The Term “Business casual” has gotten harder to define in a world that’s dressing down — but mastering it is simpler than you think.
“Business casual is a hybrid of business attire that is more casual. It’s not formal, so it doesn’t mean you need a suit and a tie, but it also doesn’t mean it’s ‘casual-casual,’” stylist Hallie Abrams says.
We spoke to Abrams, founder of The Wardrobe Consultant, to dispel the myths of business casual and set you on the path to office style glory.
Leading With Business, Layering With Casual
Your look should read “business with a touch of casual” and not “too casual [with] a smidge of business,” Abrams says. Casual items must be paired with pieces that elevate them. “I think of it as a volume dial, that you either want to dial the casual aspect down or up, or the formality — the business part — down or up,” she says. “You want to have the friction and that juxtaposition of holding both at the same time within one outfit.”
What To Wear (And Why It Works)
By staying mindful, you can master business casual. “For women, it is very often a step down from a suit, but something that has some components of suiting,” Abrams says. She mentions trousers and a blouse without a jacket, or slacks with a sweater set, which have “elements of business, but [are] not as formal as business formal.” Men can choose khakis and a collared shirt, darker jeans with a sport coat or pants with a collared shirt and sweater, she continues. Add personality with accessories, but remain cognizant of your industry’s standards.
Leave These In The Closet
Not everything in your wardrobe deserves a spot in your work rotation.
Abrams puts it plainly: “It’s not appropriate for work if you wear it to the beach, for yard work, to dance clubs, exercise sessions or sporting events,” or if “it reveals too much cleavage, your back, your chest, your feet, your stomach or your underwear; if it’s torn, dirty or frayed or excessively wrinkled; or if it has words, terms or pictures that may be offensive to other employees.” That includes tops with spaghetti straps or low cuts, micro miniskirts, jeans or pants with holes or rips and sporting attire like jerseys or baseball hats.