What is Business Casual for Women?

You landed the new job and dress is business casual. Great! But what exactly does that mean? Looking through images online, a wide range of styles appear for business casual. What is business casual for women?

Despite popular belief, business casual does not mean to show up in your most comfortable clothing. You would not want to walk into a business casual office looking like you’re ready to take a trip to a grocery store. Business casual for women is the female style equivalent to khakis and a button-up shirt for men.

If this answer is not clear enough, don’t worry! You are not alone in your confusion about what constitutes business casual for women. Discover the ins and outs of business causal in the article below.

What is the Difference Between Business Formal and Business Casual?

No matter your gender, the best option for business formal is a business suit. Women may also wear a formal dress. For formal menswear, think suit and tie as opposed to slacks or khakis with a button down shirt or polo. Defining this baseline can help make it easier to distinguish business casual from business formal.

What Can Women Wear to the Business Casual Office?

Business casual means that you still need to look professional. Think about how you would like to present yourself to a good client during an informal meeting. For women, it is good to have a few pairs of slacks along with some knee-length pencil skirts.

Shoes should be professional. You should not wear tennis shoes or sneakers unless your job requires this footwear for safety. Flip flops or other sandals with straps between the toes are not acceptable.

Women should keep a variety of shirts and blouses with different length sleeves to match the weather. Keep a variety of solid colors as well as prints. T-shirts are not acceptable. Light sweaters and cardigans can complement your outfit while helping you stay warm.

Business casual does not mean dressing for comfort – it means toning down formal wear while remaining professional.

Are Jeans Acceptable for Business Casual Wear?

It depends. Some employers allow or even encourage jeans. They may have a “dress-down Friday” where you still need to look nice, but a bit more casual is ok. In some offices, it is never ok to wear jeans.

If you are unsure, you can always ask. Alternatively, observe your superiors for a period to get a feel for whether jeans are well accepted. But do not follow a trend of dressing-down if it is against company policy.

If jeans are acceptable in your workplace, wear dark washes without holes or frays. Lighter colored jeans are casual wear, and holey or frayed jeans are never considered professional. Do not wear yoga pants, jeggings, or skinny jeans.

Is it Ok to Go Without Makeup with Business Casual Dress?

Many women prefer not to wear makeup, which is a perfectly fine choice outside of a business casual office. However, going without makeup is considered casual. In a professional setting, wearing makeup is part of dressing up to fit the environment.

If you have personal reasons for skipping makeup, you will most likely get away with it in a business casual setting as requiring makeup is a boundary most people are not willing to cross or address. If you want to fit in with the work environment and not look under dressed for the professional setting, modest makeup is an important piece to finish your look.

Is it Better to Err on the Side of Too Informal, or Too Formal?

Many women err on the side of informal when they are unsure of what to wear to a professional setting. Fear of overdressing is common. Women often do not want to stand out as being too much or going too far. This leads to women choosing the more informal option over the more formal option, which ultimately leads to more instances of being under dressed in professional settings.

When in doubt, it is better for women to err on the side of too formal. Having a more formal look will better uphold the professional, corporate culture prevalent in many business-casual offices.

What If I Over Dress?

Again, it is better to show up over dressed than under dressed. There are a few guidelines that can help you stay professional without overdoing it. The main idea is to avoid being a distraction with the way you present yourself.

• Use makeup modestly. In business casual settings, makeup should accentuate your features, not be the main attraction. Avoid applying makeup too thickly or using bold colors.
• Jewelry should be simple and complement your outfit. Jewelry that is too flashy, or too much jewelry, can be distracting and subtract from your overall professional look.
• Do not wear tight-fitting, revealing, or short clothing. Save this for events outside of work. Wearing immodest clothing in the workplace is inappropriate no matter how fancy the outfit appears. It is unprofessional and distracting.
• Wear mainly neutral tones. Do not wear bright or flashy clothing.

Who Should I Use as a Model for Dress in the Workplace?

While it may be tempting to look at your peers for cues on how to dress, this does not always lead to success. Many are confused as to what it means to dress business casual. There may be a situation where one person’s take on the office situation is slightly more casual, then others see this more casual dress as acceptable, and overtime the dress code may devolve.

It is most appropriate to look to those in management or senior positions for cues on how to dress. This group is more likely to have a clear understanding of the professional culture that is to be maintained in the workplace.

Final Thoughts on Business Casual for Women

While it may be confusing to decipher business casual from too casual or formal, a few guidelines can help immensely. The most important concept in dress is to maintain the professional environment and the culture of the company.

When in doubt, go more formal as it is better to be dressed overly professional than to be under dressed.