APPROPRIATE BUSINESS CASUAL FOOTWEAR

The shoes you choose to wear can make or break your business casual outfit. Picking the right shoes is just as important as picking the right attire.

In order to avoid any violations, keep in mind that you shouldn't be wearing anything that you'd wear to the beach, grocery store, or to the club.

In my opinion, it'd be best to stay away from running shoes, flip flops, and very high inch heels. Another thing to consider is the colour of the shoe. According to GQ Magazine, stick to neutral colours and avoid overly bright colours.

For females, high heels do not violate the dress code, but it is important you think about your comfort first. Those nice pair of heels that you love may look stylish but being on your feet all day can cause some comfort issues which may affect your work performance.

Here are some good examples of appropriate and comfortable footwear:

 

(Picture source: biminghamfindnsave.al.com, goodsinfinite.com)

Same thing goes for males, avoid wearing shoes that you would use to run errands, use to do yard work, or shoes that you'd wear to the beach. These type of shoes don't go well with business casual and significantly affects your professional image. Bright shoes would be very hard to pull off, so in my opinion, I would stick to neutral colours like black or brown. Here is an example:

(Picture source: luxurywill.net)

BUSINESS CASUAL FOR MALE STUDENTS

Business casual for male students is fairly similar to business casual for men. The basics for appropriate business casual wear include:

• Collared shirts
• Appropriate paints
• Appropriate shoes

Note: Fitment of clothing plays a big role in dressing appropriately. Just because you have the right shirt, pants, and shoes, does not mean you are dressed appropriately. An important thing is to make sure that these clothes fit you! Avoid wearing a neon colour shirt, and baggy pants as it is absolutely not acceptable at the office. 

Here is a video created by Antonio Centeno. In this video he gives out a few good tips on style tips for students.

BUSINESS CASUAL FOR FEMALE STUDENTS

As a student, it is very likely that you've never had a job that required you to dress in business casual.

Female students are treated the exact same as the females in the workforce. Three things to remember when picking out your outfits are:

• No jeans
• Don't wear clothes that reveal too much skin
• Make sure your clothes are not skin tight
• If wearing a skirt, make sure it's not too high

There are many variations but here is one appropriate outfit for a female student:

(Picture source: businesscasual.org)

THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF BUSINESS CASUAL FOR MEN

The business casual dress code for men is simple and straight forward.

Business Casual Dress; What it's NOT

• Jeans, khakis and/or shorts
• Running shoes, sneakers, slippers, mocassins 
• Long sleeve, short sleeve t-shirts, or golf shirts

Business Casual Dress; What it IS

• Dress pants or trousers that are usually made of wool, cotton or polyester
• Belts that match your shoes
• Long sleeved, button up dress shirts
• Along collared shirts, men can also wear blazers, pull over v-necked sweaters and v-necked vest

Here is a picture which gives you several ideas of some appropriate business casual outfits:

(Picture source: thefashionparadise.com)

Note: In some companies, khakis and golf shirts are seen as acceptable. But before wearing them to work, your best bet would be to address your employer with questions regarding those specific clothing styles.

Despite what the business casual dress code allows, in my opinion, keep it simple. To avoid risking your professional image, stick to dress pants, button-down shirts and refined leather shoes to ensure a polished, professional, and business casual ensemble.

THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF BUSINESS CASUAL FOR WOMEN

Casual business attire for women requires some thought since women have so many clothing choices. Of course, dressing in a button up shirt and dress pants, like men would, is acceptable. But what is a fashion conscious woman to wear?

When dressing business casual, it is important that you stay away from these three things:

• Cleavage
• Skin-tight clothing
• Skirts shorter than 2 inches above the knee

Here is a good example of appropriate business casual attire for women:

(Picture source: dcurbanmom.com) 

Not only are these outfits stylish, but they also follow the guidelines of appropriate business casual attire.

Here is a video created by Howcast which gives you some tips on dressing appropriately.

BUSINESS CASUAL VS. CASUAL

Casual attire that works well for running errands, the beach, yard work, and exercise sessions may not be appropriate for a professional appearance at work. Because all casual clothing is not suitable for the office, employers introduce 'business casual.'

The objectivity in a business casual dress code, is to allow you, the workers, to work comfortably in the workplace. Not only is it less restricting than a business formal dress code, it is also more comfortable, and still allows you to project a professional image  for customers, potential employees, and community visitors.

Business casual is a very versatile dress code. In the photos below, it shows some examples of what is acceptable during these 'business casual' dress days at the office for both men and women.

(Picture source: www.josbank.com)

(Picture source: www.twentyproject.com)

WHAT DOES BUSINESS CASUAL MEAN?

casual [adj] - appropriate for wear or use on informal occasions; not dressy: casual clothes; casual wear.

There are many misconceptions and different opinions when it comes to the dress code known as 'business casual.'

The purpose of this blog is to keep you viewers informed in the do's and don'ts of dressing casually in today's workforce.

Over the next week or so, I will be giving you advice on how to dress appropriately on 'business casual dress' days at your workplace. This blog will cover casually dressing for both men and women.