L-A: Today is a  treat for you. You get a post with just me and then you get to come back later to see what Ally has to say.

We’re going to be a bit more practical today and dole out some advice. I had a request that we talk about the Casual Friday at the office.  Since I work from home, everyday is casual day (I am still in PJ pants that have lobsters on them), but I have worked in offices in the past so I can understand why this is an issue. Let’s start with some “Questionable Things”and then look at some “Fashionable Things” for your casual Friday. I know it’s not Friday, but this will help you plan for the upcoming Friday.

That damn golf shirt.

“Hey! what’s wrong with a golf shirt? It’s clean cut and classic, right?” What’s wrong, you ask? Well, if the shirt fits as well as anonymous dude in red’s shirt fits (which is to say, it does not fit. it is at least a size too big) and if it has a company logo, then EVERYTHING is wrong. It is so wrong that I would like to ban the giving away of company logo’d golf shirts.  Now, I’m not saying you can never wear a polo shirt to work for Casual Friday, I just want to make sure that it fits (I like polos by Ben Sherman, Penguin or Lacoste, but that’s just me. Who makes it is less important than how it looks) and has no more than a subtle logo from the company who made it, as opposed to the company who gave it away at a tournament. A lot of my complaint here is in the fit. Your clothes are supposed to fit you, not drape over you like a sack. And keep the collar down. You’re not a frat boy anymore, so don’t pop your collar.

The ever so scary Mom Jeans:

That there is actress Jennifer Love Hewitt. She makes her living by making sure she looks cute (I hate her, but that’s not the point. Someone out there thinks she’s cute). But with those ill-fitting, high-waisted in the wrong way jeans? She is not cute. And if she isn’t cute in mom jeans, then you can bet that you aren’t cute. I’m not saying you need to drop a couple of hundred on the bestest designer denim around, but please, don’t just pick up a pair from a pile at Costco. Take an honest friend with you and try on a lot of pairs of jeans. No matter how demoralizing it feels at the time, it will pay off in the end.

Completely Inappropriate and There is No Excuse:

Cut off shorts. Or, what the hell, jean shorts in general.

Before Ally & I get into a fight, I’m not knocking Nicole Richie. I’m just saying that unless your full time job is Being Famous, then this is not appropriate work attire.

Sweats. Of any kind. Particularly shorts.

I don’t care if it’s designer or not. Unless you work as a lifeguard or at a gym, then these are never okay. Even normally cute celebs like Elizabeth Reaser looks bad in them:

(she wore them out shopping in Vancouver. Lainey says they are mom pants).

So that’s what not to wear to work on Casual Friday. So now what?

Clothes that are a “do” for Casual Fridays for dudes (mostly courtesy of Details magazine, with a bit of H&M thrown in)

Okay, I know neither of these will help you this week in the summer weather, but these are just a few ways to wear your jeans (your well fitted, nice, clean jeans) to work. Or, you could wear a plaid  (clean and ironed, not lumberjackesque) shirt:

The second look there is from H&M. Both are great ways to wear the plaid to work. Dude number one has on khakis/chinos. Like any pair of pants, keep em fitted and preferably, go flat front with a straight leg. Nothing baggy folks and the tapered leg isn’t much better on men.

Also from H&M, a great sweater with jeans.

You know what else you can get away with? A really great screen printed t-shirt! Wear it with nice trousers or with jeans, maybe a dark wash, straight leg (again: no baggy!), and then either your very nicest sneaker-like shoes (but not actual sneakers. Also, this depends on your office), or boat shoes with no socks, or some nice lace up shoes. If you need to dress that look up just a bit more (because it all depends on your office and the kind of work you do), throw on a blazer.

Please ignore the crazy layering on the H&M model in the second photo. I’m not approving of wearing a button up shirt and a polo and a blazer. Just take that blazer as an example and imagine throwing it on the model from the first photo.

Okay, so it’s late in the morning and I’ve just spent a lot of time on the questionable things and what men should wear. I’m going to leave it up to Ally to help the ladies out. As always, we love it when you tell us what you think are appropriate/inappropriate Casual Friday work wear.