How to Master the Office Dress Code

B
State of
the Office
2013
How to
Master the
Office
Dress Code
○ You know Taran Killam as Saturday Night
Live’s next next-big-thing, but this month
he shows off his dramatic chops in the Steve
McQueen film 12 Years a Slave.
S t y l i s t: M i c h a e l N a s h at C e l e s t i n e Ag e n c y. H a i r : Pat r i c i a M o r a l e s f o r J S
Sloane Co. Grooming: Hee Soo Kwon using Malin+Goetz. Set design: JC Molina
a t CL M . P r o d u c e R : S t e v e B a u e r f e i n d f o r B a u e r f e i n d P r o d u c t i o ns – W e s t .
(Even If You’re
Not Sure
There Is One)
Ever stand in front of your closet
on a weekday morning and have
no clue what to wear? Do you go
business casual or Silicon Valley
T-shirt chic? Or are you feeling
kinda Tieless Tuesdays? We asked
1,000 men what they wear on the
job, and here’s what we learned:
Office style is more confusing than
ever. To help, we offer forty rules on
how to step up your suit, feel dapper
in an anything-goes office, look
like a shark in a polo, and talk style
with your homeys (it’s okay, really)—
plus everything else you need
to know to kill it in the cubicles
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October
2013
d a n i e l l e l ev i tt
GQ
intelligence
4–9
B
State of
the Office
11.
project upgrade
The TraditionalSuit office
1
Yes, it does
matter
c o r p o r at e - o - m e t e r
• Sure, the well-dressed
man gets ahead at work.
But the real reason to
look presentable isn’t to
impress your boss or your
colleagues: It’s to have
some self-respect. This is
your career. You probably
busted your ass to get
where you are, so take
some pride in being
there. Dressing well every
morning acknowledges
that you’re preparing for
something important. It
reminds you to prize your
dignity and to never be
the kind of worker—hell,
the kind of man—who does
only the bare minimum.
02
I Tighten Up
I
I
A bunchy,
ballooning,
untailored suit
says, “Hey,
boss, I only sorta,
kinda care!”
Nix the Shiny Silk
Try a tie with some
texture, like a knit
silk or nubby wool.
Think Small...
Trade the shirt
with the
supersize plaid
for one with
a tighter, more
sophisticated
pattern.
I ...And Even
I
I
Smaller
A tie bar and
a pocket square
complete
a killer look.
Stay Closed for
Business
Keep the jacket
buttoned unless
you’re sitting
down or you’ve
closed the deal.
Just Say No to
Square Toes
Unless you’re
Daffy Duck, your
shoes should
be round-toed.
( o p e n i n g pag e ) Suit, $1,695, shirt, $350, and tie, $155, by
Ralph Lauren Black Label. Tie bar by The Tie Bar. Pocket
square by The Knottery. Glasses by Garrett Leight. Folio by
Tumi. Socks by Johnston & Murphy. Shoes by Ralph Lauren.
12
“You have a responsibility
to represent the company
through your style. You’re the
business card in that moment.”
—f ra nk muy tje ns,
Head menswear designer at J.Crew
13.
Know what your dress shirt
is saying.
• You’ll never be
underdressed;
you’ll always look
your best. And
seriously, nothing’s
easier to put on
during your groggy
morning routine
than a suit:
The top and bottom
already match.
October
2013
10
y No matter how safe you play
it, at some point you’ll catch
lunch on your shirt. Keep some
Shout Wipes handy. (The Tide
stick leaves rings.) Stash a
spare white dress shirt and a
lint brush in your desk drawer—
along with a toothbrush
and toothpaste. Coffee breath
violates every dress code.
Point
You’ve had your job
since 2011 and this
shirt since 1994.
Button-down
You’re putting that
liberal-arts degree
to good use.
Semispread
You’re two years
ahead on your fiveyear career plan.
Cutaway spread
Your last gig was
as an usher at
the royal wedding.
i l l u s t r a t i o ns , b o t t o m r i g h t : B r o w n B i r d D e s i g n ( 4 )
That said, you
kind of can’t
go wrong
wearing a suit.
gq.com
• Not all suits are created equal. Just
check the massive difference between
the two Taran Killams on page 178.
y We’re not telling you to wear a three-piece
suit to your start-up. We’re saying: Keep doing
what you’re doing, only do it better.
