What’s Too Casual for Work in 2023? ‘You Can Get Away With More Now.’

WE KNOW this much: The lines between what many guys wear for work and play keep blurring. Office dress-codes seem to dissolve by the day. “Smart casual means something very different in 2023 than it did in 2019,” said Los Angeles stylist Luca Kingston. “You can get away with more” at work now, he added. 

This raises a pressing question: How much more? If your boss doesn’t force you to truss yourself into a suit-and-cufflinks uniform, can you sport the same clothes to Sunday brunch and Monday meetings? Ariel Saenz, 42, a senior manager at a New York telecommunications company, is grappling with this conundrum. He splurged on a pair of fashionable Gucci horse-bit mules, but sadly returned them after deeming them too breezy for his desk.

He may have given up too hastily. Here, we advise on how to pull off three on-trend accessories (including mules) that loads of guys wear on weekends but worry are too casual or risky for work. Do it right and you won’t incite a finger-wagging from HR. 

The Safest Option: Bracelet

Forget the chain necklace or loop earring. Stylists single out a bracelet as the optimal piece of jewelry to bring to work. It nestles neatly beside a watch and peeks out beneath a shirt cuff, revealing just enough personality. But keep the wrist-bling subdued, said Cassandra Sethi, a personal stylist in Los Angeles with clients working in finance, law and tech. “Less is always more when it comes to jewelry.” Her counsel: Start with a thin leather cord design in brown or black. Miami brand Miansai sells professional-looking takes. 

Kingston votes for a simple silver or gold bracelet. Chain styles “look nice on everyone and remind me of Marlon Brando and James Dean in the ’50s,” said the stylist, who approves of David Yurman’s sleek designs.

Blessed with an open-minded boss? Dial back the discretion and try a chunky chain bracelet from cult Hollywood brand Chrome Hearts, said Sam Pace, an assistant fashion buyer at New York retailer Patron of the New. All his fashion-forward co-workers sling an even more daring design from their wrists: Van Cleef & Arpels’s Vintage Alhambra bracelet, a refined style with flower-shaped charms.

Risky but Doable: Baseball Cap

Yes, Kendall Roy  famously wore a minimalist one on “Succession,” and such designs have recently surged in popularity. But can men whose dads don’t rule their companies pull off a low-key ball cap on the job? Sure, say denizens of casualish offices. Sometimes, quiet branding factors in. Pace’s younger colleagues roam about in Loro Piana’s nylon cap because of the barely there—but crucially, still there—logo. Meanwhile, at Saenz’s tech office, guys of various seniority sport plain caps. Saenz strategically deploys a black, gray or beige design from American Trench when humidity makes his hair misbehave. 

The rules differ in corporate settings. Mackey Smith, 32, said the juniors at his Salt Lake City consulting company might get hand-slapped for a cap, though a partner could pop one on with impunity. “It’s the same way a director on a film can wear one—it’s a power move,” said Kingston. “But if you’re the intern, it’s not gonna fly.” Sethi’s advice for both juniors and bigwigs: Confine caps to casual work outings. “They aren’t appropriate for day-to-day,” she said. “They give off an ‘I don’t really care’ feel, which is not what you should be going for when it comes to your career.” But she views a sophisticated cap as a handy staple for business trips or weekend work events. Just stick to wool, she added—a point that Jacob Hurwitz, co-founder of American Trench, echoed. Wool suits the “minimally branded look,” he said, since “it has an interesting texture that stands on its own.” 

Daredevils Only: Mules

Many stylish men now spend their weekends in backless kicks. The safe, sensible move? Restricting the wildly popular slip-on styles to your off-duty wardrobe. “They still feel too casual [for work],” said Saenz, the Gucci-mule-deserter. 

But those who work in casual offices and wish to slip into mules 24/7 need not despair. Certain dressier styles resemble a polished loafer chomped in half—and represent a step-up in formality from sandals, flip-flops and the ubiquitous sandy, suede Boston Birkenstocks. For the workplace, Kingston recommends round-toe, clean-line designs in polished black hide. Look into the sophisticated riffs from Lemaire and Studio Nicholson, or try GH Bass’s penny-loafer-style Weejun model, which Sethi calls “the safest bet for a mule.” But we’re betting on Californian brand Yuketen, whose handmade ebony design rivals a river pebble for smoothness. 

Once you’ve got a pair, success comes down to styling. Hide bare heels from bosses and up your sock game. Invest in “expensive-looking cashmere socks,” said Kingston, whether in dark shades that match the black shoes, or cream for a suave contrast. His final trick: Wear wide, long pants that graze the ground so “you can [only] see the front” of the mules. To your boss, you’re obediently wearing loafers. 

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