Paging Frank Ridgeway: Shirt and tie without a jacket?

I don't know. I know some guys look cool in them. I know that I do not.

 

Interesting. So dress pants on all occasions?

What about darker, slimmer jeans? What about with a jacket? What about really good-looking guys?

 

Luckily I'm very youthful and slender and beautiful and have nothing to worry about. Nothing.

I knock around with jeans, but don't much bother trying to dress them up anymore.

That said, I default to slacks/shirt/tie whenever I'm out of the house working. Not always 'dress' pants, like a grey flannel, the slacks are sometimes dark, sometimes khaki (rarely the lighter shades), never pleated. White dress shirt. Subdued tie. Conventional sport coat, but in the best fabric and cut I can afford - usually from a super discounter like Saks Off-5th or Century 21.

Shoes depend on the work day. If I'm going to be walking miles and miles, especially outdoors, I'll substitute a black walking shoe for dress shoes.

 

In reference to "button-down shirts"... Are we discussing the button-down collar? Not a big fan of those, either with or without a tie. I have some, but I definitely would not wear one with a tie. Too junior-high-schooler-at-church for me.

Also, I wear casual dress shoes with jeans. Different than what I wear with a suit, but I left the sneakers and jeans look a few years ago. Usually go with black. Shoes, not jeans.

 

Button-down refers to the collar. Like most clothing of athletic origin, it is considered more casual.
Some people still insist that a button-down should not be worn with a tie, but that is my default look for work.
It is also important to note that I work at a college, not at law office. What is appropriate work attire for me would not be appropriate for others.

 

That's a common mistake. Button-down refers to the collar, not the shirt.
All shirts that button up the front are not button-down shirts.

 

No, it makes you look the manager of a fast food joint or grocery store.
Try wearing the combo at your local grocery store and count how many people come up to you and
ask where soup isle is.
Go short sleeve if you want to look like the manager of the local saw mill.

 

Buck, I should clarify. When I was in the biz, my shop required us to wear ties. I wore button-down, short-sleeve, and anything else that seemed acceptable yet questionably fashionable with a tie.

Since I no longer have to wear a tie at work, I'm more particular and veer toward the non-button-down shirts, although I'm not up on the nomenclature of different collar styles.

 

Hmm, I've seen a lot of white jeans on the menswear blogs. (And my wife likes mine.)

 

I have some button down shirts, all long sleeved sports shirts--mostly Hilfiger I'm sorry to say-- but I haven't bought one in years. I wear them with khakis and my loafers when I want to look all 60's frat boy

I stopped wearing button downs with a suit and tie about 20 years ago. The only thing that would make that look worse is pleated pants . You might as well be wearing spats.

That said, I haven't actually worn a suit to work in about 15 years.

 

There remains in New York City and its bedroom suburbs a narrow band of anachronism in a kind of very traditional midtown Manhattan/Northeast prep/academic publishing office look: Brooks Brothers sack suit, Brooks Brothers white or pale blue cotton Oxford button-down shirt, rep tie or bow tie - all above black wingtips with plank soles. Carry a briefcase or lacrosse stick on the 6:19 back to Rowayton to complete the ensemble.