Is Your "Business Casual" Maybe A Little Too Casual?

If you have ever worked for a company, you've probably heard the term "Business Casual". Employers wanted to promote a more "relaxed" environment in the office and, thus, the clothing revolution was on! And not only is it now the norm on Friday's, some businesses have adopted the informal dress code for every day of the week.

But somewhere along the way, business "casual" has turned into business "sloppy". There's a big difference between this:

And this:

But it seems the latter example has become the norm. People are dressing for the office looking like they should be going to the gym. Or worse, the beach!

According to Dr. Karen Pine, "When we put on an item of clothing, it is common for the wearer to adopt the characteristics associated with that garment. A lot of clothing has symbolic meaning for us, whether it's 'professional work attire' or 'relaxing weekend wear', so when we put it on, we prime the brain to behave in ways consistent with that meaning."

That means for some employees, wearing the same type of clothes in and out of the office is problematic. It becomes hard to distinguish between their “work” and “off work” selves. What can you do to help you make that distinction?

1. If the clothes are meant for another function, don't wear them to work. That means exercise/athletic wear is for the gym, tank tops and flip flops for the beach, halter tops for the club, and pajamas for bed.

2. Dress in a way that still promotes your company’s culture and brand. For example, women can dress up dark jeans with a white cotton blouse, elegant accessories, and appropriate heels.

3. When in doubt, don't! If you're not sure what you've put on is acceptable, it probably isn't. So don't wear it.

Need help navigating the Business Casual confusion?

Call Carol at 612-927-8388 or email her at carol@WardrobeReImagined.com to start the conversation!

#BusinessCasual #WhatToWearToWork #CasualWorkClothes #CanIWearThisToWorK