion adventure and could feel a bit uneasy wearing a stronger plaid or check pattern.
3 Shirts
Now onto shirts. We have an ice blue Oxford shirt, a striped shirt, and one of the greatest shirts for this kind of capsule wardrobe, which is a denim shirt.
3 Pants
Now a few pairs of pants. Khaki and navy chinos are already in the mix, but a pair of dark denim jeans is also included.
2 Pieces For Layering
One of our sweaters has a V-neck in navy, and the other has a crew neck in tan.
2 Ties
I’m wearing two ties in this situation: a striped grenadine tie and a silk tie with a medallion print.
3 Footwear
And lastly, footwear. A pair of cap-toe boots, tassel loafers, and a pair of suede Oxford lace-ups.
These are the 15 essential pieces I would include in a business casual capsule wardrobe. Let’s now look at 10 different outfit ideas.
10 Business Casual Outfit Ideas
Outfit 1
First look is very simple, very classic and laid back. A jacket and pants outfit can be made more casual by adding a denim shirt. This look features a gray jacket, navy cotton trousers, and denim shirt. I also made the choice to complete this look with a pair of suede Oxfords.
Outfit 2
I’m really going for a pretty classic business casual look with the second outfit. Along with the khaki cotton trousers and another pair of suede Oxford shoes, you’re wearing a navy V-neck sweater over a striped Oxford shirt. Very easy and uncomplicated outfit.
Outfit 3
The tie in the third look adds a little more polish. Although I believe ties have a place in business casual, they should have a less formal feel, either through texture or pattern. Additionally, it becomes less formal due to the pattern mix between the shirt and tie.
Outfit 4
A crew neck sweater worn over an ice blue Oxford shirt and some navy cotton trousers is another extremely classic, quite easy, and what I would call textbook business casual look. This look, in my opinion, best exemplifies how simple business casual can be. There’s no need to overthink it. All you need are three reliable foundation pieces and a pair of suede lace-ups.
Outfit 5
Here, we essentially have a classic men’s uniform. Oxford shirt in ice blue, navy jacket, and khaki cotton trousers. Such an easy look. You might include a tie. Even while I think a medallion tie would look casual with this, I decided against using one since I wanted to keep the outfit more laid-back. The loafers are a lovely finishing touch that adds a more casual feel.
Outfit 6
I’m aware that the following one is dressed up and might border on business casual, but there are enough casual elements that I’m going to mention in an effort to justify this. It’s a hopsack suit, and the texture and patch pockets add to the casual vibe. The tassel loafer also takes some formality away from the suit, as does the grenadine tie, another textural feature.
Outfit 7
The dark denim in the following outfit gives it a more casual feel, but business casual actually covers a wide spectrum of styles. By just layering the tan crew neck sweater over the striped shirt, you can dress it up. Additionally, the boots give the denim additional gloss while also elevating it.
Outfit 8
My opinion is that wearing a sport coat with dark denim qualifies as business casual, but you must make sure that the fabric of your sport coat complements the denim. Flannel is a fantastic alternative as well as hopsack. The way the denim shirt blends the elements of elegant and casual appeals to me in this outfit. The boots are then adding one more bit of dressing to the jeans.
Outfit 9
Here’s another look including jeans that takes a really relaxed and casual approach. I choose to wear navy V-neck sweater, dark denim jeans, and an Oxford shirt in ice blue. The fact that the two main blue elements we have here are quite dark and monochromatic, giving it a slight air of seriousness, is one of the aspects that, in my opinion, helps this look work as a business casual outfit, even with the jeans. In this case, I opted for suede shoes rather than boots.
Outfit 10
This final look feels a little bit brighter and lighter. I choose to wear tan crew neck sweater, ice blue Oxford shirt, and khaki cotton pants. Although it may not be for everyone and is not easy to get lighter tans like this, I prefer it here. The crew neck and the khaki cotton pants contrast just enough, in my opinion, to make it work good. All of these pieces are fundamental and quite versatile.
