The Top 10 Business Casual Mistakes, And How To Avoid Them

As if you weren’t already overwhelmed by the prospect of getting and maintaining a lucrative and creative job, reducing your carbon footprint, and keeping up with all of your social media networks, our live/work happily-ever-after society also wants you to understand what “Business Casual” means.

Why is this so important? It has to do with image. As a society, image plays a critical part in how we perceive people and situations. Many times it isn’t fair but it is reality. So what happens when you get Business Casual wrong and make a wrong impression? Sadly, in some cases you may never get a second chance to make a positive impression. Once you’ve delivered a message about your personal brand, someone has made a decision or passed judgment on you. On the other hand, you may find out quickly – For example, when your colleague runs into the wall while trying not to focus on your legs in the skirt that you thought was too short to wear, but you wore it anyways because it was the latest trend. Or when your employer calls you into his/her office and asks you to read the Employee Manual, specifically the section banning flip flops in the office. Or even scarier, when your boss passes you up on a promotion because he/she doesn’t think that you represent the leadership image that the company needs.

So what makes Business Casual so hard to understand? The primary difficulty lies with the fact that there are no written rules in our society (other than some corporate dress codes) as to what is allowed or disallowed. Naturally this leaves a ton of room for interpretation. Fortunately, we’ve a good understanding of some basic concepts surrounding the topic to help show us the way:

1. Know your industry. What flies at an ad agency may not fly at a real estate development company and will most definitely not fly at a high finance firm. Some industries not only frown upon Business Casual but prohibit it, and in other industries you may get tagged as the “suit” if you wear a suit at all times.
2. Learn to understand your company’s unspoken attire policy. Even if a company has a published dress code, pay close attention to the image that management and the top producers of the company project. It may benefit you to mirror it.
3. Consider that how you dress has a direct impact on your performance and attitude. If your job requires you to be viewed as a valued professional, your attire should reflect that. Think about it, do you feel more on your game when you are dressed well or when you are dressed in a wrinkled t-shirt and ripped jeans? I know, I know, some may answer that they are indeed more comfortable in this attire and it may very well work for you...If you are a games developer who works 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.; however, to gain credibility in an office environment you need to be viewed as professional. And you won’t be, if you wear what you’d wear to an afternoon of watching college football to work.
4. Be aware of what is considered professional in your geographic region. What may pass for acceptable at a tech company in Los Angeles may not pass muster at a biotech firm in Boston. Generally speaking, the West Coast is more casual than the East Coast, but again, you must consider your industry. The South still retains much of its formality yet cities such as Miami have become more lax over the years. And if you travel for business, make sure that you investigate the dress code for that city. Call a business colleague or the front desk in advance and inquire about their business culture.

These guidelines provide a basic direction for dressing Business Casual but always remember that Business Casual is just that...Business. It is not casual attire. Whatever you do, don’t make the mistake of assuming that what you’d wear to a casual weekend event will work at the office. It may, but most likely, it won’t. Additionally, try to avoid the top ten mistakes that I’ve seen in corporate environments.

1. Open-toe shoes & flip flops – Flip flops are never acceptable at work. And ladies, I know you want to break out the sandals during the summer months - Resist the urge, I’m sure you don’t want to distract your colleagues with the color of your toenail polish.
2. Blue jeans –Some companies have a specific Blue Jean Friday policy. So if you really must, then go for it, but blue jeans are not Business Casual. They are casual, period, even if they are dark designer jeans that cost you $300.
3. Sneakers – Absolutely NOT unless you are Steven Spielberg or the undisputed boss or your own company (like say Richard Branson).
4. Un-tucked shirts (for guys) – Un-tucked, semi-tucked, half-tucked, call it what you want, but it’s not business casual, it’s just plain casual. While this look is great for going out, in the office people will think you were in a rush that morning and you forgot to tuck in your shirt. Leave the un-tucked shirt for the nightclub or trendy restaurant.
5. Miniskirts – No. Ever. Suffice it to say that it’s hard enough to establish a credible position in the competitive professional world. Like it or not, the reality is that you will be judged by your appearance at the onset and you don’t want to give the impression that you don’t know the difference between clubbing attire and office attire.
6. Shorts – No. Unless you are in the fashion world or such a highly creative office that no one will raise an eyebrow...don’t go there. Again, if you want to establish credibility with your boss or co-workers, don’t cross this boundary.
7. Hats or Baseball caps – Never. Careful with this one - Not only is it office inappropriate, many people will take offense to it as it comes from a long-standing history of removing one’s hat as a show of respect.
8. Sports attire – Somehow someone snuck in a memo past the fashion police stating that sports attire was acceptable. Sweats and team jerseys are not Business Casual – ever, unless of course your work for a professional sports team and even then...ever notice that coaches and players are dressed in suits at games?
9. T-Shirts with Messages – T-shirts in general are a no and anything with messages such as “I want to be Brangelina” or “Baby Mama” are a clear don’t.
10. Low-Cut Shirts – This goes for the ladies and the men. Trust me, you don’t want to get a call from Human Resources asking that you go home to change your outfit because your shirt is cut too low. Not only is it embarrassing to get a talking to but imagine what it took for someone to complain about it! And guys, no one wants to see your chest hair at the office. Invest in quality men’s dress shirt undershirts (crew neck for shirts with ties and v-necks for v-neck sweaters).

The secret to dressing Business Casual is to look professional and clean cut without wearing a skirt suit or a suit and tie. It’s not the time to break out any truly casual wear, and it’s not an opportunity to avoid looking put together. Last but not least, ask yourself as you are picking out your outfit in the morning or the evening before, “What impression am I hoping to achieve with this look” and “What do I stand to lose with the wrong impression?” This will help guide you.