When going to the movies or grocery, you can wear what makes you happy and feels comfortable, but when it comes to work, you've got to give it a little more thought.
Right or wrong, workers tend to be judged by what they wear or how they dress. Shorts and flip flops? Too casual and inappropriate. Wearing a suit on casual Friday? Haughty.
Both sexes can experience fashion faux pas when trying to dress for success, but women face some added risks. Dressing for work was easy when "business suits" were the norm. It was almost like wearing a "uniform". Respectable, neat, serious - and if you were lucky a touch of style.
These days, it's a little more complicated. Business casual is the new norm it seems. But, what does that mean! Does "business casual" mean that no hose are required with your skirt or does it mean that you can wear dressy denim?
These days, it's a little more complicated. Business casual is the new norm it seems. But, what does that mean! Does "business casual" mean that no hose are required with your skirt or does it mean that you can wear dressy denim?
Add to that "casual Fridays" and it gets confusing! In the next series of blog entries, we're going to try to define "business casual" today. We'll look at what's acceptable in the workplace and also what should be saved for after work events.
Style, like beauty, is often in the eye of the beholder, but "business casual" is in the eye of your human resource director/boss. And in most cases, most companies have a particular look in mind. It's important to ask exactly what it is.
