Fashion Q&A: How to master "business casual"

While many corporate, 9-to-5 jobs are less desirable due to what they require from their employees, there's something to be there's something to be said for the reliable, requisite uniform of a suit and a tie. You know exactly what you'll be wearing every day, and subtle variations are enough to get you by week by week without everyone knowing you're simply recycling the same suit.

But, for those of us out in the creative world, we tend to find ourselves in the daunting "business casual" environment, and choosing a wardrobe every day can require a serious and often times head-ache inducing thought process. You've got to look stylish but you also don't want to be repetitive. So that brings us to this week's Out.com Fashion Q&A where a reader who now finds himself inadequately prepared for the demands of the business casual office environment. So, for he and every other liberated lemming who can abandon the suit, Out gives you some helpful pointers on how to maximize your wardrobe to become a casual but chic office man.

-- SETH PLATTNER

Previously > How to wear plaid > 10 items every man should have in his closet

Fashion Q&A: To plaid or not to plaid?

Fashion trends, as fleeting as they are, can be quite dodgy. Sometimes they're out as fast as they were in, and you can't always delineate the tricky point of no return.

Perfectly illustrating this frustration is this week's Out.com Fashion Q&A in which a concerned style citizen admits his attraction to plaid coincides with a sinking suspicion the trend might already be losing longevity and/or originality.

His dilemma is a valid one, and applicable to many of the trends that we see from season to season. But, be befuddled no more! Out.com's experts are here to placate your plaids, so read up in the Fashion Q&A section to get yourself sorted out. And in case you're already wondering: plaid is here to stay.

-- SETH PLATTNER

Previously > 10 things every guy should have in his closet

Fashion Q&A: What 10 things should every guy have in his closet?

Of all the fashion questions out there, this week's Out.com Q&A query is one that always seems to elude men: What 10 things should every man have in his closet? While we generally think we've got a handle on the list, we also understand how the answers can get tricky given the ebb & flow of trends. But, as Out's answers show, you always want to have pieces that are classic, transitional and have longevity -- basically you want the pieces that never go out of style.

That being said, click over to Out.com's Style section to get our list which includes those perfect wear-til-they-tear items like a trench coat, a black suit and aviator sunglasses. They are the foundation to a perfect wardrobe and perfect style.

And, if your still style stumped, don't forget to send in your questions to fashionadvice@out.com  

Previously > Fashion conundrum? Out is here to help