How about the "shirt without a tie" look?

It seems that nowadays, when some people talk about "business casual", they actually mean a suit without a tie. I don't want to argue about the definition of "business casual", but can you pull that look off? I feel that I cannot.

When I go casual, it's corduroy pants or slacks with a button down shirt. And when I want / need to wear a suit, I also want to combine that with a tie; otherwise it looks silly on me. I can understand a blazer without a tie, but with a business suit, "tie-less" is too much a mix of formal and informal for me.

Your thoughts?

I feel that it's a trendy thing and looks a bit off. Sport jacket/blazer with no tie = Good. Suit with no tie = Bad (on most people). I've seen some people who wear it well enough, but it's kinda edgy fashion wise, which is not what you want to be doing for business casual.

I agree with OP. Casual is fine, but when I wear a suit, a tie goes with it. Suit without a tie is just a fish out of water for me. YMMV.

The 'suit without a tie' is, in my experience, a suit without a tie, not business casual. A suit with a tie is business formal. Business casual is an actual style. It sounds like you have the idea of business casual down. Blazers (blue wool with gold or silver buttons) and sport coats (anything else) are a great addition. To me, a tie with a suit is expected. Of course there's the 'fashion-forward' argument, but unless you are in an entertainment or artsy industry, stick to the standard.

I agree with most comments. I wouldn't go there, but it's more because I feel like a tool than because of how it looks.

Interesting. I guess I'm a violator of the rule.

I never realized it was faux pas. I wear suits without a tie to most business casual things. I've always felt better dressed than others when doing so too!

Well I detest ties, and don't wear them unless I have to. That said I never had, and don't think I will ever wear a suit without a tie. OTOH, if I'm at a wedding and things relax, I'm one of the first to lose the jacket and tie.

A suit without a tie is something I would wear to a "fancy" bachelor party or a night out in vegas. I like the look for some but wouldnt use it often.

I like the look for certain events. Like a wedding reception or an informal happy hour after a business meeting. I'd wear a striped or patterned shirt though.

I don't think I'd bother with the sport coat at work without a tie, but maybe that's because nobody (outside management) wears suits so I would get the "when's the interview?" jokes all day long.

With a collared shirt and v-neck that's also a good look.

Oh, I should specify...suit (matching coat and pants) would be different than an odd jacket or blazer with slacks. The latter looks sharp, while the former looks like business formal without the tie (odd).

Here's how to really, really NOT do it:



Let me suggest, IMHO, the optimal way to go for the look:



Please note:

• shirts and ties that are still exceptionally well tailored and of high quality
• just the right mix of "not giving a fudge" what people think, and yet still "really giving a fudge that I look good"
• casual, sporting locations where wearing a suit and tie would be way too much overkill, and wearing a shirt and tie without jacket would make you look like the one Mormon missionary at Spring Break.

gwsmallwood said:

I agree with most comments. I wouldn't go there, but it's more because I feel like a tool than because of how it looks.

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Only because you recently won the "ugly sweater" contest at Christmas, you don't have a new custom title as of right now.

And dude, I was sooooooo tempted ....

Doc4 said:

Only because you recently won the "ugly sweater" contest at Christmas, you don't have a new custom title as of right now.

And dude, I was sooooooo tempted ....

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There's really no way of getting that foot out of your mouth once it's there.

Alejandro Salemandro said:

Interesting. I guess I'm a violator of the rule.

I never realized it was faux pas. I wear suits without a tie to most business casual things. I've always felt better dressed than others when doing so too!

Click to expand...

I guess that makes me a violator too... strange though b/c downtown Toronto, this is a pretty common look for business guys. I've got a few investment banker friends who exercise the look almost daily and, IMO, they look good doing it. If you've got a properly tailored suit and confidence, I think it looks great. YMMV.

It works fine. It is just dependent on what style of suit and shirt you have. If you have slim lapels on your suit and more of a casual shirt (what COLOR/DESIGN is it?) then yes you can totally get away with going suit with no tie.

I prefer tie with suit, maybe the bow tie will come back into style soon and everyone will want to wear a tie again lol

ceferguson said:

I prefer tie with suit, maybe the bow tie will come back into style soon and everyone will want to wear a tie again lol

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bow-ties are totally in right now. You don't need to feel ashamed to sport one! ...unless it looks like its from the seventies...

gwsmallwood said:

I agree with most comments. I wouldn't go there, but it's more because I feel like a tool than because of how it looks.

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I feel awkward as well with the "suit but no tie" look ... and that's my main reason for not going there. When I'm at work, in the office or at a customer site, I don't want to feel awkward about my looks (there are usually enough things to worry about already lol)

Doc4 said:

Please note:

• shirts and ties that are still exceptionally well tailored and of high quality
• just the right mix of "not giving a fudge" what people think, and yet still "really giving a fudge that I look good"
• casual, sporting locations where wearing a suit and tie would be way too much overkill, and wearing a shirt and tie without jacket would make you look like the one Mormon missionary at Spring Break.

Click to expand...

I like both of those and is what I had in mind for the downtown evening date idea

Suit with no tie is primarily an evening/weekend look. The problem with wearing it to work is that you look like you maybe showed up with a tie on but you got relaxed and off comes the tie in the middle of the day. Then you risk looking like you've already mentally checked out. It's a weird straddle if you work in a business casual environment that doesn't require a jacket because you can come off looking more casual than a guy in slacks and a dress shirt although you are wearing a suit.

There are certainly industries that are more fashion forward where it's cool to look like you're dressed up but relaxed. Look at your coworkers. If you don't see other people dressed that way then that's not your industry.

Skip the coat. Wear the bolo:




OK. No one will ever offer me a job that requires wearing a suit.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the "suit and no tie" look for general wear. It strikes a balance between "I cared enough to dress up" and "I'm open and relaxed".

Wearing it at the office would largely depend on the office -- around here, suits are an endangered species altogether. Setting that aside, however, I don't think I would wear that style if I was supposed to be the leader/top dog/manager. It might work if I was just trying to get a leg up on my peers, though.