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Business casual is a term used to describe the attire typically worn in business situations. It can vary from office settings (e.g., suits and ties) to environments that are not traditionally considered business-oriented, such as restaurants or fitness centers.
Business casual is a formal dress code that doesn’t require suits or ties. It can be worn in the office, in the field, and at social events.
Business casual clothing is less formal than the formal business dress, yet it is still professional enough for the workplace. This usually entails a skirt or trousers, a button-down shirt, and closed-toe shoes for ladies. This usually includes a button-down shirt, pants, and formal shoes for males.
According to a poll by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), over 60% of organizations now allow business casual wear, although it still generates uncertainty among workers and management. Below are some general rules that you and your colleagues may use the next time you’re requested to dress in business casual.
What Does Women’s Business Casual Mean?
For women, business casual might be a mix of a skirt or trousers with a button-down top. You might also wear a basic sheath dress. For dressier events, a simple jacket or blazer may be worn to complete the appearance. Although closed-toe shoes are preferred, ladies may wear open-toe heels.
Here are some examples of the sorts of apparel that ladies may mix and match to create a business casual look:
- Pencil-cut skirts, knee-length skirts, and formal pants are examples of bottoms.
- Stilettos, pumps, open-toed heels, and closed kitten heels are among the footwear options.
- Avoid strappy flat sandals, ballerina flats, denim, boldly printed and brightly colored slacks, and spaghetti straps.
Expert Tip: Business casual must be one of the vaguest dress code terms in use today. What is actually ‘wear-to-work’ appropriate depends entirely on your field, location, and office. However, there are some fast rules to keep in mind. Don’t wear anything too sexy, meaning nothing skin tight and no thigh-high slits. If you want to be on the safe side, these are some tried and true business casual staples: slacks, blouses, pencil skirts, button-downs, flats (closed-toe) or heels, and tailored dresses.
For Men, What Does Business Casual Mean?
For males, business casual is likely to be simpler to figure out than for women. A long-sleeved button-down shirt, jeans, socks, and dress shoes are among the business casual essentials for men.
Here are some examples of men’s clothing:
- Short-sleeved button-down shirts in neutral colors are good; avoid patterned shirts.
- Bottoms: semi-formal trousers, dress slacks, dark jeans – while wearing a blazer, they are perfect.
- Tie-up shoes, traditional black leather shoes, and sophisticated loafers
- Sandals, boots, and boat shoes should be avoided.
Expert Tip: Business casual for men is not a casual look. It’s a look meant for business purposes. The idea is to project a professional image while enjoying more casual attire. You must appear neat and groomed, and yet, relaxed at the same time. But never too relaxed. You can’t just wear the same clothes you’d wear to your neighbor’s barbecue or to your favorite bar, even if you dress them up. Business-casual is not dressing up a casual outfit; it’s dressing down a business outfit.
– Restart Your Style, Robert van Tongeren
Business Casual Tips & Reminders
Here are a few pointers and ideas on how to dress for business casual:
Make it clear what your company’s dress code is.
Most companies don’t have a clear dress code policy, which adds to the confusion. The line of acceptable work attire is subtle, and the evolution of fashion is endless. As the lines have started to blur among sportswear, leisure, and androgyny, depending on the workplace and type of position, blending the classic with contemporary is the new business casual.
Establish your company’s dress code, including what is suitable and what is not, to make things simpler for your staff. In the end, it’s about allowing your staff to have fun and express themselves while maintaining a professional appearance.
When in doubt, go for the safe option.
When transitioning to a new workplace, I’d always recommend going conservative and classic at the start. For women, you can never go wrong with a great pair of trousers and a classic silk shirt. Start with an architectural heel and a structured bag and build out from there.
Keep your lines neat and tidy.
The first key rule is to always steer on the side of clean lines. I think the reason business casual was a great option 20+ years ago is because it took business pieces and allowed them to be mixed with more relaxed clothing, preserving the integrity of the look. In the world we live in today, where that might feel too stuffy, I recommend investing in pieces that have structure, such as impeccably fitting blazers, ankle-length tailored pants, sheath dresses for women, and blazers and clean-lined shirts for men. These wardrobe staples allow you to create looks that are professional, yet elegant and modern.
Keep in mind that you’re getting ready for work.
It’s always important to remember that you are dressing for work. A person dressing business casual should feel like they are going to work in what they are wearing. If jeans are allowed, they should be in a darker wash and not distressed. Things like sweatshirts should be avoided unless it is considered acceptable to wear to work in that particular industry. If leggings are acceptable, wear them with pieces that cover the bum. Practice sitting to make sure that skirts or dresses don’t reveal too much. Think tailored even if the dress code is business casual. If you feel too relaxed or like you are dressing for the weekend, you’re probably not dressed well enough.
Sportswear is not the same as business casual attire.
Garments employed for or associated with leisure or physical activities — think going to the beach, the gym, or lounging around the house — belong to the sportswear category of the dress. Business casual wear includes light jackets and blazers, cardigans, slacks, solid jeans, collared and sleeved tops, closed-toe shoes, and similarly fashioned garments independently of the wearer’s gender.
Dress appropriately for the job.
A financial industry “business casual” would be much different than a fashion industry perspective. Fashion industry-wise, it’s more about street style than dress pants. Now if you are in a more strict professional setting, your business casual is different, so make sure you dress it up a bit and stick to classics.
Accessorize to complete your appearance.
Even the most traditional outfit of blazer, pants, and blouse will look more updated with a statement necklace or pair of earrings – within reason of course, as you don’t want to overdo it. The jewelry/accents will also help tell a story through your outfit, which will make it look purposeful and put together.
Men may accessorize with a wonderful leather messenger bag or a pair of good leather shoes, for example.
How Has Business Casual Changed Over Time?
Because it reflects the traditions and attitudes of the period, the word “business casual” is always evolving. Wilkins explained how the definition of business casual has changed over time: In the 1980s, business casual meant khakis and collared button-down shirts. However, after the workplace approved “Casual Fridays,” the office dress code was altered. Life has become less formal, and the notion of office and work has fundamentally altered as technology, demography, and consumerism have all evolved. People are increasingly having fun with color and pattern integration.
The Bottom Line
While business casual is subjective and depends on a variety of conditions, there is a lot of common ground when it comes to determining the essentials that will always pass. It’s simple to dress up or tone down your basic items of clothes depending on where you work or what sort of company you run.
