Need help dressing my DH for this business meeting...

[gatorsmom]

He was talking to a client in California where is flying to tomorrow for a business meeting. when he was trying to figure out what to wear, the client laughed and said, "You can wear a suit to the meeting, if you like, but we certainly won't. We wear business casual around here." DH said he would wear a pair of Dockers and a really nice golf shirt but it's suppose to be cool weather tomorrow. What type of sweater should he wear with this outfit? Or, he said he has a pair of tan-colored trousers that he could wear a long-sleeve dress shirt with but again, what kind of jacket or sweater to wear with this?

Dressing men is definitely not my forte. Any suggestions are appreciated!

[ourbabygirl]

My DH likes to wear a sport coat with pants (khaki or black or whatever)- he has a black corduroy (thin, not wide) one, or a brown suede one, that he wears with a cream or light blue long-sleeved button down shirt (or something similar). Looks crisp and business-y but not as much as a suit.

[Piglet]

Personally, I would still dress up if it were me going to a business meeting. I would wear a suit and take the jacket off if I were feeling over-dressed. Same for DH. It is better to come across as professional and then have the option of having the jacket on or off. That is why I love suits - they come with options. If he shows up in khakis he is pretty much stuck in that business casual tone. As an aside, in my business setting, the norm is no tie. Most men in the meetings I attend (even the sales guys/top execs/etc.) will wear a suit with a nice shirt and no tie. It has sort of become the norm here, but I am not sure how it is in other places. Older guys will often do the reverse though - dress pants, button down shirt and a tie, no jacket, but that has a more traditional feel and not quite the current trend.

[Globetrotter]

Business casual in CA means khakhis/dockers and a polo or button down shirt. I would go with the second option (l/s shirt) for a formal meeting.

If he needs a sweater, I suppose it could be a vneck or crewneck that could be layered over this. I better stop now because I have no clue what I'm talking about. DH is a geek so I can't give you advice based on his wardrobe :p I AM sure about the l/s shirt, though.

ETA: Since they said business casual, I would stick to that, especially in CA!! It's a different culture, altogether :) and I love it!!

[kozachka]

Your DH should wear khaki pants with a light blue shirt and no tie. And a jacket or blaser on top.

ETA: If the client specifically mentioned that nobody at their office wears suits, there is no way I'd wear one as well, unless of course your DH is a lawyer, investment banker or management consultant.

[crazydiamond]

Your DH should wear khaki pants with a light blue shirt and no tie. And a jacket or blaser on top.


:yeahthat:

from a business guy who travels..

[MamaMolly]

I think a basic navy sports coat is great in situations like these. It dresses up kakhis, plus provides extra pockets for travel. I'm sure you could pick one up in just about any price range. (meaning Walmart to Brooks Brothers...just thinking what might be open today...)

[TwinFoxes]

I have a few thoughts. One, it depends on where in California he's going. SF, black flat front pants are more popular than khakis. LA, it's $100+ jeans and a blazer/t-shirt combo. It also depends on the business. Media types dress more hip. Engineers aren't fashion plates anywhere. But honestly, it's kind of like traveling to France. No matter how hard you try, you're not going to look like a native. So wear something that comes closest, and that you (or DH) will feel at ease wearing. Feeling at ease is more important than trying to dress in the manner of the place you're visiting I think.

I hate polo shirts, and no one in my former office wore them. I worked in news.

[gatorsmom]

I have a few thoughts. One, it depends on where in California he's going. SF, black flat front pants are more popular than khakis. LA, it's $100+ jeans and a blazer/t-shirt combo. It also depends on the business. Media types dress more hip. Engineers aren't fashion plates anywhere.

He's selling garage gear in LA. LOL. He's going to the companies headquarters, though. We went through his closet and he settled on suit pants and a nice long sleeve shirt. He said he knows he's a little overdressed but he's comfortable and feels confident in it. He has a big presentation to give so I agreed that whatever made him feel most comfortable was what he should wear.

I appreciate everyone's responses. Based on what you guys posted, DH and I decided we need to seriously consider adding some more quality business casual pieces to his wardrobe!

[DrSally]

I would err on the side of gaberdine dress pants and a nice dress shirt (no tie). DH gets his from Brooks Brothers. This uniform suits most business casual environments. I think dockers and a polo is a little too dressed down. I would err on the side of being more dressy than the client.

[sariana]

ETA: If the client specifically mentioned that nobody at their office wears suits, there is no way I'd wear one as well, unless of course your DH is a lawyer, investment banker or management consultant.

LOL, my DH IS a management consultant, and he rarely wears a suit, or even a sport coat or tie. He wears nice pants (not khakis) and long-sleeved, button-down shirts. The office is in SoCal, but he was working in San Francisco for the last year.

[kozachka]

I think it depends on the company and even office. I was a management consultant for the last 2+ years and can't imagine not wearing a suit to a client's presentation. But based on what OP posted it sounded like it was a much more casual environment. IMO it is much more difficult to get business casual right because there is no strict definition of the term and different people understand it differently.