Time was, dressing for work was easy. The “corporation man” of yore wore a suit, white shirt, tie. End of story.

Then came the booming 80’s and 90’s, when the “anything goes” mentality ruled. And, like many a dot-com, anything came – and went.

Now we have that mysterious dress code, “business casual.” Which means what, exactly? Guidelines could not be less clear – and every company has its own flavor – but here are some basic tips that should get you through most clothing situations safely:

1. Over-dressing is safer than under-dressing

Think of being slightly overdressed as a compliment to your customer (host/superior/partner). It doesn’t hurt to have a jacket and/or tie hanging around the office just in case.

2. Jacket and pants coordinate, not match

If most of your clothes are in a similar color palette, you can be pretty confident that your sport jacket will look fine with khakis, chinos, or whatever your “regular” pants are.

3. Polo shirts look great with jackets

See Item 1, above.

4. Sneakers are not business casual, no matter how hip they are.

Loafers are a good alternative. Socks are required.

5. A long-sleeved, buttoned shirt can be made to look less uptight by rolling up the sleeves.

And, if you suddenly need to up the ante a bit, you can throw on your tie and jacket and you’re home free (see Item 1).

6. Casual jackets and/or sweaters can add a bit of serious polish to an otherwise casual outfit, possibly bringing it into the “business” casual realm.
7. Show no skin except your arms, neck and head. Need we say more?
8. Nobody else knows, either

So let common sense, good grooming, and your sense of humor be your guides. And remember, see Item 1.