Hi,
Guide to Business Casual Dressing for Work
This is a general overview of appropriate business casual attire. Items that are not appropriate for the office are listed, too. Neither list is all-inclusive, and both are open to change. The lists tell you what is generally acceptable as business casual attire and what is generally not acceptable as business casual attire.
No dress code can cover all contingencies, so employees must exert a certain amount of judgment in their choice of clothing to wear to work. If you experience uncertainty about acceptable, professional business casual attire for work, please ask your supervisor or your Human Resources staff.
Slacks, Pants, and Suit Pants
Slacks that are similar to Dockers and other makers of cotton or synthetic material pants, wool pants, flannel pants, dressy capris, and nice-looking dress synthetic pants are acceptable. Inappropriate slacks or pants include jeans, sweatpants, exercise pants, Bermuda shorts, short shorts, shorts, bib overalls, leggings, and any spandex or other form-fitting pants such as people wear for biking.
Skirts, Dresses, and Skirted Suits
Casual dresses and skirts, and skirts that are split at or below the knee are acceptable. Dress and skirt length should be at a length at which you can sit comfortably in public. Short, tight skirts that ride halfway up the thigh are inappropriate for work. Mini-skirts, skorts, sundresses, beach dresses, and spaghetti-strap dresses are inappropriate for the office.
Shirts, Tops, Blouses, and Jackets
Casual shirts, dress shirts, sweaters, tops, golf-type shirts, and turtlenecks are acceptable attire for work. Most suit jackets or sport jackets are also acceptable attire for the office if they violate none of the listed guidelines. Inappropriate attire for work includes tank tops; midriff tops; shirts with potentially offensive words, terms, logos, pictures, cartoons, or slogans; halter-tops; tops with bare shoulders; sweatshirts, and t-shirts unless worn under another blouse, shirt, jacket, or dress.
Shoes and Footwear
Conservative athletic or walking shoes, loafers, clogs, sneakers, boots, flats, dress heels, and leather deck-type shoes are acceptable for work. Wearing no stockings is acceptable in warm weather. Flashy athletic shoes, thongs, flip-flops, slippers, and any shoe with an open toe are not acceptable in the office. Closed-toe and closed-heel shoes are required in the manufacturing operation area.
Jewelry, Makeup, Perfume, and Cologne
Should be in good taste, with limited visible body piercing. Remember that some employees are allergic to the chemicals in perfumes and makeup, so wear these substances with restraint.
Hats and Head Covering
Hats are not appropriate in the office. Head Covers that are required for religious purposes or to honor cultural tradition are allowed.
Regards,
Mukesh.
From India, Madras
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4Guide to Business Casual Dressing for Work
This is a general overview of appropriate business casual attire. Items that are not appropriate for the office are listed, too. Neither list is all-inclusive, and both are open to change. The lists tell you what is generally acceptable as business casual attire and what is generally not acceptable as business casual attire.
No dress code can cover all contingencies, so employees must exert a certain amount of judgment in their choice of clothing to wear to work. If you experience uncertainty about acceptable, professional business casual attire for work, please ask your supervisor or your Human Resources staff.
Slacks, Pants, and Suit Pants
Slacks that are similar to Dockers and other makers of cotton or synthetic material pants, wool pants, flannel pants, dressy capris, and nice-looking dress synthetic pants are acceptable. Inappropriate slacks or pants include jeans, sweatpants, exercise pants, Bermuda shorts, short shorts, shorts, bib overalls, leggings, and any spandex or other form-fitting pants such as people wear for biking.
Skirts, Dresses, and Skirted Suits
Casual dresses and skirts, and skirts that are split at or below the knee are acceptable. Dress and skirt length should be at a length at which you can sit comfortably in public. Short, tight skirts that ride halfway up the thigh are inappropriate for work. Mini-skirts, skorts, sundresses, beach dresses, and spaghetti-strap dresses are inappropriate for the office.
Shirts, Tops, Blouses, and Jackets
Casual shirts, dress shirts, sweaters, tops, golf-type shirts, and turtlenecks are acceptable attire for work. Most suit jackets or sport jackets are also acceptable attire for the office if they violate none of the listed guidelines. Inappropriate attire for work includes tank tops; midriff tops; shirts with potentially offensive words, terms, logos, pictures, cartoons, or slogans; halter-tops; tops with bare shoulders; sweatshirts, and t-shirts unless worn under another blouse, shirt, jacket, or dress.
Shoes and Footwear
Conservative athletic or walking shoes, loafers, clogs, sneakers, boots, flats, dress heels, and leather deck-type shoes are acceptable for work. Wearing no stockings is acceptable in warm weather. Flashy athletic shoes, thongs, flip-flops, slippers, and any shoe with an open toe are not acceptable in the office. Closed-toe and closed-heel shoes are required in the manufacturing operation area.
Jewelry, Makeup, Perfume, and Cologne
Should be in good taste, with limited visible body piercing. Remember that some employees are allergic to the chemicals in perfumes and makeup, so wear these substances with restraint.
Hats and Head Covering
Hats are not appropriate in the office. Head Covers that are required for religious purposes or to honor cultural tradition are allowed.
Regards,
Mukesh.
From India, Madras
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Hi Mukesh,
Good observations you made about what should and should not look proper in the workplace.
I have two critical feedback points.
Firstly, the comments are relevant in certain contexts. The organization's culture, location, size, and philosophy about workers matter significantly. For example, at my Fashion Academy (Pearl Academy of Fashion), even senior faculty can easily dress in jeans and casual tops as long as it's not offensive and is accepted in our modern Indian work culture. The idea is not to judge the name of the item as the deciding factor for choosing your workwear but rather to make a more holistic evaluation of each item's suitability for a unique organizational culture.
I have seen designers wear casuals like t-shirts and knee-length shorts, especially in the morning when they come straight to the office after a walk, and they still maintain authority in their persona. Buyers from foreign countries are also known to dress comfortably, rather than following accepted conventions of that organization or country.
Secondly, the occasion also matters, apart from the organization type. You can wear nice-looking t-shirts in day-to-day activities, but when meeting an important client or attending business meetings, attire would depend on other factors.
In conclusion, while you may have presented a comprehensive and generalized version of acceptable work attire, these are influenced by unique and subjective experiences gained over the years.
I hope you understand my points.
Regards,
Seema Singh
From India, Lucknow
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Good observations you made about what should and should not look proper in the workplace.
I have two critical feedback points.
Firstly, the comments are relevant in certain contexts. The organization's culture, location, size, and philosophy about workers matter significantly. For example, at my Fashion Academy (Pearl Academy of Fashion), even senior faculty can easily dress in jeans and casual tops as long as it's not offensive and is accepted in our modern Indian work culture. The idea is not to judge the name of the item as the deciding factor for choosing your workwear but rather to make a more holistic evaluation of each item's suitability for a unique organizational culture.
I have seen designers wear casuals like t-shirts and knee-length shorts, especially in the morning when they come straight to the office after a walk, and they still maintain authority in their persona. Buyers from foreign countries are also known to dress comfortably, rather than following accepted conventions of that organization or country.
Secondly, the occasion also matters, apart from the organization type. You can wear nice-looking t-shirts in day-to-day activities, but when meeting an important client or attending business meetings, attire would depend on other factors.
In conclusion, while you may have presented a comprehensive and generalized version of acceptable work attire, these are influenced by unique and subjective experiences gained over the years.
I hope you understand my points.
Regards,
Seema Singh
From India, Lucknow
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