3
180
yo ur
to lo o s en
yo u wa nt t j a unt y lo o k ?
ha
t ie for t No? T h en d o n ’t.
.?
.m
p
Is it 4
GQ
intelligence
B
State of
the Office
14
America,
it ’s time for an
intervention!
When we asked 1,000 men about their office style, the answers were,
well, ugly. Thirty-six percent of guys said their favorite suit color is black.
We humbly suggest gray instead. You're an employee, not a pallbearer.
15–20
21
project upgrade
The Polo Is
Your Secret
Weapon
The businesscasual Office
c o r p o r at e - o - m e t e r
• Wear it right
and it passes
muster just about
anywhere this side
of a law firm. Keep
the color solid and
dark, avoid tacky
emblems, and
stick with cotton.
22
• Right now there is perhaps no greater
pitfall in the world of work style than the
half suit, a.k.a. dress pants with no
jacket. We’re not against the idea; we’re
just against doing it wrong.
You Can Actually Talk
Style in the Office
Shirt, $145, by Sid
Mashburn. Tie and
tie bar, $15 each, by
The Tie Bar. Watch, $180,
by Void Watches. Suit
jacket, $568, by J.Crew
Ludlow. Pants, $275, by
Michael Bastian. Belt
by Club Monaco. Socks
by Pantherella. Shoes by
Esquivel. Backpack
(in cart) by Jack Spade.
Go Shrink Yourself
Oversize dress
shirts are an
avoidable tragedy.
This is the (slim)
fit you want.
Mix-and-Don’t-Match
Play with shirt and
tie patterns—just
make sure the
scales are different.
Watch This
A work-proper
timepiece means
a leather strap
and simple face.
• For lots of guys, we've reached
a moment when a break-room
discussion about custom wingtips is
just as normal as jawing about fantasy
football. But what if you’re not sure
whether a cubemate actually wants
to talk about style? Just say: “Nice
suit.” Or shirt, or shoes, or jacket
(anything, really, besides pants, which
could seem weird). More than likely,
he’ll be excited someone noticed and
start reeling off details. But if he gives
you the side-eye, change the subject
to the one thing every guy feels safe
discussing: how much the Jets suck.
23ist.’s sake,
Matte It Down
Your belt buckle
shouldn’t be chrome
or large enough to
serve tapas.
r
For C h yo ur s h irt.
in
k
tuc
Catch a Bad Break
No more puddling
pants; hem ’em
so they just graze
your shoe tops.
24
“I don’t believe you should
have different clothes for
work and for going out. These days
the coolest guy in the bar is the most
Punch Up Your Kicks
Suede bucks
and colorful socks
were made for
business casual.
182
gq.com
dressed up. You shouldn’t have to
go home and change.”
—mi c ha e l basti a n, designer
October
2013
GQ
intelligence
B
State of
the Office
Don't Be That Guy!
A GQ Taxonomy of Office Types
25
• You don’t have a job, you have a tribe. Gone is the monolithic office culture of olden times (i.e., 1992)—these days what you wear has
more to do with where you live and what you do. Here, GQ offers up an anthropology of the modern working stiff
f
f
Company
tee for a
revenue-less
start-up
whose name
ends in “.ly”
20-oz.
Mountain
Dew, free
from the
office break
room
f
f
Expensive
commuter
bike
“Barefoot”
shoes
f
f
T-shirt that
isn’t even
really
a color
Hard
leather
briefcase
for that
’70s-CIAagent vibe
Forgotten
ham
sandwich in
sport-coat
pocket
f
f
Running
shoes that
have never
been run in
f
Unfettered
joy at the
return of
pumpkinspice-latte
season
The Assistant Regional Executive VP
hollywood
cincinnati
f
Custom
suit, shoes,
shirt, socks,
underwear
f
Slouchy jeans
that say
“Dressing up
is for suits and
the talentless”
The Tentpole Rewriter
silicon valley
Suit
sized
for two
f
f
The Bitcoin Tycoon
f
Tie as wide
as a towel
f
One-percenter
teeth
Oakley
sunglasses
tiara
f
Polo with
countryclub crest
and elbowlength
sleeves—
the capri
pants of
shirting
f
“This isn’t
just a tie,
this is
Hermès.”
