My office, which is a corporate headquarters and was until recently one of the last business-professional-dress (e.g., suits and ties) holdouts in town, has decided to change the dress code to what they’re calling “smart casual.” In my experience any casual dress code, hyphenated or not, is mostly in the eye of the beholder, but the sad upshot of the change is that I’ll have a harder time now justifying wearing my suits and ties. Looking on the bright side, it’s an excuse to start expanding another area of my wardrobe. Just don’t tell my wife.
Jacket: Polo Ralph Lauren, consignment store, $80
Fair Isle sweater: Washington DC men’s store house brand, bought online, $40
Shirt: Brooks Brothers, thrifted, $5
Trousers: Brooks Brothers, sale, $50
Shoes: Alden shell cordovan saddle shoes, Ebay, $60
Total: $235
If I’d paid retail prices: Close to $2000
What a shame! Can flip-flops, grubby old khakis, jeans with holes, ball caps that are never removed, and for the women skirts that are too sort and too tight be far off among coworkers? Would your continuing to wear the occasional suit and tie run afoul of the new corporate culture? A sad day indeed.
Best Regards,
Heinz-Ulrich von B.
There’s something odd going on in the top photo, but I can’t figure out what it is. Your neck looks shorter than it does in your other photos, almost like your shoulders are hunched. An issue with the collar, maybe? What do you think?
I think the collar on this jacket is a bit taller in the back.