Today, casual office dress codes are becoming more and more common. Unless you work in certain industries such as law and finance, the days of tailored suits, ties, heels and stiff collars are quickly dying out. Many employers are realizing the benefits of allowing their employees to be a little bit more relaxed with how they dress to work, particularly in the tech industry, with employees at big tech companies such as Facebook and Google choosing their work outfits based simply on whatever they’re comfortable in.
There are several benefits to dressing more casually for work; firstly, it’s more comfortable – there’s no digging in or chafing that distracts you from work, or blistered feet that come from wearing smart shoes or heels for eight hours a day. Secondly, it can even create a nicer, more relaxed vibe in the office that gives way to easier communication between employees and strengthened team-building. So, if you’ve just started a job in an office where the dress code is casual, you’re probably excited about all the new outfits you’ll be able to wear for work rather than just on the weekends. Check out our list of casual office fashion essentials.
#1. Jeans:
Jeans are a casual office staple – wherever you work, if there’s a casual dress code you can pretty much guarantee that means almost everybody will be wearing jeans. Ripped jeans might be a step too far – unless your office is really relaxed – so keep them smart but not so smart that they’d look good with a suit. Black jeans are perfect as they go with almost anything and you can dress them up or down; a sweater or t-shirt goes well with them for a regular day at the office, or you can wear a dressy blouse if you’ve got an important meeting and want to look a little smarter than usual to make a good impression. Dark blue jeans are a classic choice, too.
#2. Sneakers:
If you’ve come from a job where you were in heels all day and hated it, transitioning to an office that lets you wear more comfortable footwear is great. But, what kind of shoes should you add to your new office wardrobe? The good news is that when there’s a relaxed dress code, sneakers are a perfectly acceptable choice, but probably don’t wear the same ones you wear to the gym. Converse and vans are a great choice, since they’re easy to pair with pretty much anything and can easily look smart yet casual at the same time. Balenciaga sneakers are also a great choice for a casual office and their supportive design makes them perfect for anybody who walks to work. Grab a pair in white, cream or black from ssense and you’ll be able to match them to pretty much all of your business casual outfit ideas. SSENSE also stock plenty of designer jeans, tops and dresses which will all go perfect with a pair of sneakers.
#3. Dresses:
Gone are the days of stiff, black, navy or gray pencil dresses – in today’s casual offices and workplaces, pretty much any kind of dress makes for a cute, casual work outfit. Plus, a dress can be a great choice if you want to look a little smarter than usual for the office, but don’t want to stray too far from the relaxed vibe. Tea dresses are a great choice; you can find them in all kinds of cute patterns and prints, whether you like animal print or classy florals. Shirt dresses, t-shirt dresses, and shift dresses are also perfect choices for the office; pair them with knee-high boots or ankle booties for a relaxed yet smart look, or finish your outfit with cute white sneakers if you’re going for a more casual vibe.
#4. T-Shirts:
T-shirts are a casual workplace essential, and you really can’t have too many of them. They can be dressed down with your favorite pair of blue jeans and sneakers on a Friday or tucked into belted paper-bag trousers with a leather jacket and statement loafers if you want to make an impression with your outfit. Whether you’re going for plain, classic tees or interesting printed pieces, you really can’t go wrong with a simple t-shirt.
#5. Accessories:
No matter how simple and casual your work outfit, the right accessories will make it stand out for all the right reasons. A structured bag is definitely a workplace essential; it can make even the most casual of outfits look that little bit smarter. With many workplaces today allowing employees to bring their own devices to work, opt for a bag that’s large enough to carry your laptop, tablet and any other devices that you bring to use in the office. Finish your looks with a selection of necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings – whether you prefer classic, simple jewelry or want to make a statement with your pieces, the best part about a relaxed work dress code is that you’ve got much more freedom to accessorize.
What do you enjoy wearing for work? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
