The Ultimate Guide to Dressing Business Professional and Casual
- Abby Perkins
- Feb 6, 2018
- 3 min read
It’s the night before the big interview. You’ve been preparing for weeks and finally feel ready. Then, you suddenly realize you don’t know what to wear and panic sets in. The dress code for an interview is usually business professional and the dress code for a company event is usually business casual. So what’s the difference between the two? What does business casual even mean?? Appearance is important to possible employers, so it can be stressful to decide what you’re going to wear and how you’re going to style your hair and makeup. Don’t stress because today we’re going through the nitty-gritty details of business professional and casual outfits and makeup.
Where to Shop
It’s not difficult to find stores that sell pieces that you can incorporate into your professional wardrobe. If you’re okay with investing on more expensive items, you’ll find them at stores such as Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Express, Loft and Gap. However, we all know that as college students may not be able to shop at these places. Some more affordable options are Kohl’s, J.C. Penny, Macy’s, H&M and J. Crew Factory. Also, the annual Career Outfitters event at the Smith Career Center is a great resource for students at Virginia Tech to find free professional clothing.
Business Professional
Let’s talk about business professional. When it comes to dressing in the business world, you want to look neat and put-together. We want to portray ourselves as the classy and professional women that we are. Some general rules of thumb for a business professional dress code are:
Stick to neutral colors
Wear a blazer with matching pants or a fitted dress/pencil skirt
Keep dresses and skirts fitted (but not tight) and knee-length
Avoid shirts that are low-cut in the front or back
Keep shoes closed-toed and no higher than around 2-3 inches
Include minimal accessories
I tried on a couple outfits for examples. While my pants are not matching this blazer, they still work well together because they are both neutral colors. I’m also wearing two-inch heels and a fun leopard print shirt for a statement in my outfit. The pants and shirt could be substituted for a solid or subtle printed dress.
While it’s important to maintain a professional look, it’s also important to express your individuality. Wouldn’t it be boring if everyone was wearing black suits and white collared shirts? Absolutely! We were born to stand out so why not dress like it? It is perfectly okay to “break the rules” by wearing a colored blazer or a printed blouse. In fact, when I attended the D.C. trek, a girl in our group was wearing a printed white and grey blazer while the rest of us were wearing black. After our visit to Ernst and Young, one of the speakers complimented her, saying it makes it more fun when girls wear a little more color.
Business Casual
When it comes to business casual, it’s exactly what it sounds like: keeping a casual outfit classy and professional, while having room to have fun with it . Some guidelines for business casual, yet professional are:
Wear trousers or dark pants
Avoid jeans at all costs!
Wear a collared button-down or silky blouse
Pair your top with knee length dresses and skirts
Wear heels that aren’t higher than 2-3 inches
For this outfit I wore black jeans, but it would look more professional with a pair of trousers. My sweater is a tunic which makes the outfit more casual as well. I also think that with business casual, it can be appropriate to wear open-toed shoes depending on the occasion. Spice up your outfit with a statement necklace and other accessories! Below are a few more outfit ideas I found via Pinterest.
Makeup
Like Pooja Devarakonda said in her Guide to Business Horizons article, keeping your makeup minimal is key. Leave the self-expression to your outfit and opt for a simpler eyeliner and eyeshadow look instead. Start with the basics: foundation, blush and highlighter. Limit eyeliner colors to brown and black. If you have blue eyes, use brown and grey shades. If you have brown eyes, use dark brown, gold and other smoky shades. If you have green eyes, go for copper, brown or flesh tones. Don’t be afraid to use lipstick, too! Some of us tend to stay away from lipstick for fear that we lwill ook like we got into our mom’s makeup. However, lipstick can be less distracting than shiny lip-gloss and it tends to stay on longer too. Pick a color that is subtle and goes with the rest of your makeup look!
(Some examples I also found on Pinterest)
Now you’re ready for the big day! Remember, you want to look neat and professional in any dress code, while portraying your unique personality and qualities. If you keep the guidelines in mind and stay true to yourself in how you dress, you will feel and look powerful as a woman in business.
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