Business Casual for Women

Business Casual for women is one of the most difficult dress codes to crack.

More especially when it's a woman working in a male dominated industrial environment. How easy it was when business-wear meant a two piece suit!

Nowadays, most offices have a more casual environment even it's just a Friday dress-down day but women run the risk of making a fashion 'faux pas' much more easily than their male counterparts.

It's still a man's world...

Particularly in industry the jeans and polo shirt approach is usually completely acceptable for the guys. However, when women are in the minority it can sometimes be difficult to judge what is appropriate wear. It's often commented that a woman needs to work twice as hard in order to be regarded as an equal to the man working next to her.

Whether he's wearing a business suit or jeans no-one is going to mistake him for a secretary - whereas a professional woman often needs to maintain a slightly more 'uniform' approach which projects some authority if she wants to avoid being mistaken for the receptionist!

Why Business Casual for Women is so important...  

• 'Business Casual' will arrive for you at some point

• If not on a daily basis there are 'dress-down days', team building exercises, out of hours meetings etc.

• A confident image demands that you be taken seriously
  

• A put together and organized appearance indicates an organized mind

• Looking competent shows you're capable of getting the job done

• You don't want to be mistaken for the secretary or someone's mother

• If men are dressed down, women need to look 'non-threatening'!

The easiest way to approach Business Casual

• Develop and adopt your own kind of 'uniform'

• Keep your weekend wardrobe separate, weekend casual is not business casual

• A collection of simple/classic separates in neutral tones will mix and match

• Pants are usually the most suitable; dark wash jeans, other deep toned denim, khaki or straight leg pants

• Tops should be classic; button-down shirts, softly draped blouses, knits, tailored or silk tees - simple enough to top with a jacket

• A third piece; a jacket, blazer or structured cardigan, makes the 'outfit' - not too formal but essential to elevate your look to meeting status

• Well groomed hair and makeup with a quality bag

Business Casual for Women does not mean...