Dressing for a Business Related Social Event

One of the great challenges in our lives seems to be selecting the proper wardrobe for a business related social event. It is often a mystery regarding where the business aspect of the event ends and the social one begins. Sometimes luck prevails, and the social event is scheduled directly after work, "forcing" us to wear our normal business attire to the event. Most often, however, we need to select something that we believe to be appropriate for that specific occasion. This week's column is dedicated to helping with that selection process.

There are a wide variety of social events that stem from your business relationships. Some are as casual as a company picnic or an outing to a ball game. Some may be as formal as the wedding of your boss' daughter. Whatever the occasion, there are a few simple survival rules to observe:

1) Always err on the side of being slightly overdressed,
2) Try to figure out what your boss might wear, and dress accordingly,
3) Never wear a tee shirt sponsored by a beer company.

For an outdoor casual event, you can never go wrong with a pair of cotton chinos and a woven sport shirt or cotton polo shirt. If the weather is extremely hot, or you are going to be participating in some athletic activities, substitute a pair of dressy shorts for the chinos. If physical activity will be a major part of the day, wear a pair of sneakers, but make certain they look presentable. If not, any pair of casual leather shoes will work.

For a more formal event, such as a company sponsored cocktail party or Christmas party, take your initial cues from your company's business dress policy. If you work in a suit and tie environment, you can assume that suits will be worn at these types of social events. However, you can personalize your look by switching from your normal white or blue dress shirt to something more fancy. Try a patterned dress shirt (stripes, checks, etc) with a contrasting white collar and cuff. To dress it up a bit more, make it a French cuff.

If your day-to-day environment is business casual, you may want to select a nice shirt and tie and match it with a great looking sportcoat. Or, you might take that same sportcoat and wear it over a fine gauge knit (merino wool, silk/cashmere and spun silk are all excellent knit fabric choices). Always remember to wear appropriate accessories. Your belt and shoes should match, and your socks should coordinate with your trousers.

If a business associate invites you to a wedding or other milestone family event, the invitation will help guide your choice of apparel. If the invitation reads either "black tie" or "black tie optional", the host is telling you that a tuxedo is the preferred mode of dress. Although you can get by with a rented tuxedo, it will probably not fit you particularly well. At some point, every well-dressed man should invest in his own tuxedo and formal accessories. If the invitation does not indicate that black tie is required, wear your best suit and dress it up with a French cuff dress shirt. Once again, make certain that your accessories reflect the importance of the occasion (for example, leave the penny loafers at home). A silk pocket square is always an elegant touch for this type of occasion.