Business Casual Dress Code

Business Casual Dress Code Means Different Things to Different Bosses

It's normal when starting a new job or when a company has recently implemented casual Fridays to feel a little uncertain about what exactly business casual dress code means. Business casual can also mean different things to different people. One company may allow employees to wear jeans on Fridays, while at another company jeans may be a huge no-no. A good rule of thumb is to avoid denim of any color and stick with khakis and other Chino-type pants for a more pulled together look.

How can one wade through the murky field of business casual dress code to find the perfect wardrobe that will help move up the ladder of success at work? Here are a few tips that will help.

Dress for the Job You Want

Just because an employee's starting position at the company may be mail room clerk, doesn't mean he should dress like he wants to work in the mail room the rest of his life. If his goal is to run the company, then he should dress like a CEO. The best way to discover how CEOs in the company dress is to observe what the leaders in that company are wearing and model their behavior. While they may be buying their suits from Yves Saint Laurent, and the mail room clerk may be purchasing his at Value City, he can still copy the overall look, colors and designs. For example, does the head of the department wear a skinny tie every single day? Then, the employee should too. Do the executives only wear black or charcoal gray pants? Then the employee should only wear black or charcoal gray pants.

Ask for the Written Policy

It may sound simple, but studying the written policy can help avoid any fashion don'ts inside the company. Most bosses will be impressed that an employee thought to ask for the policy and will think that it shows initiative. If the company doesn't have a written policy, then it's best to observe what others are wearing and make an educated guess or speak to the human resources department about what standards they like to see.

Always Check Your Schedule

The savvy business man checks his schedule for the next day, and chooses what he'll wear each night before going to bed. For an important business meeting, it's vital to dress a bit more formally than normal. A lunch date with a potential client often requires a more formal look. By studying the schedule every night and choosing clothing accordingly, any faux pas will be easily avoided.

Clothing to Avoid

There are types of clothes workers should avoid on casual days, if the desire is to climb the ladder of success. These include:

• Jeans
• Sweat suits or jogging suits
• T-shirts
• Sneakers or sandals
• Baseball caps

Typical Business Casual

Some of these standard items are acceptable at most companies.

• Chinos-type pants
• Oxford shirts that button down
• Polo-style shirts with collars
• Nice sweater
• Sport jacket
• Loafers or shoes that lace

Also, stick with basic colors, such as brown and black pants and white and light blue shirts for a pulled together, professional look. Add a sport coat and to pull the look together and create a more professional edge.

Grooming

Casual days don't mean non-grooming days. Take special care of appearance. Shave and fix hair as normal for a more formal day.

Although we all know that a person's inner world should be how they are judged, the truth is that in the business world, people are judged by their appearance as well as their work ethic. Taking care in this area will simply highlight excellent work skills and make it more likely the worker that goes that extra mile will be noticed and considered for promotions and employee awards.