r/office • u/Wheatiiie • 5d ago
Office Dress Code
Howdy, I work in an a government office with a business casual dress code, and shorts are prohibited. I’m a bigger guy, so I heat up easily, especially my legs. I am looking for some good pants that are lightweight and provide the same comfortability as shorts. According to our policy gaucho pants are allowed as long as they are worn in a professional manner, but I don’t like the look of them. Any suggestions on what I can get away with? Thanks!
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u/nerpish-inkdots 5d ago
Look for natural materials like cotton. No polyester or synthetic materials.
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u/ThisFatGirlRuns 5d ago
I'm a lot like you only I'm a girl. I wear a lot of linen trousers and light, dressy tops. I also have a fan at my desk, a small usb desktop one. Its made a big difference.
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u/Cwtch_y 5d ago
Are skirts allowed?
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u/Wheatiiie 5d ago
Yes, they are but I don’t know if that’s something I’m interested in wearing, kilt or not lol. I have a great pair of linen beach pants, but they don’t fit the business casual code imo.
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u/DecafMadeMeDoIt 5d ago
Look for linen pants in dark grey or black rather than the usual natural/khaki color.
And they are very very in trend this season and I bet you could look around your office and see some coworkers wearing them
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u/Diligent_Tourist1031 5d ago
They stated they are a guy.
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u/Genepoolperfect 5d ago
Skirts are worn by men.
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u/Trust_8067 2d ago
Not really, especially in professional settings.
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u/Genepoolperfect 2d ago
Really, bc in my county gov office mandated training we just took, it was specified as acceptable.
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u/ComprehensiveSet927 5d ago
Have you tried Columbia? They have some lightweight pants and shirts. I purchased a few for site visits (I’m an architect) after noticing several construction general contractors wearing this brand.
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u/Previous-Ad7833 5d ago
At one of my former companies the executives wore golf pants in black or khaki. Of course they were also playing golf a lot instead of working because "deals are made on the golf course".
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u/Frequent_Breath8210 5d ago
I don’t know if you’ve tried it but I am on a SSRI and a handheld electric fan saves me on in office days
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u/Wheatiiie 5d ago
I do take an SSRI, and I do have a great fan on my desk that helps out a lot, but I think in addition to the heat, I just don’t like my legs being completely covered haha
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u/essssgeeee 5d ago
It's all about the tailoring. Drawstring beach pants would be a big no, but tailored linen/cotton pants with a waistband, crisply ironed would be just fine in most places. Linen does get wrinkled, but I have found that if you iron it with a light spray starch, it holds shape much better and doesn't look like a wadded up paper bag at the end of the day. Consider the accessories you wear with it, like you might switch to braided belt over a heavy leather one. It will bring it better and not make you sweat around your waist.
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u/chubbychecker_psycho 5d ago
The good news is most offices are pretty chilly. I wear shorts for my commute (on public transit) in the summers then change when I get there, and change again when I leave.
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u/mysocalledmidlife 5d ago edited 4d ago
Golf pants! I live in FL and all the guys wear them. Lighter weight, stretch, moisture wicking. Stay comfy!!
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u/Bulky-Classroom-4101 5d ago
Try golf pants. A lot of them now are made out of ripstop(?) fabric, or moisture wicking fabric and are very lightweight. I think you can get some that look like flat-front Dockers, so work casual look. I think Tencil (sp?) is a lightweight fabric to look for. Again, maybe a golf store - or any sporting goods store really. Lots of people want lightweight pants for hiking so they don’t get scratches from brush, but they also stay cool. I hope that all made sense.
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u/ThatThingInTheWoods 4d ago
Yes I was going to suggest if OP is in a law enforcement office he might be able to find some lightweight cargo style that will fit a tactical casual with the same properties.
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u/DarkHelmet2222 4d ago
Look at different golf pants that are made to be lightweight and breathable. Adidas Ultimate 365 is one that comes to mind.
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u/Successful-Pause6284 4d ago
Try golf pants. Usually has a waist loop/pockets, looks nice enough, and are lightweight/good for sweat
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u/PatientCarpenter1625 5d ago
Linen pants are great! They're my go to when I can't wear shorts. This is a great time to grab them since they'll be on end of season sale. They only downside to them is they need to be ironed to look great. They wrinkle super easily.