The Ultimate Guide to Casual Styles for Guys
Dressing casually doesn’t mean just throwing on whatever passes the sniff test. You’re still making style choices, deciding how to look put-together without looking like you’re trying too hard. Sometimes, this can be even more difficult than figuring out a formal look. Dressing casually gives you far more options, leaving more room for confusion.
If you’re still trying to figure out casual styles for guys, the good news is you don’t need to overhaul your entire wardrobe. All you need are a few select pieces and a little dress-casual styling know-how.
What Is Dress-Casual Style for Men?
Dress-casual blends comfort, simplicity, and personality into a style that’s uniquely you. No formal suits or blazers here; just jeans, chinos, tees, polos, and casual button-downs that work for everyday life. It leans relaxed but never feels lazy.
There’s no rigid rulebook to the dress-casual style. It lives somewhere between the boardroom and the living room, filling in for the parts of life that don’t come with stated dress codes.
However, there are fundamentals for good casual style that can help guide your choices:
- Quality – Just because your wardrobe is casual doesn’t mean you have to compromise on quality. From your foundational pieces to your finishing accessories, high-quality options will elevate your entire look.
- Fit – Clothes that drape naturally and fit correctly create intentional outfits. In other words, wearing the proper fit signals that you’ve made deliberate choices.
- Personal style – This is where you show up. Play with color, texture, and the small details that make an outfit recognizably yours.
Once you nail these fundamentals, you’ll be able to put together men’s dress casual outfits without any second-guessing or wardrobe paralysis.
Essential Pieces for a Casual-Style Wardrobe
Aside from the fundamentals, the key to curating casual styles for guys is owning the building blocks of a true casual-style wardrobe. Here are your essentials.
Quality Basics: T-shirts, Henleys, Polo Shirts
These three staples form the core of men’s dress casual outfits:
- Plain Tees – Navy, grey, white, or black tees pair with everything and provide an easy foundation for any outfit.
- Henleys – This style of shirt adds texture through the button details without being too busy.
- Polos – A polo shirt bridges casual and refined. It’s just as at home with jeans as it is with chinos, elevating looks for weekend travel, rounds of golf, or casual dinners.
Start with neutral or muted colors for maximum versatility. If you want variety, choose subtle patterns.
Finally, consider rotating your fabrics between lightweight materials and heavier cotton blends for your-round coverage.
Reliable Bottoms: Jeans, Chinos, Casual Trousers
Invest in a few solid pairs of pants that you can rotate throughout the week.
If you’re not sure where to start, here are a couple of reliable options:
- Jeans – A classic for casual styles for guys. A single pair of dark-wash jeans in indigo or black are appropriate for most occasions.
- Chinos and casual trousers – These options carry a refined edge while remaining casual and comfortable. Stock your closet with navy, khaki, and olive colors to work with versatile styles.
Outerwear and Layers: Jackets, Overshirts, Light Sweaters
Layering transforms basic outfits into dimensional looks that exude effortless style. Consider:
- A denim jacket over a plain tee
- A bomber jacket for a more interesting silhouette
- Casual overshirts in flannel or chambray over tees
- Cardigans and light sweaters that add visual interest through texture
Layering is also an excellent vehicle for showing off your personal style. Whether you reach for a flannel every single time, or have a vintage denim jacket that shows up in half your outfits, your outer layer can become part of your signature style.
7 Rules for Men’s Casual Dressing
Follow these rules, and you’ll be miles ahead of most other guys still figuring it out.
1. Fit Comes First
Nothing rescues a poor fit. Clothes should drape naturally, following your frame without clinging or billowing. Find the middle ground between tight and baggy, where the fabric frames your silhouette comfortably.
Before you leave the house, check your fit fundamentals:
- Your shirt sits flat on your shoulders, not hanging off or pulling tight.
- Your sleeves end near your wrists, showing a hint of watch or bare wrist.
- Your pants are comfortably loose without excess fabric pooling around your ankles or riding up when you sit down.
Get these right and half the work is already done.
2. Choose Elevated Basics
Skip the worn-out shirts and threadbare basics. They undercut everything else you're wearing.
Quality shows. A well-made shirt outlasts thin knockoffs by years. The fabric sits just right, the color holds through dozens of washes, and the shape stays true long after cheaper options have stretched into something vaguely shirt-shaped.