f
Steak belly
f
Cigarcutter key
chain
f
Ten-pound
watch, usually
from IWC or
Panerai
Wrangler
jeans, clean
and stiff
Oversize
and pleated
navy twopiece suit
atlanta
f
f
f
Poorly
maintained
goatee
Kombucha
f
$120 T-shirt
f
Gucci
horsebit
loafers
The Back-Nine Barrister
texas
f
f
Obsessively
polished
silver Sigma
Chi ring
f
The Domesticated Wildcatter
wall street
Doublebreasted
suit with
the peakiest
lapels
possible
Washed-out
polo
f
Copy of
Purple fashion
magazine
f
217 bracelets,
all purchased at
the same time
f
Spermicidally
skinny
gray jeans
tucked into
motorcycle
boots
f
Relaxed-fit
chinos
Black
backpack
that looks
like it weighs
thirty-seven
pounds
Chameleonlike ability to
blend into the
background
brooklyn
gq.com
f
f
The A&R Rag & Boner
184
Same
sweptbangs
haircut
since
college
f
Cowboy
boots for
proper
oil-baron
street cred
f
The Bespoke Quant
f
October
2013
That Guy from Tech
7th floor
f
f
Accessories
include
Tom Ford
sunglasses,
Patek Philippe
watch, David
Beckham
stubble
Looks like
a human
Mercedes
convertible
The CAA Shark
beverly hills
J ess i c a H J . Lee
GQ
intelligence
B
State of
the Office
26
America,
it ’s time for an
intervention!
Seventy-four percent of men go to work dressed like Mark Zuckerberg
or Jim Cramer. Guys, if you need some boss-style inspiration, turn the
page. Because no man should aspire to dress like an asshole.
27–32
33.
Do n’ t be th e di
ck w ho as ks
if yo ur co -w or
ke
interv ie w ju st r ha s a job
beca us e he’s
w eari ng a ni ce
su it.
Project Upgrade
The AnythingGoes Office
c o r p o r at e - o - m e t e r
• The dress-code happy medium is really
a confusing mess. Our advice: the businesscasual ratio should be 80-20. Start with
office-proper pants and a slim-fit dress shirt,
then pepper in stylish details.
34
Trim Down
A ratty beard isn’t
rebellious, it’s
dirty. Keep it
tight or cut it off.
Tee Off
Even a start-up
deserves a collar.
Save the tee for
yard work.
Carry On
Your briefcase
should be like your
clothes: slim.
Never mess with any knot
except the four-in-hand.
It’s the perfect all-purpose
knot. A quick refresher...
A
Start by twisting
the wide end
(right side up) over
the thin end.
Stay Inside
the Lines
Cords: Just
as comfy as jeans;
way more chill
than trousers.
C
Wrap the wide end
of the tie back
over the thin end
once more...
E
Yes, You Can Kick It
Simple low-top
leather sneaks are
fine for the job. Busted
running shoes are not.
186
gq.com
Cardigan, $395, by Todd Snyder.
Shirt, $340, by Thom Browne
New York. Cords, $176, by
AG Adriano Goldschmied. Bag,
$325, by Mismo. Sunglasses
by Steven Alan. Socks by Paul
Stuart. Sneakers by Common
Projects. Where to buy it? Go to
GQ.com/go/fashiondirectories
Now pull the wide
end down through
the knot loop
you’ve just created.
B
Then wrap it under,
keeping the overlap
close (but not tight)
to your throat.
D
...but this time
pull it all the way up
through the neck
loop, behind the knot.
F
Tighten up. The tie
tip should hit mid–
belt buckle. You
look great. Really.
i l l u s t r a t i o ns , b o t t o m r i g h t : B r o w n B i r d D e s i g n ( 6 )
Layer Up(grade)
A cardigan is just
a fleece jacket
with self-esteem.
GQ
intelligence
35
Sixty-three percent of men with significant others let their better halves
buy their work clothes for them. We’re all for a second opinion when it
comes to matters of style, but at least have your own opinion first.
37
w
36
America,
it ’s time for an
intervention!
Dress Like a Boss
o
rs
t
TV offers us plenty of
inspiration. Choose wisely.
to n y m i c e l l i
Who’s the Boss?
