DS1 needs a business casual wardrobe for his summer internship. Is this still defined as (khaki) trousers and a shirt with a collar? What would you buy for a 20-something guy in the workplace. The office is pretty conservative. I am just wondering how to keep him from looking exactly like his, very handsome, but middle aged Dad. 
āBusiness casualā seems to vary a lot.
If he interviewed there, he should have seen how people there were dressed.
In my area, khakis are not necessarily discouraged, but black slacks are more welcomed along with a button down shirt.
I would do slacks, not khakis, and a buttondown, no tie. Thatās what it means in NY.
Suit coat with no tie or tie and no suit coat. Always nice shoes and a belt.
My H. got hysterically good at scoping out the dress code as he walked through a door. He would have his tie off before his second foot got through the door.
What kind of internship?
My engineer husband dresses business casual. He has slacks ranging from nicer ones to khakis. Worn with nice shirt and tie.
At my Sās place, itās khakis and a polo shirt. YMMV.
A suit coat with no tie seems a step up from business casual - some men can carry it off.
Yes, the best thing to do is take a cue from the people he works but generally business casual for guys are trousers, collared shirts and sometimes sweaters or sportcoats tbd the temperature. Also understand if jeans are acceptable on Fridayās or not (or any day) We have a no jeans policy and every time we add staff, someone shows up on Friday (or sometimes not Friday) with jeans and have to be told that it really is a āno jeansā policy. My last office allowed them on Fridays only for a $1.00 contribution to the employee need fund, but generally business casual is no jeans and casual equals jeansā¦
I donāt think young guys neatly dressed looked like ādads.ā In addition to khakis there are trousers: gray, black,olive. And in winter there are corduroy and wool. Crisp plaid shirts, oxfords in stripes and solids in addition to the ubiquitous polo shirt. Decent shoes - chukkas in āinā right now and perfectly acceptable for work instead of boat shoes for a change. Itās not that hard - hit Goodwill if heās missing pieces. Sweaters in winter and a sport coat and heāll be all set. In my old job I loved to walk through the industrial design department - those guys knew how to dress!
Itās an engineering internship. The job is out of state so, I have to take him shopping before he sees another person his own age. He has never cared about what he wears so, unfortunately, heās at my 40-something year old mercy.
At our company, which I would consider casual (casual city and casual industry) the guys mainly wear dress slacks or khakis with a button down shirt. Some wear polo shirts, but most of the managers and above wear button shirts. Other places Iāve worked a button shirt would be unusual and it is mainly polos.
I need your fashion advice for exactly this question - yesterday, DH complained that he had nothing in his closet suitable for ānice casualā - heās looking for something between a polo shirt and a casual business shirt (think striped oxford type shirt). Does such a thing exist, and do they have it in slim fit somewhere that I can get it before fatherās day?
This will change regionally. In Southern California you very rarely see a button down shirt in a business casual environment. Outside of the West, I would err on the side of the button down.
Stradmomā¦look at the Brook Brothers site.
To the op. Have your son look good. My husband comments often that younger employees and interns donāt look neat and tidy. Get things that donāt need to be ironed. Make sure he isnāt all wrinkled. If he takes Docker type slacks, and collared shirts, he should be fine. Have him take a tie or two just in case.
Ralph Lauren has very nice button down shirts in slim fit. Look under ācasual shirtsā rather than ādress shirts.ā
For business casual in Goskidās Northern CA office (private equity area) wears button down shirts and slacks or khakisā¦with the vast majority being wrinkle free. His favorite is Brooks Brothersāand luckily, he does not have a problem with the outlet store. Much more friendly to his budget.
Also wears chukkas, boat shoes and Steve Madden slip ons (Grounded and Grab are recent styles)ā¦
Thanks everyone. On the pants, does anyone have an opinion on pants styled like jeans but more fitted and not made of denim. Iāve seen them in all colors but, am wondering if they arenāt serious enough for the office. They look more age appropriate/a little trendier. Or, maybe theyād just be good for āno jeansā casual day. -if they have one.
I would say no patch back pocket pants (like jeans). My husband agrees. He says Dockers are fine, and come in a variety of colors. They donāt have to be khaki color, they can be navy or black, or grey.
Make sure your son has a belt.
Shoesā¦no sneakers (unless that is what everyone else in the office wears). But any kind of loafer or casual leather shoe is fine.
And get the kid some socks other than white.
YMMV depending on how conservative the engineering office is. My husband says that your son is not going to his internship to make a trendy fashion statement. He needs to āfit inā to what the others in the office wear. He doesnāt want folks to be discussing his wardrobe.
So, looks like weāll be passing on the non-denim jean like pants then.
You guys are so helpful.
@thumper1 -love the white socks comment! This kid lives in flip flops so, socks are on the list.
Pokey, my husband has engineering interns in his office every summer. DH saysā¦engineering firms are typically a bit on the conservative sideā¦depending on exactly what they do. The Silicon Valley businesses that hire engineering interns are perhaps more relaxed in their dress.
But we live in the conservative northeast. Your son is going to work in a business. Is it possible to send him with a couple of nice shirts and slacks, and let him mail order the rest the first week he is there?