The easiest way to think of business casual is a hybrid of business professional and casual wear. Business casual is not wearing a full-on suit, but a strapless sundress with flip-flops is not appropriate.
For the majority of companies, business casual is a daily requirement. Starting with essential pieces in neutral colors and then adding pops of color not only allow you to bring some life and personality to your office outfits but you will also get a lot of use from your essential pieces.
You could wear a pair of gray trousers two to three times a week and swap the top and accessories.
If you get a pair of bright printed pants, you would only get away with wearing them once in a while as they would be very memorable.
One of the most challenging aspects of dressing for work is finding the right business casual pieces. Shopping for business casual clothing is half of the challenge, then you have to put those items together in stylish and comfortable outfits for work.
Pants are an obvious choice and the first option for most women in the workplace. Make sure that they fit you well, are wrinkle-free, and without frayed hems or ripped seams.
I like wool, cotton including corduroylinen and gabardine, and you can also add in polyester, which is easy to care for. Basic neutrals work best, as you can pair them with a lot of colored tops, but you can opt for a colored pant in a dark muted color like burgundy or forest green.
You can also try pinstripes or a small plaid. Mid- or high-rise both work, and the hems can be cuffed or uncuffed. I like wide-legged trousers, but you can also go with a straight leg, boot-cut, or ankle-length.
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You can also change up the style of your business casual pants during the seasons. During the fall and winter look for thicker fabrics in dark colors and patterns more synonymous with the season.
In the spring and summer look for lighter pants in fabric and color. You also have a lot more options during this time of year.
Depending on your style you could even wear a wide leg cropped pant in white or blush. When shopping for business casual pants, I usually look for trousers with a medium waistband and no loops for a belt.
A wider waistband is supportive and keeps your tummy tucked. Also, if your tummy is a problem area, avoid low- or high-rise styles as it can make it appear more pronounced.
If you have full hips and thighs, look for minimizing darks and structured fabrics, like tropical wool, which downplay curves.
Stretch makes them even more forgiving.
Straight or wide legs are best. But if you want a slim cut, skip the super-pegged legs and choose a pair with a little width at the hem to offset hips.
The vertical pockets can stick out and make your hips look wider than they are. If you have a larger behind, wearing a belt with your trousers can bring more emphasis to your posterior.
The unnecessary emphasis is one reason I look for pants without belt loops. To add a pop of color or pattern to an outfit, think blouses and tops.
There are a lot of choices out there in pretty colors that will complement your skin tone, eyes, and hair color.
Pastels, jewel tones, plaids, muted florals, and prints paisley, geometric, polka dot, ikat are all acceptable.
Look for dresses that are loose but accentuate the waist. Blue cardigan sweater for business attire wedding Wear skirts and dresses that have some movement, rather than a pencil skirt that hugs the body.
In the warmer months look for light blouses with cap sleeve, sleeveless and shell tops in silk, light cotton, or other light fabrics.
Keep your neckline somewhat modest with a collared, boat neck, square neck, or turtleneck. If you go with a scoop or V-neck, make sure that cleavage is not on display.
Keep your shirt tucked in or, if worn out, make sure it covers your waistband by several inches.
In the business casual outfit below I paired a green silk polka dot top with a striped blazer. I wear cardigans all the time too! Blue cardigan sweater for business attire wedding I’m going to wear a teal colored one, however I won’t be wearing it during the ceremony, just if I get cold after. Looks Style Travels Vlog.
And it should go without saying that you must wear a bra, and a tank or camisole if your blouse is at all sheer. Shirts and tops are a category where you have almost unlimited options.
In summer and spring look for shirts in bright colors and fun prints.
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Like polka dots, florals, lace, windowpane, stripes, leaf prints, and mixed prints. If you light colors on the lighter side, opt for blush, pale yellow, pink, baby blue, light gray or cream.
If you love brights, look for tops in pink, green, yellow, orange, red, and bright blue. I know it can get cold in the office so even if you wear a sleeveless silk top you might want to layer with a blazer.
In the business casual outfit below I paired a green silk polka dot top with a striped blazer. The two colors look great together and added neck detail on the shirt add to the dimension and look great against the straight cut blazer.
