Blog Post #2- Business Casual Basics

Business Casual (Biz-cas) Basics

How to be comfortable but also appropriate in the workplace

Hello again! Now that we have figured out what color goes well with our skin tone, how to elevate an outfit with key staples and why accessories complement our whole style, I think it’s time to think about more specific occasions: like business settings!

During my internship last summer, I realized I underestimated the difficulty of dressing for the workplace! After all, even for a corporate company that is pretty flexible with dressing business casual, I found it hard to make use of my existing closet and multiple shopping trips to the mall were necessary!

I wanted to give you some tips and tricks I learned along the way, for example why you shouldn’t need 2 different wardrobes –for business and personal life- and how to shop smart. Before further a due, let’s begin J

1- Buy versatile pieces that can be used for multiple outfits- Here’s my quick list of must-have pieces for every business women out there!
- Jackets/blazers: Relaxed, navy blazer or a black suit jacket
- Blouses: A cotton white button down
- Dress: Classic style, high neckline, low hemline
- Skirts: Pencil skirt and a-line skirt
- Shoes: A nude/black pointed pump
- Accessories: Statement necklace, a watch

I think in addition to having staple pieces that you can mix and match with many other items in your closet, a key to a truly versatile wardrobe is in the colors. As I mentioned in my previous blog, creating a foundation of neutral colors will allow you to maximize your wardrobe’s use.

2- Try to invest in good quality fabrics that are comfortable - Who wants to spend 8 hours at work with an itchy sweater!? Especially during winter months, you will want to have a couple of cozy sweaters/cardigans that will keep you warm and comfortable through out the day!

3- Keep it 50% formal: Even if you want to incorporate a piece from your daily outfits, match it with a formal piece to look sharp- like a blazer or work appropriate heels! In order to avoid cultural sanctions within your workplace, which could be choosing slightly inappropriate outfits that are not accepted in your company culture (Babin, 181),  don’t be shy to ask a colleague about cultural norms around the company’s dress code.

https://laurenconrad.com/blog/2011/09/dress-coding-business-casual/

Check out this link for useful tips along with some stylish outfit ideas- dressy pants, a neutral colored blouse topped off with a cardigan, comfortable loafers and colorful loop earrings to finish it all!

Besides Pinterest, I also get very inspired by Youtube videos/tutorials and especially ones about fashion and style. I found this YouTube channel called Miss Louie to be very helpful, I would highly recommend you to check out her videos and especially this one about work outfit ideas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzsP9ckU4y8

On that note, these are my personal thoughts on how to dress appropriately for work, but don’t forget that every company/location has a different culture and different expectations on how to dress. Our work can be considered as a secondary group, although the influence within these groups aren’t as strong as the influence in primary groups such as our family, we still establish social ties with our colleagues and can be easily influenced by their behaviors and the way they dress. (Babin, 158) My #1 advice would be to carefully observe what everyone else is wearing and take mental notes of outfits you liked. Then look for similar pieces as you go shopping! (Also, try to establish a quick connection with your colleagues so you can maybe complement their outfit and ask them where they got it from! –this is totally acceptable where I used to work back in my hometown Istanbul, Turkey- It’s important to keep in mind that cultural norms can be different in different parts of the world, they specify the appropriate behavior in a given situation. (Babin, 180)

Lastly, there’s a picture of me and my sister while we worked in the same company over the summer J (Yes, open-toe sandals were acceptable!)

Watch out for my next blog, where I will talk about closet clean-outs and deciding on what to keep and what to get rid off!

Sources:

https://blog.stitchfix.com/fashion-tips/workwear-wardrobe-checklist/

Babin, J.B., Harris, E.G. CB, 7th edition