Build a Men’s Business Casual Capsule Wardrobe
Capsule wardrobes aren't just good for your casual or relaxation apparel. In fact, they're perfect for business casual ensembles and clothing items, as well. You can put together a stellar men's business casual capsule wardrobe in no time, ensuring that you always have stylish and great-looking clothing ready to go when you need to head to the office.
Capsule Wardrobes Explained
Capsule wardrobes are collections of clothing items that can be swapped out or mixed and matched with each other while still looking great. For instance, you might have a capsule wardrobe with two pairs of gray jeans that can easily be worn with five different T-shirts and long-sleeve shirts.
Casual wardrobes can also work for business casual purposes.
What’s Business Casual?
Business casual, in a nutshell, is a style aesthetic that looks relatively put together without becoming too formal. As its name suggests, business casual is appropriate in a business or workplace context/environment, but it’s also fine for hanging out with your friends after work. Overall, it’s a versatile and flexible style that suits many men just fine.
Business Casual Capsule Wardrobe Ideas
Fortunately, you can put together a business casual capsule wardrobe with a few stellar ideas.
Navy Suit Jacket + Slacks
A navy suit jacket and slacks will never do you wrong. You can wear something like this to an office meeting, to an interview, and to dinner with your parents or in-laws and never look out of place. Just be sure to pair these with a gray or white undershirt. Avoid a tie or fancy watch, as that might push your outfit too far onto the formal side of things for comfort.
Grey Sports Coat + Trousers
Or you can opt for a gray sports coat and matching trousers. This is a slightly more unique ensemble that fits perfectly well in most workplaces, as it’ll adhere to professional dress codes.
Just be sure to pair your sports coat with trousers of a similar or complementary color, like these Gray Super 100’s Gabardine Dress Pants. All in all, a sports coat and trousers are perfect for heading to the office while making a bit of a fashion statement – it's perfect for men who don't want to blend in too much.
Collared Dress Shirt + Slacks or Nice Denim Trousers
If you want to go a little more casual, choose a collared dress shirt and pair it with either matching slacks or nice denim trousers. The collared dress shirt should be gray or white – black might look a little odd, and any other color won’t look formal enough for the business casual aesthetic.
There are indeed denim trousers you can pick for a business casual capsule wardrobe. These Dress Denim pants from Berle are perfect examples. Pair them with the right color dress shirt and a classy leather belt, and you’ll look ready for any workplace meeting without having to stick to the classic and sometimes boring combo of jacket and slacks.
Denim Shirt + Slacks
You can actually wear a denim shirt and still adhere to the business casual style, at least if the denim shirt is a very dark navy in color. However, you'll want to avoid wearing jeans of any type with a denim shirt – that's denim on denim, and it's definitely not business casual.
Instead, pair a denim shirt with khakis or other work-appropriate trousers. Just try to avoid cowboy boots unless you plan to pair them with a hat or you really want to lean into the Texas aesthetic.
Dress Shirt + Khakis
Of course, you can't go wrong with the old workplace classic: a dress shirt and khakis. Khakis are workplace-ready apparel in practically any office or outdoor working environment. They're durable, comfortable, and available in neutral brown shades more often than not.
Just be sure you pick khakis that fit you well and that will be comfortable for the long haul, like these Charleston Dress Khakis from Berle. If you aren't sure what to wear to an office or to any other workplace, a dress shirt and khakis is a great setup that will serve you well practically anywhere.
Wrap Up
Ultimately, building a men's business casual capsule wardrobe is fairly straightforward. Odds are you have several of the pieces you need for your complete wardrobe already. But if you're looking to complete your wardrobe with the right legwear, Berle can help. Check out our selection of tailored dress pants and work-appropriate khakis today.