To hate "business casual"?

[SuperBeagle]

I have an awards evening to attend tomorrow and the dress code (just sent through, btw) is "business casual"

What the blooming hell is this?!

Will I be overdressed if I wear heels? Underdressed if I wear flats?

Advice please. I was planning on wearing stockings (winter in my neck of the woods), black sleeveless dress and black heels. Don't want to look a right nob by dressing up more than everyone else.

What sort of venue is it?
I think what you are proposing sounds fine. Think it means you don't have to wear a suit

Last time I went to a 'business casual' event in black trousers, designer flats and a silk blouse, I felt completely underdressed. Every other woman there was in a dark-coloured skirt suit and heels. No idea where the 'casual' is in that.

I won't make that mistake again.

(Note: it was corporate law, which is probably relevant).

It's at uni! Science award.

Koala This is my fear! Things like this are my own personal hell.

Oh, you're in Australia too!

Wear the dress and heels, is my advice. Take a jacket.

Business casual (I think) means no tie for men. It's meaningless for women in my experience, particularly now that women don't really wear suits in the office any more. I'd wear a tailored dress and heels, and take a jacket as well.

Koala Yep, will be in Sydney! Marvellous weather. Might be taking my gumboots and raincoat too, I think.

Thanks for the advice everyone! Will carry on with my black dress plans.

if it's a uni thing i imagine you will be better off erring on the casual side e.g what koala actually wore to be underdressed in a corporate law setting.

rocketman, good point.

Being slightly overdressed better than bdung underdressed, though, if that's all OP's got.

I always go with a dress these days, your plan sounds great, maybe team it up with a chunky necklace?

I hate business casual too, really flaky description, dress code in the work place needs more definition in my opinion, either towards more casual or formal. London its shocking how casual workers are, in a recent job description that was sent out by my firm they had to use up a large section on expected dress code as they had people attend a very formal environment looking really casual, in on case like they were on holiday rather than in a formal customer facing office.

I'm always a prefer-to-be-overdressed-than-underdressed kind of person, so I think I'll just go with what I originally planned and hope for the best! I figure you can't go wrong with a black dress!

Not It's such a non-description. I always figured London would be more formal, stereotypically businessy, but there you go!