And how Gen Z is influencing dress codes.
Dress codes have loosened a lot over the last few decades. Jeans and sneakers, wardrobe staples that you’d never see in a boardroom 40 years ago, are the norm in offices. And it’s not just tech bros or “creatives” wearing Levis and hoodies to their 9-to-5s: The pandemic changed the way most white-collar workers dress.
Hordes of professionals, used to suiting up in slacks and a dress shirt five days a week, suddenly got to take their meetings in sweatpants. They embraced coziness on the clock, trading in their Oxfords for house slippers and their button-ups for worn-in white tees. But our standard for business casual has been slouching toward joggers and sneakers well before 2020, says Max Berlinger, a fashion writer who’s covered men’s style for the New York Times, GQ, and Esquire. Athleisure has been worming its way into the office for some time, Berlinger tells us, but he thinks cozy-core won’t ever completely dominate corporate America.
We picked this style expert’s brain about why the blazer may never disappear from work wear, the ‘90s look making a surprise comeback, and the simple way to modernize your work wardrobe in the post-pandemic era.
Katie Couric Media: What does “work appropriate” look like for men now?
Max Berlinger: During the pandemic, people got used to being comfortable and dressing how they wanted to dress, embracing more casual looks, and expressing themselves more. I think as we move back to the office, people will bring that sense of freedom with them. As a general rule, coming out of Covid, I think people are just way more accepting of different styles.
So athleisure and more relaxed styles are going to be more accepted, but at the same time, I think that parts of that corporate, more formal look will remain. If you look to J. Crew, they’re pushing this preppy, collegiate vibe, as is Ralph Lauren. You’re seeing lots of tweed blazers, Oxfords, and chinos. People are always reinventing that “more formal” look, because the fact of the matter is it’s just an attractive style that looks good on a lot of different people.
Some say the resurgence of these more formal elements may be because people missed getting dressed up for the office over the past couple of years. What do you think?
More than that, I think that streetwear and athleisure have been such huge parts of men’s fashion for probably the past decade now, that it’s just part of the natural progression to see the pendulum swing the other way — away from a more relaxed look. This was just starting to happen before the pandemic, and then it sort of got disrupted, but I’ve noticed that in the past year or so, men have really been embracing loafers and dress shoes again. Sneakers aren’t dead, but there was this insane explosion in sneaker culture and it reached this level of mass appeal; I think now we’re getting tired of it, culturally, and people are seeking out something different.
Is there anything you’d give a hard “no” when it comes to office wear for men?
Every office is different, but I would personally not wear gym clothes to the office. That’s still a bit of a taboo for me. Some people in the creative field may be able to incorporate little bits of that, but I just wouldn’t wear gym shorts and a hooded sweatshirt. And if you do have a more casual element, like a hoodie, I’d pair it with a nicer pair of pants. I’ve seen people mix a cool-looking pair of jogger pants with a more formal button-up or a nice cashmere sweater, and that dresses it up a bit and gives it a fun mix-and-match quality.
Do you think Gen Z entering the workforce has had an impact on the way people dress at the office?
Of course. They seem sort of blase about gender norms and about norms in general, and they’re bringing that sensibility into offices. Plus, they entered the workforce during this really big, disruptive event that’s really freed them up to express themselves in new ways, style-wise. So I think we’ll continue to see them making office wear their own.
Are there any particular pieces you think men should be investing in to upgrade their work wardrobes?
A nice straight-cut pair of chinos or khakis is a really good piece right now. If you want to be more dressy, find a heavier, wool blazer or sport coat — something that you can easily layer over a t-shirt or even just a button down. And it shouldn’t just be a navy blazer that looks like it’s part of a suit.
Some cool loafers that you feel can be worn with jeans or slacks are a good idea. A nice crewneck cashmere sweater always looks nice. A really trendy thing I’ve been seeing right now is the v-neck sweater layered over a white t-shirt, which is very ‘90s. You can go to Uniqlo and get something like that for around $100. It’s just a nice, formal piece that doesn’t look sloppy.
Are there any brands you like now for office wear?
J. Crew is doing some great stuff at a good price point, along with Ralph Lauren. Banana Republic is trying to revamp its image right now and has really stepped up its offerings. Todd Snyder has taken menswear conventions and made them sort of younger and cooler, and I’d say Buck Mason is a cool brand that a lot of guys enjoy.
On the higher end, there’s A.P.C., which has great, classic-looking tailored pieces. And for designer wear, if you want to go fancy, Dries Van Noten is probably my favorite brand. They have these really wild and wacky things along with a line of navy and black suits that look really nice, but are in the $1,000-plus range.