This is the variety and fun you can have with business casual. You can also wear sweaters in a variety of ways, either as a top or over a shirt if you want to layer, with pants or a skirt, or over a dress.
The fit of the sweater is essential here, so try to stay away from anything too baggy or ill-fitted. Fine-gauge knits work best; bulky sweaters not so much.
Your basic cardigan is a staple in business casual attire, and it can be a simple waist-length cardigan or a longer boyfriend one. Your sweater can have buttons, no buttons, or have a draped front collar.
With longer cardigans, you can even use a skinny belt to add some definition and a different look to an outfit. I love business casual sweater because you can layer a button down shirt underneath and pop out the collar over the sweater like in the outfit example below.
The bright pink sweater is a high contrast between the striped collard shirt and black bottoms. Another business casual sweater that I believe is essential is the simple long black cardigan.
You can see in the outfit below I paired it with the pink v-neck sweater, this is an excellent option for fall and the colder months. Jackets or blazers are more of a requirement during colder months for warmth going to and from home, not necessarily to wear in the office since this is business casual attire.
You still need your outerwear to be professional looking. You never know when you might need to go to lunch with the boss or a client!
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To get the most bang for your buck, stick with neutral colors; black, charcoal, brown, and navy work best. If you want something a bit different, try a jewel tone, small pinstripe or herringbone pattern, very classic.
The fit is a big issue with jackets and blazers. Nix the boxy blazer and stick to something that nips in at the waist. As an alternative to a blazer, you can try a wool moto jacket.
I love to layer blazers over all my business casual outfits because you never know how cold an office or location will be.
So instead of being cold, you are prepared and also look stylish. In the outfit below I cuffed my blazer sleeve to soften the look and show off the cute striped lining.
In the business casual outfit below I layered the blazer over a forest green dress.
Added a skinny belt to the dress to create some definition and added a pretty silk neck scarf to brighten up the outfit and also soften it.
The blouses that you wear with your pants will most likely pair well with a skirt. Try a pencil, A-line, or pleated skirt in a solid color or a pinstripe or herringbone pattern.
05.03.2020 – September 18, at am Reply. November 5, at am Reply. Here is what you should avoid when the dress code for women is business casual. Do you have a set budget in mind? So a three-quarter sleeve length has many positives.
If the skirt has a slit, make sure it is a modest one and appropriate when sitting. Try a variety of colors and prints to see which style you like best.
Ann Taylor always has so many nice options to choose from. Dresses are a natural choice for business casual attire.
They also work well with cardigans and blazers when the weather is chillier.
Dayna Whichard. easy knit cardigan for beginners girls women March 2, at am Reply.
Necklines and sleeves should follow the rules noted above for blouses. Hemlines for both skirts and dresses can range from a few inches above the knee to just below the knee.
Minis, high-low, and asymmetrical hemlines are best left in the closet during the week.
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To accessorize a simple dress think about adding a silk scarf in a pretty print and color. Length The length of a dress or skirt should not be so short that you feel uncomfortable.
Look for a skirt length that ends right above the knee or, if you are tall, a mid-thigh length. This length will make it easy to get up and down out of chairs and appropriately cover you if you are walking up stairs or on an escalator.
Neckline Necklines of both dresses and blouses need to be somewhat modest and not show too much—if any—cleavage. Leave the plunging V-necks and halters at home.
Try a happy medium, wearing modest v-neck, round or scoop neck, boat neck, square, keyhole, or collared style. And also consider your body shape.
If you have a larger chest avoid, high necklines, boat neck or keyhole, and opt for a v-neck or scoop neck.
Sleeves Usually, offices are on the cold side, so for dresses opt for longer sleeves. You can go full-length with a cuff or try a three-quarter-length sleeve, which is said to be the most flattering.
A three-quarter sleeve ends between your wrist and your elbow. The lower the sleeve is on your forearm; the thinner your arm will appear.
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So a three-quarter sleeve length has many positives. Layer with a cardigan or jacket like I did in this outfit if your office is on the colder side and you can easily remove the layer as needed.
Fit The fit of your dress is probably paramount. Look for dresses that are loose but accentuate the waist. You want the dress to be figure flattering, but not just figure focused.
A-line, shift, sheath and classic wrap dresses are all good choices.
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