How to Transition Your Wardrobe from College to Career: 4 Style Hacks for Men
The typical NYC tech start-up office. Via Unsplash
For many of us, the pivot from hazy university bliss to the modern workplace’s impossible demands leaves little time to contemplate frivolous matters of fashion.
Although this glaring oversight may not feel significant at first, it manifests itself in the form of confused stares from colleagues and the acute awareness that how we used to take up space in college isn’t how we should continue to take up space within the confines of a professional environment.
For many, this moment signifies the cruel realization that our physical appearance determines how others perceive us.
Perception is dependent on many factors, including the way we dress, smell, and carry ourselves. Within a mere 7 seconds, new team members are sizing you up to determine if you’re likable, trustworthy, and most importantly, competent.
Sounds shitty, right? At first glance, yes. However, when you take a second look at the factors that determine how we’re perceived, you’ll notice that all of these factors are physical characteristics.
In other words, factors you have complete control over—within reason, of course.
Instead of accepting this brutal fact as one of life’s inevitable barriers, use it to your advantage.
When your 8th-grade counselor preached “dress for success,” they weren’t joking—nor was the motivational poster featuring a running penguin with just the word “LIMITATIONS” underneath it.
Via Despair.com
Even if you’ve managed to go under the radar during the early stages of your career, at some point soon, you’ll need to take a long hard look at how you’re presenting yourself (and adjust accordingly).
Transitioning a wardrobe from college to a career isn’t about vanity or applause; it’s about harnessing your visual presence to communicate who you are and what you have to offer before ever opening your mouth.
By employing four simple hacks, you can go from lone frat boy to commanding leader in the blink of an eye.
Assess the Environment
The first step in this process is assessing your environment. In this case, your company’s dress code.
Via Unsplash
Before you decide to purge your entire closet or max out your credit card, take a step back and observe your surroundings.
What’s the overarching energy at your workplace? Does it feel decidedly conservative or beyond casual?
Next, take a close look at what the members of your core team are wearing. As with most companies, different teams facilitate different types of jobs. Within these jobs, specific expectations are established depending on the needs of the business. Understanding these expectations will help you to determine what’s acceptable.
Lastly, think about your position and what you’ll be doing daily. Client-facing roles may require semi-formal business attire, whereas an independent role, such as a software engineer, may warrant a comfort-first approach.
Think about your daily routine and use this as a starting point to craft your new work wardrobe.
Hack #1: Swap Graphic Tees for OCBDs
Do I hate graphic t-shirt? No.
Do I think they have their place in a man’s closet? Sure, they do.
The issue lies in the fact that graphic t-shirts, by nature, are casual, making any outfit feel as such. “Relaxed” and “nonchalant” aren’t exactly the ideal energies to exude when you’re trying to establish yourself as an emerging leader.
Depending on your company’s dress code, t-shirts may be appropriate for daily wear. Still, I challenge you to level up your basic graphic tee to something just as comfortable yet 100x more polished looking: the OCBD or oxford cloth button-down for those not in the know.
A simple change from graphic t-shirts to Oxford shirts can make a huge difference in your appearance.
What to do:
Here’s an easy hack for integrating OCBDs into your daily work outfits:
Choose your 3 favorite graphic t-shirts.
Take note of the color of the actual t-shirt (examples: white, blue, and green).
Pick 3 Oxford shirts in correlating colors.
TIP: If your favorite t-shirts are brightly colored—like red and yellow—select muted, tonal versions of these bold colorways. For more on color, please read my post devoted to this topic.
Swap your favorite tee for one of the corresponding OCBDs.
Boom! You look exponentially better by employing this simple but effective trick.
Turner’s Picks:
Good: Uniqlo Oxford, $29.99
Better: Everlane, $65
Best: Kamakura Shirts, $99
Hack #2: Swap Jeans for Chinos
Similar to our old friend, the graphic t-shirt, jeans are inherently casual. They’re a tried and true utilitarian staple that epitomizes informality.
If your goal is to appear more stylish and professional, adding a substantial array of chinos to your wardrobe will surely elevate your look.
