Hi T, I was hoping i could ask you for advice if that's ok. so I just got a new job and the dress code is business casual and I'm not really sure how to shop for that style. My old job required a uniform and now that I can actually dress I'm feeling overwhelmed and don't know where to start. should there be certain pieces i need to have in my wardrobe and what are some stores that are good places to shop at? thank you.
sorry for the late reply, weekend’s been busy and i was unfortunately feeling under the weather.
ok, business casual. the main thing to keep in mind is balance. every casual piece you wear has to be balanced out by something smarter, and vice versa. for example, you can wear nicely tailored trousers, balance it with a t-shirt (plain, cool down the prints), a tailored jacket, but a pair of trainers. an easy code to apply would also be to go casual top or bottom, never both (meaning jeans with no tears are fine but only with a smart shirt and blazer).
to shop for that, i’d say get a few staples and loads of basics to keep it simple until you have a better feel for the place - you can always look to what others are wearing because business casual can mean many things for different offices. get a few tailored trousers in neutral colours like black, charcoal and navy that you can pair easily with other pieces you may already have in your wardrobe. get a few white shirts or blouses, a blazer or two and a pair of comfortable business shoes like loafers or leather lace-ups.
the basics you can get anywhere really, but the business casual look is most easily achieved with scandinavian brands. cos has a great option of semi-smart stuff that you can dress up for the office and dress down for days off. additionally, their stuff always comes with a bit of a twist, so you won’t get bored out of your mind with “business casual” (yawn).
hope this helps, and do feel free to ask more questions.
stormborns
2087
gracieabrams
romaincrisis
