What to Wear to a Business Dinner or Networking Cocktail

Business dinners and networking cocktails share a quirk that makes them tricky to dress for: they take place outside the office, often in the evening, yet remain professional occasions where total casualness has no place. The challenge is finding the balance point between office rigour and evening relaxation.

Why a full suit and tie can be a mistake

An evening business dinner isn't a daytime formal meeting. Showing up in the exact suit and tie worn all day at the office can paradoxically feel too rigid, especially if other guests have opted for a more relaxed register. Removing the tie, or swapping it for an open, well-pressed shirt, often strikes the right level of ease for this social moment.

The blazer, the most versatile piece for this register

A light wool blazer, worn over suit trousers or quality chinos, with a shirt or a fine-knit polo, makes an outfit that works equally well for a networking cocktail or dinner at an elegant restaurant. It's the piece that lets you look put-together without ever seeming like you just came from a day at the office.

Match the outfit to the venue and the time

A late-afternoon cocktail at a partner's office calls for a register closer to business casual. An evening dinner at a fine-dining restaurant justifies a more considered outfit, with a structured jacket and dress shoes. If unsure of the exact level expected, it's worth checking the venue: a starred restaurant and a casual rooftop don't call for the same outfit.

• A light wool blazer, with or without matching trousers, for most business dinners and cocktails.
• A shirt or a fine-knit polo rather than a t-shirt, even in a relaxed setting.
• Leather loafers or derbies, never sneakers even at a trendy rooftop venue.
• A discreet watch and belt rather than an overly visible accessory, which would shift the conversation to your outfit rather than business.

The right register for these occasions is recognisable by the fact that it never draws attention: neither too stiff nor too relaxed, it leaves all the room for the business conversation.