The world of work has gone through many changes over the years, with one of the biggest being the clothing that people can wear in the workplace.
Some offices, for example, offer dress down days, where workers can abandon the stuffy shirt and tie and instead sport more casual attire that makes people more comfortable. The atmosphere in such a workplace will be more relaxed, less formal, and more often than not more creative. Many workplaces are embracing this idea and find that it is a big hit with the workforce, who enjoy having the option of dressing in the kind of clothing they feel more comfortable in.
Some places ask that their workforce dresses in something called business casual . This is not as formal as business formal, but still needs some attention to be given to it if it is to be managed well. Business casual could mean something different form one company to the next, so it is worth asking your human resources or personnel department what the phrase means. At a large company, it may mean a sports jacket with a tie, at another it may mean sweaters and jeans.
Check your diary first to make sure that you do not have to attend a formal meeting on the day of the business casual date. The worst thing that could happen is that you turn up to the meeting underdressed.
One thing you should always try and make sure you do is to select good looking, clean clothes when you are dressing down to business causal. This is an important point. The company will still expect you to look good and professional. It is very easy to think of business causal or dressing down as meaning slightly scruffy and relaxed. This is not the case generally. If you turn up in clothes that have not been ironed or, worse, are actually visibly dirty, you ve just taken your career merit points down a notch or two.
When it comes to the trousers that you wear, you should really always check before you go down the jeans route. While some companies, especially the more creative kinds such as advertising and marketing, do allow for jeans, many still don t, so it is important that you check before you take the leap. It is much safer to opt for chinos, cords and khakis. These look good on anyone, and it means that you won t run the risk of insulting any company ethos.
One cardinal sin is to not wear a belt. Forgetting the idea of business casual for a minute, it is a very brave man who chooses to not wear a belt with his trousers. Belts look good, and give shape to the overall look of your outfit. They are highly important, and no matter how casual you get you do need to wear a smart belt that matches the colour of the shoes you have chosen to wear.
Put these ideas together and you should come out of the whole business casual experience with your dignity pretty much intact.
Author Resource:-
Dave Matthews is a freelance copywriter. He writes articles for a range of interests, causes and businesses - in this case, mens designer clothes from Room 14 Menswear - http://www.room14menswear.co.uk/.
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