When to Wear a Polo vs. Button Down to Work
Business casual clothing seems to have a lot of nuances, but when you know a few styling tips, you can dress confidently for any professional setting. Employees across different industries need to dress sharply for different occasions. In these cases, people often wonder what to wear to look neat and respectful for the setting. Polo shirts and button-down shirts like a business uniform shirt are two mainstays in the business casual closet that often come into play. However, there are occasions in which one shirt suits the situation better than the other. Which shirt is work-appropriate and when? This quick guide will show you the details.
The Differences Between a Polo and Button-Down Shirt
A polo shirt can be made of pique cotton, jersey, or a polyester blend. The material you select plays a big role in how formal it looks. An active pique polo that is made out of pique cotton is the most formal of the materials and is well-suited for outdoor professional events that are slightly relaxed, such as golf, company picnics, and work parties. Button-down shirts are often considered to be more formal than polo shirts, especially when dressed up with a tie and blazer, but this style can also be made more casual by wearing it without a tie, with the top two buttons loosened and the sleeves rolled up. In short, both shirts are versatile in their levels of formality and can be appropriate in many work situations.
Hot Weather? Grab Your Polo Shirt
One of the biggest challenges for professionals is to look sharp when the temperatures soar. Put an outdoor event into the equation and you have an even larger dressing dilemma. Thankfully, polo shirts made out of 100% cotton-like pique cotton or jersey can keep you cool while maintaining a professional appearance.
The textured fabric of pique cotton is better for situations in which you know you’re going to sweat, though. Jersey cotton’s smooth appearance tends to show sweat marks more easily. So, if you know you’re going to be outdoors at a trade show, county fair, or barbecue, you can still look your best and make a great impression. Take your company spirit to the next level and have a few company polo shirts in your closet. Customize them by adding your name and company logo so that you won’t need a name tag or lanyard to be easily identifiable.
Formal Events? Put on a Button-Down Shirt.
When it comes to fine dining, twilight gatherings at the sky bar, or a New Year’s company party, an extra touch of formality is in order. Dress up a button-down shirt with your best necktie and cufflinks. Even though you’ll be more decked out than in casual settings, a well-made button-down shirt won’t feel itchy or uncomfortable. Look for shirts with a bit of stretch in the armholes to give you a wider range of motion, as well as moisture-wicking fabrics that balance your body temperature to keep you cool even in the summer.
For an even more stunning appearance, wear a company blazer over your shirt, custom uniform work pants, and freshly shined penny loafers. You’ll look sharp and confident — ready to make a strong impression on your colleagues and business partners. Outfitting your team with a set of embroidered button-down shirts and blazers makes it possible to have a uniform look for important events like conferences and dinners with prospective business partners.
Everyday Work Attire: Fill Your Closet with Both!
Every office has its dress code and culture, but in general, workplaces adhere to business-casual guidelines. This involves a careful combination of corporate dress pants, slacks, skirts, chinos, and occasional jeans with professional tops like blouses, polos, and button-down shirts. Turning your tops and jackets into custom business workwear can elevate your company’s appearance of unity.
Also, wearing work tops that are embroidered with your business logo can help promote your brand as you grab a coffee in the morning or lunch with a coworker during your break. It’s easy to make both polos and button-down shirts part of your daily business-casual rotation. Tuck them into a pair of jeans on casual Friday. Roll up the sleeves of your button-down shirt to beat the heat and wear it with the cuffs fastened on a mild fall morning. Both skirts and slacks match well with these professional tops, which gives you plenty of styling variety throughout the week.
It’s a good idea to have both polo and button-down shirts in your workwear wardrobe. When you’re fully stocked, you can dress for any corporate event with ease.