Business Casual For Dummies

Over the last few years, the face of corporate America has changed drastically. Casual Fridays have become casual everyday & sometimes it's tough for a guy to know exactly what's acceptable & what makes him look like it must be laundry day. Here are a few tips on how to pull off a business casual wardrobe that's easy & works.

-When in doubt?-
Starting a new job or a new position in the same company? First things first, you never want to under dress for the 1st day of any new job, so, err on the side of the conservative. (Same goes for a job interview!) White dress shirt, dark slacks, tie and LACED black shoes are a must.

-Consistency is key-
There may be those people in your office that show up to work like they just rolled out of bed & walked into work. DO NOT become one of these people. If your business casual between Monday & Thursday, why then, would you dress down even further on Friday? Instead of pulling on that pair of jeans & a T-shirt, why not just khakis & a polo shirt? The way you dress influences the way people view you on the job. Stay consistent, you never know who you may run into even on a Friday.

-No-No's-
This category is short & sweet. No Jeans. No T-shirts. No sweats. No baseball caps. No sneakers.

-K.I.S.S.-
Keep It Simple Stupid! No need to pick up that mustard yellow plaid suit set that you saw at the discount store. All that would say is, "I'm trying way too hard." Odds are you have at least most of the things you need for a basic business casual wardrobe already. & if not I'm sure I can steer you toward some basic essentials.

-Men's Essentials:
-Long sleeve dress shirts or button down Oxford style shirts. Avoid loud prints & plaids & stick with either white or blue solids or pinstripes. (Ties are optional.)

-Dress slacks, khaki pants or Dockers, corduroy & wool or linen slacks are all acceptable. Start with black, brown, charcoal grey & khaki. If your starting from scratch pick up at least 3 different colors & change the look up from day to day with different shirt/tie combinations. Again NO jeans!

-Socks MUST match your pants not your shoes. Black socks may be paired with navy blue pants in a pinch. But pick up enough pairs of socks to get you through an entire week of work.

-Shoes pull together an outfit like you cannot believe. Laced dress shoes or oxfords for a more conservative look or loafers for a more casual feel. (Black or brown only guys.)Wing tips are acceptable & add a certain flair to your look. Keep your shoes clean & polished, tattered shoes will spoil your whole look.

-An optional piece that pulls an outfit together really well is a sport coat. if you go this route, stick with a pretty conservative coat. Stay with black, navy or charcoal grey. You can pair any of these with dark colored pants to really complete a look.

~Stay Sharp~

Welcome to Dangerously Sharp

Hello & welcome to Dangerously Sharp. Let me begin with a brief introduction followed by why I decided to start writing this column. I am a 32 year old, "Regular guy". By that I mean I am by no means rich, I am married and a have an 8 month old son & work a regular 9-5 type job. I'm writing this blog to share with all the other regular guys out there, (As well as anyone else interested in reading.) little tips & tricks, product reviews as well as opinions on topics such as; men's grooming & fashion, cooking & recipes as well as my point of view on women & relationships.

After several decades of what I perceive to be a period where it was very "uncool" to be a man, it appears to be that we are finally making a strong resurgence back into mainstream society. Let me explain. You may have noticed that until very recently, (the last 10 years or so.) that you would be hard pressed to find a man on television with any type of facial hair. Let's face it, guy's faces get hairy and IF you can grow a decent beard & look good wearing it then by all means, more power to you. We have been represented in recent years in the fashion & advertising industry as hairless, fairly androgynous specimens devoid of testosterone. I'm happy that it seems we as men are making a strong comeback. I'm relieved to say that it can't come fast enough for me.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about cussing, drunken troglodytes. I'm talking about a rebirth of cool. Bringing back some of the traditional practices that our fathers & grandfathers exercised before us. Practices that once again solidify our place in our homes, our jobs, in society & in the hearts of our significant others.

I look forward to sharing some of my thoughts & hearing how you may feel as well. I'd like to use this blog as an open forum for discussion. Thanks for stopping by & getting to know what this is all about.