Invest in pieces worth wearing repeatedly, and they’ll become your most reliable wardrobe staples.
3. Keep Colors and Patterns Simple
Neutrals build versatile wardrobes. Navy, grey, olive, tan, khaki, black, and white all play well together, so you can easily coordinate between them. They let you focus on fit and silhouette rather than matching patterns and bright colors.
If you still want to incorporate patterns, opt for subtlety, like thin stripes for structure or understated prints for a pop of personality.
If you’re into more exciting pieces, build out a neutral foundation first to make pairing easier.
4. Add Texture and Layering, Not Logos
Knit fabrics, woven overshirts, and structured denim create visual interest naturally. Layer an overshirt over a tee or throw a light sweater over a button-down to create a more engaging look.
And remember, logos rarely improve an outfit. True quality speaks through clean lines, fine materials, and thoughtful details. That’s ultimately what you want people to notice when you walk into a room.
5. Pick Clean and Appropriate Footwear
Shoes make or break casual style. Your footwear choices should match the occasion while staying true to the relaxed aesthetic.
Try these basic styles for a casual fit:
- Minimalist sneakers
- Loafers
- Boots
What doesn't work? Worn-out athletic runners with frayed laces and scuffed boots that have seen one too many hikes. Ultimately, your footwear should feel as intentional as the rest of your outfit, and clean shoes suggest you care about the details.
Use your shoes to punctuate your outfit rather than just carry you from point A to point B.
6. Less is More
Accessories enhance outfits, especially when used sparingly. In casual styles for guys, each accessory should serve a purpose or add something meaningful to the look.
The same goes for layering. Two or three pieces add depth to your outfit, but five pieces create the impression that you’re not sure when to stop. Make clear choices that show confidence and signal taste.
7. Build a Curated Closet
We make around 35,000 decisions every single day. A curated closet is one way to reduce some of those decisions, making getting dressed even easier.
A curated closet is built around reliable staples: A handful of quality basics can generate dozens of outfits where everything works together.
Start with core items like jeans, chinos, tees, button-downs, and a jacket or two. From there, add pieces based on what you actually wear so that your wardrobe reflects your personal style.
How to Build Men’s Dress Casual Outfits
You have the fundamentals, the essential pieces, and the seven rules for men’s casual dressing. Now, let’s see how your new casual wardrobe comes together in real life.
T-Shirt, Jeans, and Sneakers
This classic combo handles everything from coffee with friends to weekend barbecues. The components are simple:
- A clean, well-fitted tee in a solid color
- Dark or neutral wash jeans that fit properly
- Clean, simple sneakers
This outfit looks effortless because it is. You can even swap your tee color to change the vibe. The formula for the outfit still remains the same; only the details change.
Button-Down or Polo and Chinos or Slim Trousers
Step things up slightly without entering formal territory. Button-down shirts and polos bring structure while staying approachable. Chinos or slim trousers feel slightly more refined than jeans.
The combination works well for:
- Dates where you want to look put together without looking like you’re trying to close a business deal.
- Casual dinners that call for cloth napkins rather than paper.
- Daytime social events like brunch or gallery openings.
T-Shirt and Overshirt or Jacket and Jeans or Chinos
Start with a solid tee as your base. Add a casual overshirt worn open over it. Finish with jeans or chinos, depending on the occasion and whether you're feeling more weekend casual or like you might end up somewhere nicer than expected.
This outfit handles transitional weather, evening plans, and situations that call for style with substance. The overshirt elevates the tee-and-jeans foundation without looking like you're trying too hard. Comfort stays intact, and confidence follows naturally.
Button the overshirt for a cleaner look or leave it open for a more relaxed energy. Both versions work. The choice ultimately depends on where you're going and how you want to feel when you get there.
Casual Style with Mizzen+Main In Mind
Mizzen+Main is where performance meets personal style. Our shirts, polos, and chinos combine performance fabrics with traditional menswear looks, offering stretch that moves with you, wrinkle-resistance to keep you looking fresh through long days, and clean, structured tailoring.
Explore Mizzen+Main’s entire menswear collection for workwear, formalwear, and everyday casual styles for guys.
Sources:
Jonny Wills is the Creative Director for Mizzen+Main where he leads creative strategy while still doing his first (and favorite) job—writing copy. And for the record, he put that em dash there all by himself.
