Comments on: What is “Business Casual”? Please HALP!

By: Laurel

Laurel — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:29:00 +0000

I don’t think you can ever go wrong by taking things up a notch. My (NOW-EX!!!!) job was quite casual… jeans and t-shirts for most. I just don’t feel professional that way, so I’d pair jeans with cute shoes and a blazer.

I’d go for mix-and-matched suits (black pants with a patterned blazer), blouse with a sweater vest, twin set… biz casual is ambiguous, but you have lots of options!

By: Elle

Elle — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:01:10 +0000

I could have really used this when I was trying to figure out what business casual actually meant! It’s really difficult to figure out for girls so great post

By: J P

J P — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:03:15 +0000

First, I think you have impeccable taste. Want to go shopping sometime?

My office has a business casual policy – no jeans but nylons aren’t required either. I usually go the dress pants/sweater or button-up shirt/nice shoes route. We only get to wear jeans on the third Friday of every month. However, my boss wears a suit everyday.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:17:50 +0000

You did a great job on your first week! You could probably go more casual on Friday, but do not need to. Think dark wash jeans. No one should be wearing flip flops to the office!

By: Viviane

Viviane — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:05:23 +0000

I don’t think I can really help you, but all these outfits do look really cute!
At my current job, I can wear capri pants, t-shirts and (Old Navy) flip flops. In fact, I am right now.

By: chirky

chirky — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 04:42:05 +0000

Ahhh, business casual. When I moved from a strict Corporate America job to my current position, it was like culture shock. People wore JEANS. On Tuesdays. And every other day of the week. From what I surmise, your image collage of business casual is spot-on. Think black slacks, knit and/or button down tops, heels. No jacket required. Khakis work perfectly, too. Dresses with flats or heels, no nylons. (Thank God.) Skirts. Embellished tops. Chunky, statement jewelry. For Casual Fridays, I usually go with something like what you’ve put together, except jeans in place of the skirt. Here’s my next challenge, though: in a week I start a new job, and in that position I will only work from home. What will I wear? Jeans and t-shirts? My gym clothes? Underwear? I have no idea. It’s a whole new level of culture shock, this concept of a 5-second commute and no one to see my cute earrings and chunky bracelet.

By: Z

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:01:35 +0000

I think all of those outfits are lovely, and your descriptions of your co-workers sounds like they are taking “casual” a bit too far…

By: Sarakastic

Sarakastic — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:15:09 +0000

Casual Friday always boggles my mind. It’s not like anyone ever says “Ohh I’m going to take this job because they have a casual Friday” I too loved the Friday outfit purse. I want it to come to my house to live.

My advice would be to just wear whatever the person with the job you want is wearing, unless that is jammies because that is wrong.

By: Steph

Steph — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:51:07 +0000

Ok so we’re business casual here in San Francisco for the most part. I wear jeans almost every day – not gonna lie. We definitely aren’t allowed to wear flip flops, but a lot of people wear skirts with leggings and cute sweaters and I think that trouser jeans are totally acceptable for business casual. As long as you look nice, you are fine. You need to get some khaki pants of some kind – its not like they have pleats anymore, so you’ll be ok. I promise. Heck – if you put a scarf over any tshirt, it dresses it up like 5 notches.

By: Rhi

Rhi — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:31:04 +0000

We’re business casual here (I dress myself from the J.Crew catalog), but Casual Friday? To my boss, there was never a dirtier phrase. Denim is NOT allowed here. (Unless she’s out of state, then it so totally is)