They’re the perfect middle ground between casual and formal. Not as relaxed as jeans, but not as stuffy as trousers. This center point is the business casual sweet spot.
Modern-day Chinos aren’t your dad’s ill-fitting Dockers circa 1990. Today’s options are available in a plethora of colors and fits to suit anyone.
If you’re skeptical, don’t be fooled; chinos are just as, if not more, comfortable than any old pair of jeans.
Chinos are less stiff than jeans and won’t stain your white sneakers blue. Via Style Turner
What to do:
There are many good (and bad) chinos available. Not all are created equal. Be sure to look for these specific details to ensure you’re getting the best chinos that you’ll actually want to wear:
Look for chinos with a bit of stretch for comfort and mobility. 1% elastane will do the trick.
Opt for a slim/straight fit to maintain a clean silhouette.
Choose 3 pairs in neutral colors. I’d suggest olive green, light grey, and khaki.
Turner’s Picks:
Good: Uniqlo, $39.99
Better: Bonobs, $99
Best: Proper Cloth: $150
Hack #3: Embrace a Neutrals Color Palette
If you haven’t already, hop over to my color article, where I speak in-depth about neutral colors’ importance.
TL;DR: Neutrals are the backbone of any versatile men’s wardrobe. Do you want to look classic, timeless, and forever stylish? Get yourself some neutrals!
Pivoting your wardrobe is all about recognizing the connotations behind individual styles and colors. If you’re trying to align your wardrobe with a professional environment, consider what your particular company represents.
For example, when you think of Apple, what sort of words come to your mind? Innovative, cutting-edge, and modern.
What sort of colors comes to your mind? Black, white, and grey.
Can you imagine an Apple employee skipping around in a neon green floral shirt and a straw hat? Probably not.
This isn’t to say that you need to sell your soul and all visible self-expression characteristics to fit in. This hack is about giving yourself the ability to assimilate while, at the same time, offering the versatility to add pops of personality.
Via Style Turner
What to do:
Build your wardrobe around core neutral colors. These include black, white, grey, tan, and navy.
Having 50% of your wardrobe made up of these colors will guarantee you look polished and professional with minimal effort.
Hack #4: Level-Up Your Shoe Game
Of all the hacks I’ve mentioned, this one is the easiest.
The feeling you get when you slip on a fresh pair of shoes is unbeatable.
A simple footwear upgrade can conjure up feelings of confidence and adequacy, which in turn, can ignite passion and creativity, both good feelings to have while on the job.
What does your outfit say about you? Dirty shoes aren’t the lasting impression you want to leave in someone’s mind.
What to do:
Leave your dirty, raggedy sneakers for the weekends and upgrade your shoe game with two super simple shoe styles that will effortlessly finish off any business casual look.
Shoe #1: The Minimal White Sneaker
Via Common Projects
Clean, white, low-profile sneakers can make any outfit look immensely more relaxed, yet never take your look too far in the casual direction.
Shoe #2: The Brown Suede Chukka Boot
Via Thursday Boots
Chukka boots have a rugged, casual look that can elevate just about anything. Suede adds a lovely texture that, when paired with understated classics—like the ones mentioned above—makes for a perfectly balanced combination.
Turner’s Picks (Sneakers):
Good: Muji, $32.90
Better: Greats, $179
Best: Common Projects, $410
Turner’s Picks (Chukka Boots):
Good: Thursday Boot Co., $149
Better: Velasca, $245
Best: Officine Creative, $630
To Sum it Up:
Do away with graphic t-shirts. Although they’re fun and nostalgic, graphics of any sort are far too casual for a workplace. Oxford shirts are just as comfortable, extremely durable, and far more elegant.
Give your jeans a break. I’m not saying to ditch denim altogether, just some of the time. Swap your usual jeans for a rich pair of chinos to instantly boost your style game.
Embrace neutrals. Build your wardrobe with 50% neutrals for maximum versatility. For more on this, read my post on how to make your outfits not suck.
Upgrade your shoes. A simple, clean pair of shoes can do wonders for your outfit. Investing in a few minimal, high-quality options is all that’s needed to elevate even the most basic ensemble.