Club Cool v7: Business Casual & Sports Jersey Etiquette

Legendary podcaster and former legal powerhouse David Ruff joined me in the Club yesterday. First, Dave told me about how his style has changed since moving to Austin and working at Grandex. He elaborated on why certain pieces of clothing are worth a higher price tag and then highlighted two of his style icons, Sergio Garcia and Andy Roddick. After that, we broke down business casual style before finally addressing when and where it’s okay to rock a jersey. Listen below or keep reading for a quick recap:

Prior to working for Grandex in Austin, Dave was in a very niche professional environment, style-wise. Lubbock, Texas was heavy on the western boots and straying too far from a tucked-in Brooks Brothers button-up could invite some questioning looks from co-workers or clients.

He found his groove in a more casual setting by adopting the short-sleeve button-down, AKA the SSBD. Favorites of his include standout versions from West Coast lifestyle brands Faherty and RVCA. Dave also swears by the pricey but totally worth-it Cloud tees from Outdoor Voices. There’s a solid chance you can find him at Wu Chow or Dirty Bills on any given weekend night wearing one of the aforementioned garments.

But what if you don’t get to be as laid-back as most of us here in Austin, California do? If you’re stuck in a biz caj rut, is there anything you can do to mix it up or stand out? Well, the short answer is: not really. By its very nature, business casual is meant to be conservative and professional. It’s a dress code that purposely saps personality from the equation. My personal recommendation is to make sure your stuff fits you perfectly. The biggest issue I see with guys in slacks and button-downs is that everything generally looks a size too big. There’s nothing worse than pants that clearly require a belt or pool at your ankles. The ballooning dress shirt muffin-topping out of your pants? It’s gotta go. After you’ve locked down fit, you can always play with color and pattern as well. The traditional ginghams and tattersalls from places like Brooks Brothers or JoS.A.Banks are so ubiquitous that they leave absolutely zero impression whatsoever. If you’re in an office where you can get away with it, try bolder colors or more unique prints and plaids.

How about after work? If you’re in a major city working in one of these professional environments, you probably have the occasional opportunity to hit a pro sports game in the evening. Do you change? Go as is? Sure, either works, whatever floats your boat. OR, you can go full Mitt Romney and throw a jersey on top of your work garb. This is a great move that says loud-and-clear, “Yes, I have 127 unread e-mails in my inbox, but I’m here to let loose a smidge.” For weekend-wear, the only jerseys that have legitimate style are soccer ones, and college football jerseys are the only ones that I’m vehemently against.

If you want to hear our full takes on these topics and more, make sure to check out v7 of Club Cool and follow the Instagram feed too, @clubcoolpod.