It’s not about suits or price tags. It’s about how it looks when you walk in — how you fit the space. You can spot it straight away when someone’s got it off. The jacket sits weird, the shirt’s still got fold lines, and they just don’t look settled in it

When you’re taking a client out, you can’t fake it. You want to look like you belong there — not like you’re trying to prove that you do.

This isn’t office formal. But it’s not a night out with friends either. It sits somewhere in between — business, but not business. Fun, but not sloppy.

Don’t Overdo It

If you’re not sure, don’t overthink it. Fashion is easy if we’re honest, just look like you thought about it. Intention is key so, just put on a fresh shirt, dark jeans or trousers, and shoes that still have some life in them. Make sure it all sits right on you, not too loose and wonky, not clinging (forget the skinny jeans). If it feels off, it probably is, but that’s fine — it gives you somewhere to start. You can tweak it once you’re out.

Mayfair restaurant? Jacket helps. Soho bar? Maybe not. If you’re fussing with your cuffs or tugging your sleeves all night, that’s your sign — wrong choice. Nobody really notices the guy who tried too much. They remember the one who looked like he didn’t have to think about it.

Dress For The Area

London’s not one city. It’s five stacked on top of each other.

Mayfair’s clean, pressed, tidy. Soho’s got a looseness — same effort, different energy. Shoreditch gives you more freedom; you can get away with something rougher. South Kensington’s polished, almost quiet.

If you’re doing dinner first and drinks after, go middle ground. You want a fit that works in both rooms. The Scotch dress code is what you’ll want to take inspo from. It’s simple and elegant, and more importantly, is suitable for any venue in Central London, from high-end restaurants to members’ lounges.

Keep It Simple, Keep It Sharp

White shirt always works. Doesn’t matter the season, doesn’t matter the place. Add a jacket if you can pull it off. Watch clean, shoes polished, trousers that fit the way they should.

Little things matter — cuffs right, no loose threads, no cheap belt buckles. They’re small, but people see them.

You don’t need flash. Just intention.

Avoid The Uniform Look

You know that “smart casual” template — blue blazer, white shirt, brown shoes, chinos. Everyone’s wearing it. Forget it.

Stick to what feels natural but still sharp. Darker colours, good fabric, something that feels like yours. Doesn’t have to shout. Just something less expected.

You don’t need to be creative. Just confident. That’s what people remember.

Match The Energy

Even if you know the client, don’t start off too relaxed. Let the night loosen naturally. You set the tone early.

If they ditch the jacket, fine, follow their lead. But don’t start with yours off. Don’t start too casual. London’s full of eyes — even when it doesn’t look like it.

Details Are The Giveaway

One spray of cologne, maybe two if you know what you’re doing. Hair clean. Nails trimmed. Shoes not scuffed. Nothing jingling or flashing under the lights.

Logos ruin everything. You don’t need to prove what brand you’re wearing. Quiet things carry louder.

Be Yourself, But Aware

You’re not selling anything tonight. Not really. You’re showing who you are when no one’s taking notes.

That’s what people notice — how you carry yourself when you’re “off duty.” Whether you still hold it together. Whether you look like you belong anywhere.

That’s the whole trick. Look like the kind of person who fits wherever the night goes.

For Women — Same Rules

Balance it. Clean lines, shoes you can walk in, something fitted but easy. Black always works. So does anything that looks polished without being stiff.

Nothing you need to fix every five minutes. You should move in it, not fight it.

If it’s cold, don’t throw a random jacket over it. A proper coat keeps it together.

The Right Place Makes It Easier

A good setting helps. Dim lights, decent sound, service that doesn’t make you chase the waiter. That’s half the impression done for you.

London moves slow at night. Dinner bleeds into drinks, drinks into something else. Pick clothes that can carry you through all of it. You don’t want to look like you dressed for just one part of the evening.

Have One Thing That’s Yours

Could be a colour, a cut, a ring, even how you wear your collar. Doesn’t have to shout. It just has to feel like you.

That’s how people remember you — small, natural details. Something that looks like it’s been yours for a while.

Clothes Set The Mood

Too formal and the night never relaxes. Too casual and it never lands. The best nights sit in that middle ground — clean, confident, loose at the edges.

When you look right for the space, people open up more. The conversation flows easier. You feel at ease. The night stretches in the right way.

And that’s what you want. To make the night feel effortless, even if you planned every second of it.

Remember — You Can’t Force It

London rewards subtlety. The best dressed people never look like they’re dressed up. It’s more rhythm than formula.

So don’t chase “perfect.” Just get it right enough. The kind of outfit that fits in at a bar, a restaurant, a members club — anywhere the night decides to take you.

Confidence isn’t loud. It’s in the quiet stuff. It’s in how you walk through the door, how you sit without fidgeting. When it fits, you don’t even notice — you just move.

So yeah, press the shirt. Check the shoes. Then stop thinking about it.

You’ve got the night ahead, the table booked, the right company. That’s all that really matters.

The rest — the clothes, the tone, the impression — that takes care of itself when you do.