Alas, gone are the days where I could roll out of bed and put on my favourite pair of jeans, my grungy ripped up sweater, and my rugged combat boots and stroll out the door carelessly. Now I roll out of bed, put on my nicely ironed button down, neatly pressed trousers, and freshly waxed lace-ups and stroll out the door looking like every other average joe out there.

It’s boring and I hate it.

I hate the lack of individuality in business casual and formal dress codes, but it’s something that I and every other corporate junkie out there has to live with. Women have it better though, at least you gals have a wide range of acceptable options. However, us guys are rather limited to our button downs, ties, and trousers (we can add a sweater in the winter, or a polo in the summer if we’re lucky).

So to unbore myself and to spice up the world I’ll be living in for a majority of my adulthood, I’m planning to add a little UMPH UMPH into my business casual wardrobe. Curious?

1. Trousers that wear like jeans, but aren’t jeans! My next buy? Some Robert Geller Maharadja trousers (see pictured). They are slim and almost jean like, but also something I can probably get away with wearing at work.

2. Cool as **** lace-ups. I’m tired of moccasins, I want some sleek lace ups to go with my slim trousers. I also want shoes that are well made, and youthful. Gonna check out ‘Premiata‘ or ‘N.D.C. Made by hand‘ as they’ll probably offer exactly what I’m looking for.

3. Edgy Jackets and outerwear. I prefer long classic jackets such as trench coats as imo they can be quite gangsta and can look beautiful with a suit/dress shirt/tie combination peaking out. Just bought a poly-coated one from Band of Outsiders that definitely does not resemble the one your grandpa used to wear.