5 Helpful Tips for Dressing Business Casual

Business casual  Friday is a day that many offices look forward to. The dress code is slowly changing in businesses where more and more employees are allowed to dress business casual rather than formal. It’s something to get very excited about as business casual lets your personality shine, plus the clothes are way more comfortable. 

 It’s quite obvious why this is something to get so excited for. Whether your office is now changing the dress code to business casual every day or you’re wanting to better prepare for Business Casual Fridays, these are some helpful tips for building the perfect business casual wardrobe.

So what exactly is business casual?

Business casual is the relaxed version of the uptight and traditional clothes that people wear to work. The traditional clothes are usually suits, ties, and slacks, But business casual is a lot more comfortable, physically speaking. You can expect the dress code to allow loose slacks or other dress pants, sweaters (not the same as hoodies), chinos, khakis, collared shirts, dresses, and polo shirts. Some organizations will have a looser definition of what business casual is.  

But you can expect that sweat pants, shorts, and tight/ revealing clothing are something that is not considered acceptable. The same can be said for print shirts, heavy patterns, or anything too bright. Shoes will have to be closed-toes and still need to be professional. So this includes wearing heels, boots, mules, loafers, and oxfords. So tennis shoes, sneakers, and sandals aren’t particularly welcomed.

Best tips for dressing in business casual

When it comes to planning out your outfits, it’s best to do this ahead of time. If you’re the business owner running a real business, and you’re setting the rules then you won’t have much to worry about in terms of the dress code. But if you’re working for an employer, then it’s best to choose your clothes carefully for business casual days. Some employees, unfortunately, get written up and this is something that should be avoided.  So read up on these helpful tips to learn what you should do.

Start by building a capsule wardrobe

A capsule wardrobe is something that anyone can do. This allows you to pick a certain number of pieces of clothing from shoes, shirts, and bottoms. Then you use these items to make multiple combinations. A capsule wardrobe is meant to be a curated selection that’s meant to be timeless and versatile. Due to this, it’s best to not choose trendy or fast fashion items. Some ideas of what you could add To your capsule wardrobe can include two pairs of shoes such as loafers and oxford, several colored blouses, a sweater, a dress, a shirt, and a couple of pairs of slacks.

All of these can then be switched up and paired together. It also helps to find a reliable brand to contribute to your capsule wardrobe such as Over Under Clothing.  Having a capsule wardrobe truly helps in taking out all the guesswork on what you should wear. A capsule wardrobe is something that you can do for all of your clothes, it doesn’t only need to be with business casual either. 

Try to look polished

Since you’re having to go to work, it’s always important to appear professional and polished. Since you work, you represent the company you work for. Make sure that the clothing you’re going to wear looks nice and clean. You should also ensure that there aren’t any rips, holes, stains, wrinkles, torn threads, or missing buttons.  Some of these can be completely avoided. Ironing your clothes, or even steaming out the wrinkles only takes a couple of minutes. It’s also important to make sure you read the instructions when washing your laundry, as following the instructions helps with longevity.

Stick to a neutral color palette

Professional colors to wear to work usually include black, brown, navy blue, and white. These are muted tones, and your business casual clothes should have this color scheme as well. It’s also important to stick to solid colors rather than patterns.

Wear clothes that are tailored to your body

This includes avoiding any clothes that may be overly tight or baggy on you. It simply doesn’t look professional and the appearance doesn’t make you look polished either.  You should try to avoid the sloppy and unkempt appearance. The best thing you can do is visit a tailor and tailor your clothes to your body. It’s definitely one of the best investments.

Avoid clothes that are revealing

While it’s not necessary to cover up your entire body, it shouldn’t be revealed either. Avoid wearing clothes that could potentially show your undergarments. Showing too much skin in the workplace is quite unprofessional.