How to Dress in a Casual Office Style

Casual business attire is a term that describes casual wear in an office setting or clothing that is more comfortable than traditional business attire. Many employers offer this dress code because they want employees to feel more comfortable at work and have more freedom when choosing clothes. Casual business attire will be less rigid, but by no means too sloppy.

Table of Contents

Learn the Company’s Rules

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Learn about specific rules. If you are unsure of the company’s rules, ask Human Resources. Dress politely on the first day of work if you still don’t know what your co-workers usually wear.

Business casual dress code is the dress code that companies put in place for employees. The problem here is that the expectations of each company are not the same. For example, one company wants employees to wear business attire, vests and ties, while another encourages employees to wear khakis or jeans. When you’re asked to wear casual business attire, it’s better to be specific. Ask for the employee handbook to learn more about the company’s dress code.

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Observe other employees. Observing what other employees wear, this is a standard measure of the company’s casual business attire requirements.

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Wear formal clothes to interviews. If you’re going to an interview and you don’t know what the interviewer wants you to wear, the standard is to wear formal business attire. Remember, it’s better to dress a little too casually than to be too casual.

For those interviewing for a job in business, banking or financial management, politics, education or health, it is recommended that you wear formal business attire unless specifically directed otherwise.
If no dress code is specified, and the company you are interviewing for is not in the above areas, you can wear casual business attire.

Casual Work Outfits for Women

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Short skirts or knee length skirts are acceptable.

Like men, black or gray outfits will look more formal.
Avoid wearing skirts with deep slits and high slits.
Avoid tight skirts and skirts (especially).
Say no to sundresses (type 2 wide skirts, flared skirts, pleated like the sun).

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You can choose khaki pants, velvet pants, linen pants or skirt pants.

Do not wear jeans, unless specifically noted. If the employer allows jeans, do not wear tight pants, ripped jeans and low-rise jeans.
Neutral tones are best suited.

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Choose between a variety of shirt styles. Women generally have less choice of shirts than men. Choose a shirt style that is not too rigid but also not revealing. Blouses, simple shirts, cotton shirts, sweaters, turtlenecks, vests, sleeveless tops are all acceptable.

Can be ruffled or not, depending on the style of the shirt.
Uncommon designs are still acceptable, as long as they are not too out of the ordinary. However, it is best to wear a simple shirt.
Wearing a collared shirt will look more polite, a collarless shirt is not very formal.

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Try to combine with shoes such as leather shoes, flat shoes, high heels, do not wear open-toed shoes.

You can wear heels, as long as they don’t stand out too much.

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Complete the usual office look. Remember to wear socks or tights (with skirts and skirts) and pair them with light colored jewelry and simple handbags.

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Check list. Ask yourself the following questions if you are still unsure about your outfit. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Am I going to wear this club outfit? The answer is ‘no’.
Will I wear pajamas? The answer is ‘no’.
Will I wear garden clothes? The answer is ‘no’.
Will I wear a party dress? The answer is ‘no’.

Casual Business Outfits for Men

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Choose a collared shirt, such as a button-down long-sleeve shirt. Always dress up and wear a belt. For casual business attire, you can wear a tie or not.

A white button-down shirt is the most formal and safest outfit. Unlike pants, any color shirt is acceptable: purple, pink, yellow, blue, and red.
Choose shirts (and pants) made of “formal” material: cotton is the best, and comes in a variety of options. Wool, silk, rayon, and linen are all accepted.
Choose “formal” shirts such as: Oxford, plaid, and poplin are the simplest but perfectly acceptable styles. Diagonal, herringbone, and broadcloth are more formal styles to wear if you want to be more polished. ^{[2] X Source Hawaiian Studies} and other designs are considered too conventional.

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Wear khaki pants, casual pants, long pants, or velvet pants. Jeans are not considered casual business wear.

Dark pleated pants look elegant and are a good choice. If you want to be on the safe side, it’s better to be too serious than not to be serious.
Pants should be up to the muzzle of the shoe, or slightly longer. If the pants do not reach the shoes, they are high-rise pants, pants that are pleated and pulled up close to the feet are also considered baggy pants.
Avoid wearing colorful pants such as red, yellow, purple. Pants and white pants are also not allowed — because they look impolite, let alone office fashion. Wear black, brown, gray, moss, burgundy, or dark blue pants.

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Pair your shirt with a sweater or cardigan. V-neck sweaters look great with collared shirts.

Combining a turtleneck with a blazer jacket also looks very nice and new. ^{[3] X Research Sources}
If you want to wear a vest but don’t look too rigid, then wear them with khaki pants instead of casual pants.

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Choose a smart pair of leather shoes, and don’t forget socks. Choose shoes in black, brown or gray. Oxfords, lace-ups, and loafers all work well.

Advice

Avoid wearing clothes that are too tight or revealing.
While the standard of casual business attire isn’t as chic as the traditional one, it’s still important to keep in mind that you’re wearing work clothes. This means that you must dress decently, with clothes that are flat, clean and not torn.
Remember that business casual attire is still business and you must look good when dealing with bosses, clients, and colleagues.
If you have a tattoo, try to hide it. This doesn’t mean that you wear long sleeves every day to cover the tiny tattoo on your arm. Depending on the size and meaning of the tattoo, you should find a way to handle the situation. You can cover the tattoo but don’t stress too much. If everyone saw it, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. If the tattoo doesn’t fit, try to cover it up until it’s appropriate.

Steps

Learn the Company’s Rules

Casual Work Outfits for Women

Casual Business Outfits for Men

Advice

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