Dumont, who advises human resources representatives on dress code policies, says this kind of casual approach to dressing detracts from one's work. "If you can't take a few minutes to make sure you are put together," she warns, "imagine what the client must be thinking."

If recent sales are any indication, corporate America is starting to crack down, and retailers are responding to the shift.

Thomas Pink has seen a 30% rise in sales of its "Casual Friday Shirt" (a shirt similar to its traditional dress shirts but made with a more casual brushed cotton) since it was unveiled almost a year ago.

"I see how our customers shop," says Michael Bragg, director of communications for Thomas Pink. "Men are starting to live again according to the old adage, 'Dress for the job you want and not for the job you have.' Corporate dressing rules are changing, and men are feeling the pressure to look more professional, even when it's a dress-down day."

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How does one create a professional casual look without sacrificing comfort? Be more formal incrementally. Start, say, by adding to your wardrobe a basic blue blazer. Instead of pairing it with a pair of last summer's pants, wear dark cotton chinos, which tend not to wrinkle as much as khakis.

Since the weather is transitional, a sweater is imperative. But leave your hoodie home. It was fine for your friend's summer BBQ, but it's far too casual now. Wear instead a V-neck sweater in merino wool or cashmere. This looks good paired with dark jeans and casual shoes or layered over a slim-fitting dress shirt and worn under a sport coat or blazer.

Before you start multi-layering, consider this: Each layer must fit properly if the whole ensemble is to look polished. Wear too large or baggy a shirt, say, under a tight-fitting sweater, and your silhouette will ripple with bumps and lumps.

"Wearing multi-layers can be tricky," agrees Michael Macko, men's fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue. "You may think a looser-fitting shirt is more comfortable, but under a tight-fitting sweater it will make you look like your dry cleaner shrunk your sweater."

And shoes shouldn't be an afterthought--they're a crucial part of your wardrobe.

Instead of wearing last summer's leather sandals to the office, opt for a pair of casual suede or leather boots. Combine it with a pair of dark jeans or a pair of cotton twill pants for a casual but polished look, suitable, say, for MTV or an advertising agency. If you work in a law office or investment bank, add a pair of leather lace-up shoes and wool gabardine pants or a suit.

Thanks to the dot-com boom, many sloppy dressers saw themselves transformed into today's multi-millionaires. Does that mean if you dress like a recent grad, you, too, will prosper?

"Absolutely not," says Dumont. "Even though Bill Gates, the guys from Google [Larry Page and Sergey Brin] and the founder of Yahoo! [Jerry Yang] have made it, by dressing-down they [suggest] everyone can be casual and make millions. Unfortunately, that's just not the case."

Source: Forbes
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