How to Wear a Formal Shirt Casually?
Formal shirts are a classic staple in every wardrobe. Whether you present and dress as masc or femme, a formal shirt can serve as your express ticket to a professional look. After all, men, women, and everyone else, one thing that unites every desk job worker is the need to look professional in meetings.
And boy is a formal shirt a goldmine for when you aren’t at your desk too because the same office-wear shirt can be styled into a casual, yet fashion-forward outfit for a date, a get-together, or just any casual outing with your buddies.
The best part? This versatility coupled with the right fabrics and fair-trade practises can make a formal shirt an extremely eco-friendly item. In this blog, we will share some nifty tips on how you can turn your office shirt into the casual fit you need for the day.
Styling Tips for Men that will Turn Your Formal Shirt Casual
1. Rolled-up Sleeves make formal shirts casual wear
If there’s one styling tip men everywhere can agree with, it’s that rolled-up sleeves are the quickest way to turn your formal shirt casual and sexy. Just remember, rolled-up sleeves offer a more guy-next-door look than do cuffed sleeves—exactly what you need for the relaxing at-brunch feel that a casual outfit often demands.
But say you wish to cement that you are hanging out with your buddy through your use of casual dressing style, then there is more you can do, like pairing your rolled up sleeves with open necks.
Want more? Well, then let’s ask one of you- a man who wears formal shirts once in a while. Anuraag Chatterjee, content writer and formal shirt user, recommends that you…
2. Undo the Collar Button on Your Eco-friendly Formal Shirt
Whether it is just the collar button or even the first few, Shubhr Aakriti, another writer who has styled quite a few characters, says that depending on the shirt, the unbuttoning can totally change your look.
Layer your unbuttoned shirt over a tee, efficiently styling it like you would a plaid jacket in an episode of Supernatural… just without the plaid to turn your formal shirt casual. Of course, this works better with solid shirts.
Still looking for the wow factor to jazz up your look? Well, then…
It’s All About the Tuck To Make it a Casual Shirt
Parker York Smith is the master of using this method to change your look, with techniques like…
1. French Tuck
The French tuck can work with cuffed as well as rolled-up sleeves. Made popular by Tan France, this tucking technique requires a slightly oversized shirt, but you can try to pull it off with your regular shirt too. Essentially, you tuck in the front part of the shirt along with the sides but leave the back out to exude a cool vibe.
And if you wish to go for a more chilled out look, you can always…
2. Untuck
The key to transforming a 9–5 entrepreneur look to that of a casual guy hanging out at the pub or library lies is untucking the shirt. Just a word of caution, this look can turn sloppy if not done right; so be careful with the pants you pair your formal shirt with.
3. Half Tuck
This trend is very in at the moment. To achieve this casual look, you simply need to tuck in half of your shirt on one side and let the rest hang loose. For a masc look, Parker recommends right is traditional for tuck in, but you do you.
But say, you feel a half tuck is sloppy, what can you do then?
4. Full Tuck and Military Tuck
While most people would associate the full tuck with an official look, it can also come across as nerdy in casual situations, since it was the Leonard Hofstaders who popularized the look in such settings. Yes, the full tuck can look exceedingly formal but if you add sports shoes, and denims you have yourself a look that’s more date friendly than the boardroom.
And if you decide to get a shirt that’s a size bigger, a military tuck with some of the fabric hanging loose at the back can make for a rad look.
Okay. We have discussed how to wear your shirt in detail. Now, if you have the option to change out of your office trousers, here are some ways in which you can take your outfit from Dwight in The Office to the guy next door on a dude’s night out.
Pair Your Formal Shirt With the Right Pants
The go-to option for a casual look is of course a pair of denims. To make a sustainability-friendly choice, you can get upcycled or thrifted pieces. There are other eco-friendly options as well, such as factory discards and swaps. However, jeans aren’t the only pants that can make a formal shirt look casual.
1. Chinos
While some experts recommend beach shorts for pairing with formal shirts, we disagree. Unless that’s your style, we would recommend something more on the lines of chinos. They traditionally are made to reduce the need for fabric which makes them a great choice for the sustainability lovers among us.
Plus, they are not as skin tight as some of the jeans fits or leather pants, in turn allowing your legs to breathe. Who doesn’t need that?
But say you want a more femme look, then what? Well, then you can do a lot, such as…
2. Jeans and Shorts
Jeans and shorts, especially denim shorts, with a half-tucked shirt constitute a classic look. Add a pair of on-trend sunglasses to the mix and you’re all set to channel that bawse energy. Pair with some chic shoes to finish the look, maybe? Let us know what you think of this outfit in the comments!
However, if jeans and shorts aren’t your style, then there’s always the age-old combination of a formal upcycled or vegan silk shirt with…
3. A Skirt
For the girl-next-door, everyday vibe, both short and long skirts work very well when paired with a formal shirt, depending on your style of tucking and the chosen accessories. This is one of those looks that, when created with a pencil skirt, is perfect for the office. However, swap the pencil skirt with a long, flowing skirt and you’re all set to exude a comely aura.
4. Jogging Pants
Another option is to go for jogging trousers and jeggings, which can lend an effortlessly cool look to your formal shirt. We recommend a half tuck again or even leaving the shirt untucked, but you do you! This next styling tip by Vishaka Chowdhury is for our femme presenting friends: Wear the shirt completely unbuttoned; it’s time to show off the cami you love rocking!
Now, we are nearing the end of the blog, but it would be remiss to forget one look for our feminine dressers: the iconic shirt dress. Just add a belt to your slightly oversized formal shirt or even a men’s formal shirt that isn’t too baggy on you and you have a dress. Add some danglers, pop open the top button, pair with chic shoes, and you have the perfect outfit to go shopping with your best mate.
Which of these looks are you eager to try? Let us know in the comments. To get sustainable Giza cotton or linen shirts, head over to The Formal Club.
Also Read: Finding the Right Colour: How Undertones Can Help You Pick the Right Formal Shirt
