Less Business, More Casual: The Unwritten Dress Code for a Casual Office

I’m lucky. I can wear pretty much whatever I want to my office (see my outfits from last week, above). I can get away with a cozy scarf, flannel, and fuzzy boot socks one day – then switch it up with a pencil skirt and blazer the next. Of course, there are some unwritten office dress code rules that even employees at the most casual of offices need to abide by.

1) Show very minimal skin. Even if I’m dressed casually, I’m still wearing shirts with high necklines. I still wear tights if my skirt is anywhere above my knees. I still refrain from wearing skirts at all, if they’re more than a few inches above my knees. I still cover my shoulders. Blah, blah, blah. You get the idea…

2) Always look clean, put together, and “done.” Just because you’re wearing jeans doesn’t give you an excuse to look like you just rolled out of bed. If you’re going to dress casually, do it right. Take a shower. Style your hair. Slap on some makeup. Wear clean clothes. And check your mirror before leaving your house. The key is to look like you choose not to dress up because you do better work this way. Not like you were forced not to dress up because you spent the night at your boyfriends house, woke up late, and didn’t have time to shower before coming to work.

3) Avoid distracting, offensive, or otherwise inappropriate clothing. This probably goes without saying, but you’re in an office environment to get some work done. Never wear anything that is going to distract you or your coworkers from their jobs (unless it’s just a quick distracted moment for them to say “cute sweater!”)

4) Dress up for job interviews, meetings, conferences, or other important events. Times when you’ll be representing yourself or your company, you’ll want to be looking your best. That means professional. I promise, you’ll be taken seriously and gain respect if you do. So invest in a nice suite or two for those occasions, and leave your jeans at home. (For more information on how to dress for these sorts of things, check out my other blog post “How to Dress for a Job Interview.”)

5) Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. If your whole team wears jeans to work, but your boss whose job you want someday wears suites – then wear suites! Just because your co-workers dress casually doesn’t mean you HAVE to. If you want to be treated like a respected business executive, then look the part.

6) Have fun with your clothes! Okay, this is a rule I made up. But I think everyone should follow it! Clothes should be a fun form of personal expression, not a restriction. Yes – it’s possible to wear cute, creative outfits in a formal business setting. But you have so many more options in a casual office environment. So be grateful for the environment you’re in and wear clothes that make you feel good about yourself. Plan your outfits the night before so you don’t have to stress in the morning. Pile on some statement jewelry. Throw on a pair of leopard print heels. Belt your button down to give yourself a flattering waistline. Try some new ways of tying your scarves. Or wear some fun tights. Just because you’re working in a casual office environment doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put any thought into your outfits!

And there you have it! These are my unwritten rules for dressing the part in a casual, corporate environment. Of course, I should point out that you should always dress up for your first day of work. You don’t really know what the atmosphere of your office is going to be until you have worked there. So wait to break out your jeans until you KNOW that your definition of “casual” is the same as your boss’ definition.

Do you have any more tips on dressing for a casual office? I always wonder about where the line is drawn. Is it ever acceptable to wear leggings? Do you think in a casual office, any kind of shoes are a “go”? Feel free to weigh in!

Ps. Because people have been asking me for it – here is the info about the outfits featured at the beginning of this post…

(Clockwise from the top) Outfit one: ♥ American Eagle flannel (old) ♥ Target scarf and faux-leather bomber jacket ♥ Free People black jeans ♥ Etienne Aigner riding boots ♥ Steve Madden Boot Socks ♥ Outfit two: H&M denim button down ♥ The Limited belt ♥ Forever 21 necklace ♥ Free People black jeans ♥ Anne Klien leopard pumps ♥ Outfit three: ♥ Splendid blazer ♥ H&M striped neck shirt and scarf (tied like a bow – learn how here) ♥ AG jeans ♥ Mojo Moxi bow pumps ♥ Outfit four: ♥ Target striped sweater ♥ Forever 21 scarf (tied like an infinity scarf – learn how here) ♥ Forever 21 faux-leather skirt and black tights ♥