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February 5
Thoughts on Business Casual
We simply can’t avoid it, most larger companies are exercising their right to slum it one day a week, also known as business casual day. I never could understand it, really. We can’t make the effort to look professional all five days a week? I guess I’ve grown to loathe the term so much because I’ve seen business casual so sorely abused. I’ve seen open-toed shoes in the office. I’ve seen sandals in the office. I’ve seen denim. I’ve seen khakis on women that were so short and so tight, it was neither casual nor comfortable…and certainly not acceptable for public viewing.
Personally, I’ve never bought into the notion of business casual. I love my power heels and skirts. I love a smart, tailored suit. I love beautiful, minimalistic jewelry to accessories with. Being polished and pulled together is a mind set that separates you from the, well, not so pulled together.
I once had a meeting that was business casual. Honest to goodness, a lady walked in with a denim button up shirt that had Budweiser embroidered on it accompanied by leggings and sandals. If you should dress for the kind of job you want, what kind of job do you think she wanted?
Conversely, you need to know how to do business-dress properly as well. I once knew a women who held an authoritative position who attempted to dress for success, however her wardrobe was so grossly dated and 80s, she may as well have just gone business casual. She still wore suit jackets that had shoulder pads, for the love of Liz Claiborne! Everything about her appearance screamed Golden Girls, right down to her gold rimmed totally 80s glasses to her bouffant hair style that looked to be a powdered wig. Her look aged her 20 years.
This isn’t rocket science, girlfriend. If you feel you absolutely need to go business casual, there is a right way to do it, and positively, there is a wrong way to do it. Lets discuss:
*Nothing too tight, such as khakis that you can’t breathe in. They make you look bigger than you are and show your panty lines…or even worse, cellulite.
*Nothing too short, such as skirts hitting you mid thigh or pants hitting you mid ankle. Capri pants are not even an option…don’t go there.
*Absolutely no leggings, ever. I’d like to tell you to never own a pair of leggings as they make your legs look like stuffed sausages and are horribly dated, but if you must, make sure it’s at home. Never wear a pair of leggings to the office, no matter how much you think you’ve accessorized them.
*No open-toed shoes…not even your favorite pair of peep toe pumps. I know, I know, I love an open toe pump as much as Christian Louboutin, but these must be reserved for after the office or the bedroom. They just have no place in the office. And be sure the dress shoes you wear are clean, free of scuff marks, and appropriate for business. No one wants to see your toes or even your perfect pedicure in the office.
*Your hose or socks should either match your dress/pants, or your shoes. You have two options here. That’s why dressing for success shouldn’t be so daunting. You have two choices here…either match your skirt or pants, or match your shoes. Very neutral nude hose will also work with a skirt (not pants), but be sure to find a very nude color to match your skin. That being said, never go to work with a bare leg even if you have a beautiful tan. It’s simply unprofessional.
Below are some good examples of business casual. You’ll notice, these pieces are mixed and matched to create several different outfits. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on your wardrobe, you just have to make smart choices. My personal outlook on it all is to stay classy, stay business-business every day. But if you do go business casual, take a look in the mirror and ask yourself, if I was offered a huge promotion today, do I look the part?
25 Responses to “ Thoughts on Business Casual ”
I know who you are talking about. LOL. All of us think that about the Golden Girl, but some of us still work here. LOL. This made me laugh so hard. You are right. We miss you but happy to see your success.
Oh God, someone needs to send this to the Golden Girl (it almost made me pee my pants.) I hate that b*tch. Golden girl was the hammer hitting the nail on the head.
Okay, this post was supposed to be cryptic. Is my blog post that transparent?
And I thought I was doing a great job of generalizing! ha!
I hate business casual. It should be outlawed!
I like to be comfortable. I work at a library and I wear crocs. No one has said anything to me about it, so I keep wearing them. Is that wrong of me?
i am a supervisor for an afterschool program and i wear very casual clothes. I am a mom, so i really don’t know how to do business casual. They haven’t said anything to me about what i wear at work. Should i be worried.
For Julianna and Loretta,
When it comes down to it, style in the work place is a must. Of course, with an after school program, you probably wouldn’t be wearing heels and a business suit, but I think you should always look pulled together. You don’t want to go to work with gym shoes and jeans. It’s just far too casual for any workplace environment.
We also have to be aware that jobs are scarse now, and someone better dressed is right behind you wanting your job.
I suppose the point is, you don’t have to be over-the-top professional….but the better you look, the better you look. Make sense? People will perceive you as you present yourself.
You both ask if you should be worried. I think a better way of looking at it is to change your workplace style, and prepare for the compliments (and possible promotions.) Be the best you can be across the board, and you’ll never have to worry. It’s your best defense in the workplace, in my opinion.
hi, i am 18 years old and not really sure where the best places to buy cheap but nice business casual attire…. im pretty scared ….. im on a very tight buget.
