This is How you Do Casual Fridays: Tailor Made Dress Shirts

Reaching Friday means you made it; you powered through the week and achieved what you set out to do. Lose the stuffy Monday getup and go for a more casual, laid back look. Now, we don’t mean untidy - we’re talking an outfit that still says ‘I mean business’ during the day but is relaxed enough to take you to happy hour later. The right Friday outfit is an art; you want to look like you’re here to get things done, but you’re going somewhere better later. That means, in Laymans terms: contemporary, clean, and comfortable and never uptight.

The Casual Friday Look

When it comes to a regular day in the office, your colors of choice are usually limited. Neutrals and solid colors are rampant. But Fridays were made for cutting a little loose. Donning lighter colors such as light blue, yellows, or even white custom dress shirts and a dark pant; maybe even a dark blue jean, if your workplace allows it, can say you’re ready for the weekend. If your Friday is more about turning up that it is winding down, brighter colors and prints help wake up your wardrobe. A long sleeve plaid shirt and dark grey/black jeans says ‘I’ll see you at 2 for 1 drinks later’.

Contrast

The key to the casual Friday look is how well it can transition from day to night; success with a  transitional outfit is in contrast between formal and casual; so if your top half is casual, your bottom half should be dressy and vice versa. Sound weird? There’s a way to do this without looking mismatched. A good example is a polo shirt and dress pants. Polo shirts are short sleeve, but still give off a clean-cut look. A tailored blazer paired with a casual tee and jeans is always a good option. A tailored blazer is an essential because of its versatility  and timelessness that provides that “put-together effect”. If all else fails, you can always go back to basics with a white dress shirt and blue jeans or chino pants.

Friday Fabrics

Friday fabrics should be casual and comfortable fabrics. Cotton Chino pants will do the trick; their silhouette is dressy, but the material is casual, so it works either way; it’s all about what your top half is doing. Another good choice is chambray/denim - it’s a fabric traditionally regarded as casual but the silhouette is dressy.   Whatever look you decide on, make sure it matches the mood you’re feeling on everyone’s favorite day of the week and own it!  TGIF!