Farking "Business Casual" - What is it????

[ravenousbugblatterbeast]

I'm working with a new company (I am freelance and float in and out of various companies doing my professional thing...) and usually wear a suit. The company staff I'm going to be working alongside apparently have a relaxed dress code, ie. jeans or chinos, so we've been told no suits, but business casual. We will however be working together, and will be customer-facing, and the "customers" will be suited and booted I'd imagine, so it's a difficult one to match up. One suggestion was black trousers and a top, but even that has flummoxed me - do I have to tuck in? Do I wear a belt? A cardi? (I hate looking fitted usually..)

A friend has suggested this sort of a dress : www.next.co.uk/x4856s6#712245x48 but I'm worried it's a bit "once seen never forgotten" and might be a bit showy (I am naturally conservative clothes-wise, am size 14, about 5'6", not particularly trim although not that lumpy and bumpy, and tend towards dark jeans, boots and printed tops if at all possible.)

I already have a green fitted, fine ribbed cardi from Hobbs which looks neat when buttoned up (I wore it to a wedding, so it is smart and green does suit me), so could wear that with black trousers I guess, but is that a bit bland?

I know I'm asking for mind-reading powers here, but does anyone have any comments?

Business casual is awful for professional women IMO.

I think you and your friend both have it right. It's pretty much smart but not full on suits. I sometimes wear Boden dresses to fit in with this but I'm old (46). And would definitely go with Hobbs too (although I love their suits too so am biased). In summer, I tend to do shift dresses. In winter, long sleeved dresses with boots. Probably not much help.

I think try cos - they have some lovely stuff reasonably priced - i have two of their (black) dresses that ive worn to lot s of different occasions - because of the style they are you can wear with chunky boots casually or with smarter shoe boots and opaques funky jewellery

Then I think I d try for some chinos or trousers in current ternd/style but maybe not in black maybe in a block colour and wear with a black/ cream/ top-shirt - does that make sense?

Sorry if I m way off the mark I m not a style guru!

i'd wear wide leg trousers maybe slightly high waisted trousers with a thin belt and a crisp shirt tucked in.

need a few tight little jackets
decent trousers, cigarette are great these
shirts or v fine plain knits
scarfs
heavy plain jewellery or statement jewellery

Cigarette trousers with a little cropped Chanel-esque jacket

Jersey dresses - try the White Company (yes, more expensive than next but much nicer and much better quality). I've just bought this one in black and will wear it with a cami underneath and with wedges or boots.

Wide legged trousers with plain tops and cropped cardigans or with wrap shirts.

Try the Hobbs outlet bit for dresses.

Yes to scarves - H&M or TK maxx for some nice but cheap ones.

I love that dress, I would wearr it for work, and Im 50. Those wrap dresses make you look two stone lighter, too.

PS Green cardi could be worn with black trousers, also with beige skirts/trousers? In either case, an light under top with some kind of green pattern would be great, I think.

Boots ''casual up' any outfit.

Hi, I do sympathise - " business formal" is so much easier than "business casual" but more and more businesses are heading that way. Without seeing you it's a bit difficult to judge what would work for you (Unfortunately the Next link didn't work for me so I couldn't view the dress you mentioned either) in terms of colour and style. If you are indeed an hourglass then a wrap dress should work well on you. What sort of colouring do you have? Generally I would say that green looks better with brown than black. so I would wear your cardi with chocolate brown trousers or perhaps one of the new midi-length skirts teamed with boots. A neat little tee shirt under a fitted jacket will look good with both skirts and trousers. Whether to tuck in or not depends very much on body shape and proportions but for an hourglass, tucked in normally looks best.
Whatever you wear, look to add some emphasis at the waist - not doing so can make an hourglass look heavier than she really is.

Thanks for all this, I'll have to hit the shops early next week, with my cardi, and see what suits. The work's on Weds so there's not much time!

Dresses are your friend.

Wrap type, or sleeveless with cardi or shirt underneath.

Tbh, I would rather look smarter than more casual then everyone IYKWIM?

Take a peek at the Banana Republic website for inspiration - I think they do business casual very well

I always wear business casual by choice. To me it simply means a smart skirt (black, grey, pinstriped etc) and a smart blouse or top. I don't like "tucking in" so buy blouses that are designed to be worn outside skirts. I don't do trousers for work - cos I live in my jeans outside work.

PS I think you are right about the dress. Once seen, never forgotten. It is a lovely dress but when you wear patterns people remember. I'm wearing plain skirts I've had for years (Reiss, Massimo Dutti etc quality).

Sounds to me like absolute fartweed clothing - just think of stuff that you would never want to pay to wear and go and aqcuire same from charity shops.

(I am thinking 'Gap, Gap, Gap' - the company I always think of as 'If I want clothes that boring, I'm not paying that much for them')

Does it matter if you wear something more than once? Genuine question - not being sarcastic. I wear very distinctive things (I like to stand out) and haven't ever considered not wearing something more than once in a work environment.

I don't think it matters a bit, BellaDonna

Re business casual, I worked for Andersen when it was decided we were in the New Economy and we had to move to business casual (I was on a conference when they announced it, and had a wardrobe full of suits. Was ) Anyway, in the UK we were told to get on with it, but the US had a long list of do's and don'ts. What I can remember - wear natural fabrics, replace any plastic belts with leather, nothing sporty, get colours "done".

I agree, dresses are a good answer. Also long line jumpers/cardigans, with smart trousers and a bit of a heel.

i agree, it's awful. i have tapered my look with cardigans, so i will still wear the suit trousers and a shirt....then it becomes more casual with a cardigan... arrgh its difficult.

Thanks again. Re wearing stuff again, I'll (hopefully) be "parachuting" into this company on a few occasions in the next few months, so would hate to think people were saying "ooh, it's her in that dress again!" (unless it was in a good way and re. my professional performance). I was mistaken for a waitress at a hotel breakfast one day with my suit trousers and a fitted white top on, so I think white is def. out!

Our office is business casual and I like it. You can mix and match stuff you wear for going out with work stuff to create a smart but funky look. I wear:

Wrap dresses
Shift dress with shirt under it or cardi over it
Ankle grazing trews with shirts or cardis
Wide leg trews and boots
Skirts, funky tights and boots

You can add interest with belts, scarves, pendants, bangles etc.

Also nice blazers with non matching trousers are good, and I have afew tunic dresses that I smarten up with a boyfriend style blazer, tights and heels.