I think that anyone who thinks that people should dress in full on business attire each day is crazy! Why would you do that? Business clothes are hot and uncomfortable, why want to wear them, and why want to start a trend for everyone to wear it all the time…I see nothing wrong with a librarian in crocs…in fact, I think it is smart! I think we need to focus more on how we ACT, not how we look! Isn’t that obvious? Look at the terrible state the world is in right now? So tell me, should we all go out and buy more business clothes to “look” good, or should we take that money and put it into something that needs it like a charity? I think as long as your clothes are pretty much matching and clean and not wrinkled, it really doesn’t matter! I doubt the superficial world will ever change though…
OK OK OK…I can’t help myself, I must ask, what do you have against people’s toes? Why would you want to avoid seeing toes? Everyone has them? You do not NEED to look at them even if they are exposed…and why are you looking down at someone’s feet? Are you really that snooty that you can’t look someone in the face only? I’m sorry, I just had to say something here, this just seems so very wrong to me…
Michelle, Your comments inspired me to write another blog post to clarify some of your questions. Here, I address them. See if this makes a bit more sense. Thanks for your comments. http://supernaturalbotanicals.com/blog/what-not-to-wear
Rachel,
Second hand stores are perfect for you! I discovered treasure hunting in second hand stores with one of my BFFs years ago, and the habit stuck. You can find all kinds of top designers in those stores..you just have to know what to look for. It’s not about how much money you spend on the clothes, it’s about putting classic, key pieces together and having an eye for style. Give it a try, you’ll be surprised!
I see your views on business-casual, but for a girl, what the hell would be business-business?
Business-business would be the polar opposite of business-casual (which is really an oxymoron, anyway, don’t you think?
Business-business means professional dress…tailored jackets with skirts or pants. Nothing too tight. Nothing too loud in color. No large earrings that dangle. Appropriate heels…nothing higher than 3 inches.
You don’t have to go to extremes and wear only black or navy suits with starched white shirts. It’s possible to be trendy and professional at the same time.
Accessorize a great jacket with a beautiful necklace to stand out from the rest of the suits in the office.
Wow! Not only did I find this hilarious-although a tad harsh-I also found it to the point!
I used to speak as a volunteer for this organisation, and the staff used to always be dressed fantastically!
Recently, I received a new job. And I love it. HOWEVER! “Business Casual” tends to be popular. And not in a good way. The ridiculousness of some outfits! You can’t believe the colours!
THANK YOU!
Hose? Come on, what planet is this author from? Hose have been out for years (and years). I’ve seen one woman at work with hose on and she looked horrible. We live in the Texas and it’s too damn hot for hose – even in the winter!
I think the industries that encourage and reward dressing “beautifully” or business-like is actually quite limited. I’m a project manager in high tech and the people who ascend in the ranks are not paying attention to how great they look – they’re paying attention to how smart they are and what results they bring the company. Jeans and old tshirts are the norm here. If you wore a skirt or dress shoes, you’d be viewed as if you were interviewing somewhere else.
I don’t want to see some 50 year old woman coming to work in a dress without hose on. It’s hot everywhere, Texas. Get with the program. Don’t be gross at work. Noone wants to see your old legs without hose. NASTY!
Good point, Jenn. Even if you live in a state with extreme temperatures, such as Alaska or Texas, you still need to look professional.
For the record, I loathe hose. I don’t like the look or feel of them…but I certainly wouldn’t think of going bare-legged while wearing a business skirt to a meeting with professional colleagues. Just my opinion, however.
Hi, I have a nursing school interview next Friday, and I have heard conflicting things about what to wear. My interview letter just says “dress appropriately” So should I wear a suit or dress “business casual”. I just want to graduate!!! please help!
Hi Natalie,
“Dress appropriately” is basically your first test to your new employer. First impressions….they still mean a lot. You’ll probably never have to dress up again (since you’ll be in scrubs I would assume), but for your first interview, you need to nail it! Look stylish, polished, and pulled together.
In my opinion, you shouldn’t go business casual. You can wear dress pants, but make sure you have a crisp ironed shirt and jacket with it. You can wear a simple black wrap dress (wrap dresses look great on everyone), with a pretty necklace.
…find all these pieces on the cheap at places like T.J. Maxx, etc.
Look professional and hungry for the job!
Also…definitely avoid things like ankle bracelets or too many rings. Jewelry should be minimalistic.
Much luck to you, Natalie. Keep us posted and let us know how it went!
