What is business casual for women?
As image consultants and personal stylist train-the-trainers, business casual for women is definitely our level of expertise. We have been called upon to work for management consulting firms such as Booz Allen and McKenzie to define acceptable business casual attire for women – and now we’re sharing some tips with you.
So let’s get started!
First, we would like to mention that there are many articles on business casual for women on the Internet. However, what caught our eye was the number of unattractive outfits being presented to you.
So in this blog article feel free to shop our recommendations by clicking on the images below to ensure that you’re wearing business casual for women that looks sophisticated and polished. Our goal was to select items that cost less than $100 so that it’s affordable yet still stylish.
When picking outfits for yourself first you need to find a color palette that works for you. You can purchase our What Are My True Colors e-book for $34.97 to discover which colors are your optimal colors or you can start with a neutral palette.
The business casual outfits that we selected are your basic black, beige, white with silver/gold accents.
This looks better on person with dark hair and light skin or it could be for someone with dark skin and light hair…
That said, let’s start with the blazer.
To wear business casual for women for authority and credibility, you should wear a blazer.
– michelle t. sterling, image expert | certified executive presence coach
Below we selected some blazers for you that are polished and sophisticated. The leather one is edgy yet still classic. Most of the silhouettes of the jackets that we picked are classic in design, so what does that mean? It means that they’re very versatile to wear and won’t go out of style. There’s only one jacket made by Good American that is not as classic but it’s so cute and it will definitely make a statement when you walk into a room – from the board room to lounge/bar.
The next thing to think about is what you’re going to pair with this jacket. Are you going to wear this blazer with pants or a skirt? When you’re wearing business casual for women the fabric of your trousers doesn’t need to match the blazer otherwise that’s known as a suit, and that is business attire. So, we selected a few casual bottoms to go with these blazers that are classic and timeless and easily mix and match. You can also match these blazers with some skirts and dresses for a business casual look for women.
Business Casual Underpinnings
The easiest things to wear underneath these jackets are fitted t-shirts or shells, otherwise known as underpinnings, that easily mix and match with the colors of the jacket. Since we chose neutral-colored jackets for you it’s easy to wear a white T-shirt, black T-shirt, a pink, light blue, lavender, or mint-colored T-shirt to go under these jackets.
You could try wearing a collared shirt underneath these blazers but if there’s not a lot of space and wiggle room in the blazer you might feel uncomfortable. So, we recommend a t-shirt, tank, or camisole, but here’s the key point to remain business casual you must wear your blazer all day long. The minute you take off your blazer and have these kinds of tops underneath your blazer you look too casual. This is no longer defined a business casual.
So if you want to steer away from wearing a button-down collared shirt, keep your jacket on.
Are Jeans Business Casual for Women?
Depending on where you live and the industry you work in you can pair all these blazers with jeans for a business casual look. Sometimes this is best for business casual Friday. However, for some of you who may be working remotely or working from home these days, this is a good outfit option for you to still look professional and casual at the same time – as seen in the photos!
We’ve laid out these outfits so that the blazer goes with the top and the pants per row. But you can also mix and match these items into different varieties of outfits. Plus, we’ve selected shoes for the city girl who needs to walk around all day and also prefers comfort rather than wearing heels. However, you can wear these looks with pumps, loafers, heels, or even with sneakers for a business casual look depending on where your work. The higher the shoe, the more formal the look.
To change these looks and give you a slightly more elevated business casual look for a woman here are some dresses as options along with some heels to go with these blazers. The ivory dress is a standalone but we thought it was really cute and still falls into smart casual – a lower degree of business casual as taught in Lesson 6 of our online course – Corporate Degrees of Professional Dress.
Here we’ve selected some shoes and bags to go with these dresses vertically. You can also wear these shoes and bags (less than $200) with the jeans and the blazers above for an elevated look that’s still smart business casual for women.
Feminine Business Casual for Women
Ever tried an oversized formal sweater or formal cardigan with a dress? Check out these two looks. Make sure that you select an oversized cardigan with space and not a cardigan that is too fitted or else the dress will look bulky with the wrong sweater. Selecting the right length of sweater is also important too. To give the outfit some shape, add a belt.
When in doubt, get the help of an Online Personal Stylist
Putting together all these looks for you is almost like online personal shopping for clients. So, if you’d like a more personalized selection of clothing according to your own personal style that is business casual for women according to your industry, where you live, and your taste, please schedule an Online Personal Stylist appointment with us. We will curate a selection of clothing that meets your needs, taste and fits your body, budget, and lifestyle for $197.
If you want to learn how to develop your own signature style
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Or you can try our online personal shopping services for a first-time investment of US$197 with a continuing investment of US$97 per online personal shopping session to create cute effortless style.
If you’re into fashion and styling, try our Introduction to Fashion Consulting and Styling online course for US$97.
They say that clothing is an expression of you. If you’re drawn to fashion and clothing, we recommend becoming a Fashion Consultant and Stylist through our award-winning eCertification Program for US$997.