Dear Tony: Doing
housework
doesn’t actually
require a guy to
wear mom jeans.
Work Bags Don’t Have
Shoulder Straps
• Not even if you’re in IT. You want a soft
leather brief, a leather-and-canvas tote,
or our new favorite, the zip folio. It’s simple
and professional and limits what you lug
around. And you’ve still got one hand free
to carry your red-eye soy latte.
mr. burns
The Simpsons
Unstructured
shoulders on a
suit the color of
money? Excellent.
charlie skinner
The Newsroom
Trim bow ties
underline
his distinguished
look and angryman rants.
m i c h a e l s c ot t
The Office
“Just too big!”
That’s what she
said...about the
cut of his jackets.
roger sterling
Mad Men
Wears a threepiece suit
with threemartini-lunch
nonchalance.
be
st
king joffrey
b a r at h e o n
Game of Thrones
The young king
may wear Oriental
rugs, but they’re
really well-tailored
Oriental rugs.
dav i d e s t e s
Homeland
Suits so sharp,
you barely
notice that he
accessorizes with
a plastic ID badge.
banana republic • $98
38
Beware of Bosses
Wearing Jeans
i wish my boss
were more of an asshole.
The monstrous boss may
be tragic or comic, but
he is always a villain.
He is Sam Zell, Miranda
Priestly, Ken Lay, Bill
Lumbergh. He is one of
the few people whom
you are allowed to hate
unreservedly. Except
that increasingly, he’s not.
ta k e m y b o s s ;
we’ll call him Craig. Craig
founded the start-up
where I work. Instead
of occupying a glass
box in a corner, Craig’s
desk sits in the middle
of the company’s openplan space. There’s no
secretary or soundproof
door to separate him
from the ri≠ra≠. Instead
of Brioni suits, Craig
wears slim-fit shirts and
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gq.com
October
Levi’s. When I find Craig
in the kitchen creating
his signature medley of
gluten-free cereals from
the cereal bar, I joke with
him about his statement
socks. He calls me dude.
In short, Craig looks
and acts like a person
I’d be friends with.
this makes it
much more startling
when Friend Craig
morphs into Boss Craig
and shoots down my
ideas in a meeting or
flat-out upbraids me for
dropping the ball. In old
jobs, I could metabolize
negative feedback as
well as anyone else. With
Craig, I feel like I’ve been
sucker punched by a pal.
on a basic level,
a boss is a person
endowed with the power
2013
to command you as he
pleases. It’s your moral
duty as a human to
resent your overlord, even
if that overlord wears jean
jackets and Jack Purcells.
Do not fool yourself into
thinking you’re buddies.
Don’t gossip with
him, don’t call him by
a nickname, don’t do
anything you wouldn’t do
if he were wearing a suit.
it’s not just
my fault, though. By
eliminating the trappings
of power, Craig is being
misleading. My job would
be much easier if Craig
accepted the terms of
his position and we could
o∞cially end our lovehate relationship. A hatehate relationship would
be so much sweeter.
—WILLIAM SPENCER
39
No Logos
Larger Than
a Nickel
• Not on your belt,
not on your shirt,
not on your gym
bag. Even if it’s your
company’s logo.
No, especially
if it’s your
company’s logo.
40
y And some parting advice:
The idea here is to dress like
the best version of yourself.
And if the best version of
yourself doesn’t fit in at your
office, then maybe you’re
in the wrong office.
3 6 ) D a v i d R i n e l l a . S t i l l - l i f e s t y l i s t : R e n a t a C h a p l y nsk y f o r A r t D e p a r t m e n t . 3 7 ) C l o c k w i s e f r o m t o p l e f t : A B C P h o t o A r c h i v e s / G e t t y Im a g e s ; c o u r t e s y o f M e l i ss a M o s e l e y / H B O ;
M a t t G r o e n i n g / P h o t o 1 2 / A l a m y ; c o u r t e s y o f K e n t S m i t h / S h o w t i m e ; c o u r t e s y o f F r a nk O c k e n f e l s / A M C ; c o u r t e s y o f H e l e n S l o a n / H B O ; P a u l D r i nk w a t e r / N B CUn i v e r s a l / G e t t y Im a g e s .
B
State of
the Office