Hi, I’m actually a manager at a retail store and let me tell you about what people wear to interviews that truly makes me furious.That is why I decided to google what people’s opinion of business casual is. I have people coming in with rip “stylish” jeans, sandals and even flip flops. Some girls wear tank top that barely covers their chest. Some guys would come in t-shirt and cargo shorts. It makes me feel disrespected. If you can’t take a little bit of time to dress professionally then you shouldn’t be given opportunities above others who will. I don’t care if the jeans wearing interviewer has higher gpa or smarter answers then the ones who take their time to fix themselves up appropriately. It’s a work place, a professional place. Not a happy hour bar. First impression does sell. However I do understand business casual or even jeans and t-shirt for those who work in tech places. They should wear clothes that are comfortable cus they do get down on their hands and knees to fix computers but only if they are in the office. It’s different if you have to travel to different businesses.
Young people today not only do not know how to fill out an application properly, they also do not know how to dress to interviews and to work. Maybe it should be a requirement in high school.
I would rather have an employee with a brain and skills over one with business dress going on. I know too many people so focused on their business dress that they are cocky and unprofessional in personality.
However, jeans, flip-flops and tank tops/camis are not even remotely office wear.
As a woman, I cannot stand jobs requiring dresses or skirts and have tailored my entire career to avoid jobs that require those. Same goes for heels or pumps with a tight slender shoe as I have had knee surgery two times now. Plus, they kill my feet and no job or paycheck is worth that.
I am all good for business shoes, though and nice pants and a simple shirt and coat. However, I just moved down south from up north and coats are too hot. My body shape looks absolutely TERRIBLE in almost all women’s business blouses so I am pretty stuck on this one. I have spent hours in a variety of stores from macy’s to penney’s to even target trying to find blouses/shirts that are business that fit. To start with, I have longer than usual arms and broad shoulders, even though the rest of me is slender. So I rip out the back of many women’s shirts or they grip so tight that if I lift my arms, the shirt climbs and the stomach shows excessively.
I had the same issue in the army in my dress uniforms. The women’s shirts only fit if I kept my arms to my sides, even when fitted by the base tailor.
I’m in need of business casual right away and am not sure what to wear in hot, muggy FL esp as my automobile AC does not work and I don’t have the money to fix it. I’ve been here nearly a year and will be starting a professional job soon. But my clothing from up north is too hot and I’ve worn polos and bermuda shorts every day since I have been here – to include the 60 deg weather.
Hmmmmm.
Sorry no hose needed! They have been out of style for years, as any current magazine would tell you. Let’s not say any person over a certain age has “old nasty legs” that is simply not true! I have seen some ladies over 50 with fantastic legs. Looking polished and pulled together can be pulled off with no hose very easily!
I am 25 years old and have been working with fast food/restaurants since i was 15. I just received a job in the accounting department for a very large resort in my area. I was terrified when i had to go for my interview, because i’ve never even applied for a job that required dressy clothes. I had no idea what to wear. for my first interview i wore white capri’s (stopped just above my ankle) and a brown button up military style short sleeve shirt. i also wore a pair of prada’s mui mui heels that were brown (and open). i thought the outfit was fine. obviously my new employers did to, because i got called back for a second interview. when i went for my second interview, i wore a black skirt with blue and tan stripes that fell around mid calf area. (didn’t wear hose, never even thought about it) and a pair of open toed brown and tan suede heels. at the end of the interview, i asked about the dress code and my soon to be boss said business casual. and mentioned that what i had on would be perfectly fine to wear. i start work on tuesday, and have been trying to find “biz casual” items to wear, and to be quite honest: i’m clueless. i have a hard time telling the deifference between biz cas. and just dressy. i did buy some tan pinstripe pants (but they only come to below my calf “capri’s” and some pinstriped white button down collared blouses. Yesterday, my mom bought me a new outfit. the pants are black and grey checkered and the shirt is a form fitted button down black shirt and i’m going back to the store when my husband gets paid friday to buy a pair of grey suede heels. i think the outfit is going to be perfect for this new job. but now i’m lost. i’m not sure what else to buy. my mom says just to start with those few outfits i have and watch what the other girls are wearing, to give me an idea of what to buy next. my problem is when i went for the interviews, the other girls in the office had black slacks and dressy shirts on. they looked very nice, and comfortable, but what THEY had on, didn’t hit me as biz cas. they also had plain sweaters on. so should i just go buy some power suits (which i love! thats one reason i switched careers, the opportunity to have nice clothes for work and appear like a professional, instead of a short order cook always burning myself or cutting myself) or just buy dressy clothes and hope for the best? another question i have… is it ok to wear the ballet flats to a professional job? i just ordered one pair thats a light brown (but not technically a ballet flat, because it’s got maybe a 1/4 inch heel on it) but i also ordered a pair of the black flats. while i was shopping, i found some really cute ones, where i could wear some black slacks, a nice colored shirt and buy the shoes to match the shirt… is that ever a good idea? i saw one woman in this office wearing grey slacks, a red sweater and red heels. (and i loved the look) i’m so lost and any advice you gals can give me is going to be greatly appreciated!