The business casual style was first associated with professional men who wanted to look sharp, but just not in the office suits their dads used to wear. Nowadays business casual is everywhere, worn by all genders. Some offices, especially start-ups, might even require it. Therefore, mastering this attire is a must for young working women.
It might sound rather ironic that you have to actually care so much about work wear that proclaim to be casual. There’s complexity in the simplicity of this type of fashion. Business casual clothes are much more comfortable, but you would still have to assemble your outfits as carefully as a formal set. So here are several tips that will help you do business casual right:
Keep Soft Colours Blouses Handy
The blouse or the top is often the part of your work attire that attracts the most attention. As a result, the top makes an important component of the business casual style. You should invest in blouses and other tops to pair with dark coloured blazers and trousers. The blouse will be the main item that distinguish each outfit you wear during a week.
It’s best to choose blouses in soft colors to pair with dark coloured outerwear. You can go for bright coloured tops as well. However, depending on the dress code at your work, bright colours could easily backfire. You can find excellent, soft hued blouses online in places like Clarks retailer in Canada. You will need as many as you can afford to keep in rotation each month.
Choose Dark Coloured Skirts, Trousers, and Blazers
The advantage in buying dark coloured bottoms and outerwear is that you can re-wear them per week, and change your blouse to make your outfit look new. Not everyone has the time to carefully pick work outfits each morning. So this practise would save you time and keep things easy.
Invest in Sensible Shoes
No work outfit is complete without the shows. For business casual, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on six-inch heels or oxfords. However, it will definitely pay to invest in a pair of reliable semi-formal shoes. Platforms, regular high heeled shoes, and dress boots would work great with any business casual outfit. Some retailers specialise in such footwear, for example Merrell shoewear. If you are a new employee, buying new shoes may be a bit expensive. But a good brand could last years and it will definitely be worth it.
Avoid Gaudy Patterns
Patterns on tops and even some trousers work for certain outfits. But this is best avoided for business casual. Unless the patterns in question are very formal (think blue stripes on white blouses), avoid them. Bright patterns that stand out a lot are not well suited for business casual.
You can certainly keep a set of charming patterned blouses at hand for special work occasions or even business events. But it’s much safer to avoid these on regular work days when you want to look as professional as possible.
The key to making business casual looks work is by maintaining consistency. Don’t radically change what you wear within a week. Find your own business casual style, based on above tips. Your style should conform to whatever dress code your workplace imposes.
