Attire: How To Follow Dress Code Without Sacrificing Personal Style
Ah the elusive “dress code.”
In this article, we define some common workplace attire categories and provide ideas on how you can observe them, while not sacrificing your personal style.
Keep in mind that dress codes are often set based on your office environment, industry, and public visibility in your role, with this article written under the assumption that you are stepping into a more traditional (read: conservative) workplace. In all workplaces, definitely be mindful of the use of perfume or cologne in shared spaces, stick to daytime makeup looks, and keep any facial hair tidy and groomed. If you are wearing jeans, we suggest sticking to a single tone, without rips or adornment. Conventional wisdom says to consider your climate (layers, layers, layers!) and “to dress for the activities planned.”
If you are unsure if your office observes a dress code, reach out to your human resources contact, your manager or mentor, or a trusted coworker to ask.
Another idea is to observe and take note of the style or attire category demonstrated by your coworkers with a similar role or corporate title. At the end of the day, you should feel confident at work, so use the below list as the building blocks for your corporate style.
Casual:
Every day clothing, per your own comfort level.
Try a crisp tee-shirt, sweatshirt, or long sleeve, with your favorite blue or black jeans in a style of your choice. Footwear could include sneakers, flats, or a fun-heeled shoe. Incorporate your own style with office-appropriate jewelry, bright socks, or a fun vintage sweater.
When you are just building your corporate wardrobe, consider building a capsule wardrobe of casual basics, including several solid color (or simple pattern) tops and bottoms that can be interchanged to create a variety of outfits. Typically speaking, casual attire not appropriate for officewear would be shorts or skirts with hems above the knee and tops with large logos, text or graphics, inconsiderate messages, or ostentatious colors.
Business Casual:
One of the most popular dress codes is business casual, which is great for collaboration workdays with minimal client or public interaction.
This attire is slightly more formal than casual, but not as formal as smart casual, described next. Business casual can be achieved by simply elevating your casual look with a pair of khakis or a collared shirt. You can definitely stay comfortable by upgrading to a cotton button up, a midi jean skirt, or even your favorite golf polo. Footwear is still casual, but consider upgrading from Nikes to Steve Madden loafers or from ballet flats to a kitten heel.
Smart Casual/”Dressy Casual”:
Introducing the sport coat or blazer!
We are keeping our khakis (or darker toned jeans) and adding a structured jacket, blazer, or sport coat. If you are looking for a way to upgrade here, consider tailoring (or lining!) your jacket. At this point, we are wearing dress shoes or heels (if within your comfort zone), with those in skirts considering hosiery, if customary in your climate or industry.
Business Formal/”Informal”:
Business attire is a popular category for client or public-facing industries and companies.
Here, we see pant-or-skirt suits, dress pants or slacks, and sheath or pencil dresses - all usually in dark colors: black, navy, or brown. Even though this is the most formal of the office attires, there is still an opportunity to experiment with coordinating suit sets, earth toned patterns, unique fabric combinations, and subtle jewelry.
Where we gathered this wonderful information:
Wertheim, Bonnie. “How to Dress Up.” Edited by Cabeza Patata, The New York Times Style, The New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/guides/fashion/how-to-dress-up.
Shandrow, Kim Lachance. “What's the Difference between Business Casual and Smart Casual? A Handy Guide on How to Dress. (Infographic).” Entrepreneur, Entrepreneur, 18 Aug. 2015, https://www.entrepreneur.com/living/whats-the-difference-between-business-casual-and-smart/249188.
(Greene, Jenna. “As Law Firm Summer Associates Return to Office, the Great Wardrobe Debate Rages.” Thomson Reuters, 18 May 2022, https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/law-firm-summer-associates-return-office-great-wardrobe-debate-rages-2022-05-17/).
