Clothes have always been and will always be a means of non-verbal communication. You see a guy wearing sweatpants – it’s time for jogging; a girl wearing a fancy dress and posh shoes – she’s likely to be heading to an important event; a group of people in casual outfits are probably having a stroll or just going shopping for food. It may sound ridiculous, but garments communicate information. Due to thousands of years of fashion development, we’ve become capable of decoding it without a second thought. Moreover, we tend to form first impressions based on the outfits we see and create a subjective image of the persons wearing them.
The business world used to have the same strict rules of the office dress code…before the pandemic stroke a hard blow to the world. Introducing remote work and home offices have left an irreversible footprint on how people started dressing for work. Of course, wearing a sports suit or ripped jeans to a business meeting is still impossible, but the restrictions have loosened. The short list of what used to be acceptable to be worn at the workplace has turned into a short list of what is not. Now it’s known as “business casual,” which represents the freedom of choice based on a few dress code principles which are not very challenging to stick to. However, there is still enough room to dress the way you feel comfortable, unique, and your whole self. Let’s delve into details and explore what is business casual.
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The best explanation of what business casual actually looks like is a combination of formal and obviously casual styles. You still have to look presentable and professional, however, preserving the free and effortless vibe. Usually, business casual encourages wearing khaki, navy blue, or black dress pants, polo shirts, turtlenecks, button-up dress shirts, sport coats, dress shoes, and knee-length dresses. Color also matters as putting on bright red trousers is bound to set other people’s teeth on edge (still could work well in some creative agencies, though). However, you’re free to experiment with different reasonable colors as the “black-and-white” uniform has luckily gone into oblivion.
Some cutting-edge IT companies have normalized wearing T-shirts/hoodies and jeans, prioritizing their employees’ comfort in the first place. Others may have not reached that level of choice yet, or just the sphere may not dispose of casual clothing regularly, like health care workers, lawyers, politicians, live casino dealers, real estate agents, and traditional industries workers.
Providing your staff with the freedom of choice to express themselves through their outfits is pretty liberal and progressive and definitely enables them to feel more creative and fulfilled at work. However, sticking to business casual outfits may also be beneficial for every company in other ways:
The business casual dress code typically implies no jeans, shorts, and optional ties for men, no chances for short dresses or skirts for women, and no tennis shoes or flip flops. What is really good about it is that sticking to business casual attire is more about being aware of “don’ts” and avoiding them rather than being limited by “dos.” Furthermore, the number of “don’ts” significantly lags behind “dos.” Still, we’ll look at the most important of them.
Do: Wear items that make you look professional. Buy basic clothes that can be combined in different variations because not only will it save you money, but it also impress your co-workers with numerous new outfits. Those could be tailored pants, blazers or jackets, and dresses.
Don’t:
The difference between business professional and business casual for men usually rests on tie-or-no-tie looks; for business casual for women, the distinguishing factors usually include location, occupation, office style, and the season.
Do: For men, it could be long-sleeved button-downs, collared shirts, or fine-knit sweaters. Another option is short-sleeved polos or button-downs in warmer weather if short-sleeved items are acceptable in your office. During a meeting, a grey, black, or blue jacket or blazer without any patterns will work much better than just a button-down dress shirt by itself.
Do: For women, the same as for men, blazers are a great option to wear for women too. The unique dress code in each office usually distinguishes the type of tops acceptable; however, it could be a well-fitted and ironed blouse or a button-down shirt without flashy brand logos.
Don’t: Wear t-shirts or tank tops of super bright colors or with too aggressive patterns, an extravagant cut, or a décolleté.
Do: For men, at very progressive companies, it might be even jeans; usually, it’s chino pants or khakis in combination with a formal or casual shirt. The color palette includes plain, neutral, or dark-toned colors.
Do: For women, knee-length or below dresses or skirts are always a sure bet. There is a more comprehensive range of acceptable colors to choose from; however, stay reasonable. You may check the office policy beforehand if they are okay with jeans. Still, usually, the list includes tailored or wide-leg pants, dress pants, chinos, or suit pants.
Don’t: Wear anything too tight, too short, too dressy, or too bright-colored.
Do: Dress shoes, pumps, loafers, and boots are always welcome for men, as well as closed-toe heels, flats, or loafers for women. There is an open question with sneakers as they’ve made a really revolutionary switch from sports footwear to the natural sport-chic style. It depends on whether this is a really casual workplace.
Don’t: Wear open-toe or athletic shoes, like sandals or flip-flops. Even peep-toe shoes might not work well in some work environments. Yes, the business casual dress code may vary from one workplace to another.
Do: Such accessories as modest scarves and discreet jewelry will always satisfy your look but only supplement it.
Don’t: Wear too many accessories or too massive ones can distract you and turn your business casual outfit into bad taste.
Since we’ve got a helicopter view of the business casual attire specifics, let’s assemble them as a Lego and figure out how to use them to your benefit. Here are a few helpful tips on following the business casual dress code and avoiding getting lost in the triviality of office looks.
No matter how proper or professional your garments are, if you’re a woman and don’t feel comfortable wearing a professional dress, wear dress pants. You’re there to perform your work duties, and no dress code should be an obstacle.
We do advise avoiding aggressive colors and patterns. However, there are still workable options, like combining a patterned top with other items of muted or solid colors.
If your company’s dress code is pretty flexible, meaning that you have casual Fridays, don’t miss out on this opportunity. Casual wear will contribute to the overall atmosphere of freedom and creativity. A casual blazer can rectify the situation even if you have an unexpected meeting.
Dress to impress doesn’t mean showing up in the office wearing dirty tennis shoes or something shorter than knee-length skirts, so everybody is turning around to ensure this is not a dream. It’s more about the art of dressing professionally but adding some personal element to your outfit so everybody can easily recognize the owner of this particular outfit and what personality they have.
So, adopting and dressing business casual wear in your company will benefit both parties, the employer and their employees. The employer can rest assured that their company and staff can decently be represented through the appropriate business casual attire. The employees will get a chance to cut their expenses on buying piles of useless clothes but create numerous looks only with the help of a few basic items.
There are still some details left to be mentioned. Firstly, don’t neglect to choose your shoes. No need to say they should be clean and neat, but long-lasting materials are preferable as they will save you from buying a new pair of hit-and-miss quality every season. Second, to simplify the routine of dressing up every morning, get a couple of shirts, blazers, some nice pants, dresses, and skirts, and combine them, adding some small but outstanding detail – like a belt or a piece of accessory. You should never forget to iron your clothes because even the most stylish and fanciest item is bound to look cheap if it’s covered with creases. Finally, get yourself a lint roller, whether you have a pet or not, especially if you’re a fan of total black or dark clothes.
