Even though many of us are working from home right now, we’ll all come across occasions where we have to lead out in a professional setting. Perhaps you’ll be going back to the office soon. Maybe you’ve been out of work during these trying times, and prepping for a job interview. Whatever your situation may be, we hope these timely tips will help you know what to wear to the office.
“Business casual” — these are two words that have overly perplexed the modern woman. In a man’s world, business casual makes perfect sense: swap the suit and tie for khakis and a patterned button up shirt. But how, I mean how in the world, are women supposed to interpret those two little words to a language that even remotely makes sense with a female wardrobe? Let’s take a crack at this together. I’ll bet you and I can come up with some great “business casual” looks for women.
The beauty behind “business casual” is that even though you’re meant to dress up and be professional, you still have a lot of freedom. If you’re like me and love pencil skirts on practically everybody except yourself, this is an appropriate time to shed a tear of gratitude: you are not confined to wearing a pencil skirt and blazer every. Single. Day.
If you are the pencil skirt loving woman, more power to you! However, if you’re ready to branch out a bit and go for a more relaxed look, it’s time for slacks. First of all, when looking for slacks, I beg you to find slacks you actually love. I know shopping for slacks can be discouraging because there are so many hideous slacks out there. Just don’t give up. Find slacks that you’d be tempted to wear outside of the office. When you do find the right slacks, it’s magical. A good pair of slacks will open up a whole new world to you—the world of business casual.
You might be wondering about what to pair with your lovely new slacks. You can opt for a collared shirt if you’d like, but technically business casual says you don’t have to. A standard black or white blouse will never fail you, but any matching button up shirt or blouse will work. You can even pull out those lovely spaghetti strap blouses, and make them appropriate for the office by pairing them with a Halftee of your choice and a blazer. Sweaters or cardigans usually also work great with a business casual outfit.
You can take those same tops and pair them with skirts and dresses for a business casual look! The office-appropriate length for skirts and dresses is just above the knee or longer. As long as your skirt length meets that criteria, it will likely work great for a business casual look. Take what I’m about to tell you with a grain of salt… I personally love wearing black nylons if I’m going to wear a skirt. While that’s certainly not mandatory, I think black nylons can elevate an outfit and make it look more European (especially if you pair black nylons with cropped slacks).
To finish off your outfit, you’ll need to pick the right shoes. Choose season appropriate shoes. Booties and heels work great. Sandals can also be so cute in summer, but not all sandals are office appropriate. The general rule of thumb for sandals is to make sure they have some kind of strap that will keep the sandal from falling off your heel. Modest makeup and jewelry are generally welcomed for a business casual look. These finishing touches can help you feel great walking into work!
Share your ideas for business casual outfits with us! We’d love to hear what you think!
Wishing you success in your career,
Eliza
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