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The Beginners Guide to Business Casual
- Sometimes it’s hard to understand what exactly business casual is. The easiest way for you to remember what business casual is- think of it as a hybrid between business and casual. This could mean wearing a nicer top with a pair of nice jeans or a nice pair of slacks with more of a casual top.
- When I’m looking for clothes for work I tend to lean more towards tops that I can wear both to work and on the weekends for a more casual look. If you go towards this direction you are limiting what your purchasing. You can wear skirts or nice pants to work and a pair of jeans or shorts on the weekends then just recycle your tops. I tend to buy a lot of dresses for work since I can wear them to work as well as to date night on the weekends. You are better off getting some jewelry to dress up an outfit that’s more on the casual side. Even a pair of shoes can change the whole look of an outfit.
What exactly is Business Casual?
- So just what is business casual? While there is no one true definition, basically business casual attire is less formal than traditional office clothing but it still falls under “just professional enough” to be appropriate. And no, sandals with a t-shirt isn’t business casual! But wearing a full-on suit isn’t business casual either. So you’re probably asking yourself, “How do I know how to dress formally but not too casually?”
- You should always check with your employer to know what is and isn’t approved in the dress code. Business Casual can vary wildly for some companies. For us, we can wear a nice pair of jeans on Fridays with a nice top. We can’t ever wear “beach” shoes. You know, the flip flops we all love to wear. Even if I think my sandals are cute and can be dressed up I still won’t wear them. Working at a bank or credit union is different than working in a school. Yes you are still required to dress business casual but a teacher probably has a little more flexibility with their dress code then someone who works at a bank.
Where do you start when considering a business casual dress code?
- Tops- A blouse, sweater, polo shirt, cardigan. Most tops work well for business casual. Try to stay away from tank tops though!
- Bottoms- Stick to khakis, pleated pants, skirts (knee length at least!) and dress pants.
- Shoes- High heals, booties, flats, small heals, dressy sandals.
Business Casual ideas.
- Here is 5 links to items that I currently have and wear to work.
- I love this dress from the loft.
- I get a lot of compliments when I wear this dress!
- These are amazing and super cute! Yes, I do own them in a few colors.
- Again, I have this top in a few colors too!
- This sweater is beyond comfy to wear to work.
Places to Shop for Business Casual.
- The Loft
- The Loft is my jam. I love this store for casual and work. It’s kind of expensive if you budget for your clothes. The best time to shop here is when they have good sales. Fourth of July, Memorial Day, and Labor Day seem to be the best times for sales here.
- Amazon
- No really. Amazon is awesome! I have loved everything I have bought off Amazon. Depending on what you want to spend you can find just about anything. I own alot of sweaters, leggings, and dresses from Amazon.
- Old Navy
- I buy a lot of my work pants here. The pixie style pants work perfectly for business casual. Bonus is that you can buy them in so so sooo many colors or prints.
- Target
- I gravitate towards the shoes at Target. I get my flats, my dressy sandals, and sometimes booties! They also have a great selection of nicer clothes that you can use for casual and work!
- Shein
- I’ve bought quite a bit from their website. The clothes are great quality and nicely priced. I have a large order coming and I’ll share all my goodies here with you soon!
- Maurices
- I don’t often shop here because their pants aren’t usually short enough for me (I’m pretty short) but they do have a cute selection of clothes and shoes.
The Last Thing You Need To Do For Me!
- After all this information promise me this- you will not ever wear flip flops to work! Haha, really I’ve seen it and it just doesn’t look professional.
- You can mix and match just about anything to make it work appropriate. I’m always here if you need outfit suggestions or help putting things together. If you have a favorite place you shop I’d love to know about it! I’m kinda a shopaholic and wish that I could shop for a living 😉 I hope you grabbed a few take aways and are now headed to your closet to see what you can pull together from there 🙂
