Dress Guidelines for Business Attire
An old adage makes a unique recommendation for career-driven people. It suggests: "Dress for the job that you want, not that you want to have." While the advice makes sense---because how you dress does play a role in how others see you, co-workers and supervisors, for instance---it leaves too much personal discretion on what your attire should be as a business professional. But there are some tips to help you to better understand common guidelines for business attire so you'll know how to take your look, and your career, to the next level.
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Traditional Business
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The guidelines for traditional business attire are the exact same as the recommendations for how to dress when going on a job interview. For men, that means wearing a shirt, tie and suit with dress shoes. Meanwhile, women should wear a pants suit or skirt suit (knee-length or longer) with pantyhose and closed-toe shoes. While dark, rich colors should always be part of the business attire wardrobe, feel free to incorporate lighter solid colors and earth tones or accent pieces that can be interchanged. This will allow for increased wardrobe versatility.
Relaxed Business
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The primary difference between traditional business attire and relaxed business attire is that a business suit is not a requirement. Instead, a sport jacket with a dress shirt and tie, trousers and dress shoes are appropriate for men. Meanwhile, women working in relaxed business attire environments should wear a blazer, sweater or blouse with a dress skirt or a pair of slacks; trouser socks or pantyhose and close-toed shoes should round out the outfit.
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Business Casual
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When choosing outfits for business causal work environments, focus more on the business portion of the attire than the casual side. Guidelines for business causal attire typically includes collared shirts, slacks and close-toed shoes for both men and women. Women can also wear dresses. If, however, the dress is sleeveless, its straps should be at least 1 inch thick, and women should have a sweater or jacket to accompany it.
Business Formal
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Guidelines for business formal attire are not all that complex. Think of what you would wear to an after-5 p.m. social event---tuxedos for men and floor-length formal dresses for women---and then to take the glitz factor down one notch. For example, men should wear a dark, tailored suit with a white shirt, cuff links and a tie (or bow tie) and dress shoes; high-quality fabrics are essential. Ladies should choose a floor-length (or slightly shorter) dress appropriate for your age group and subdue the sex appeal somewhat; that doesn't mean you have to cloak your figure or that you cannot show a little leg or cleavage but rather that you should choose an outfit that's a timid balance of sexiness (if desired) and professionalism. As for color choices, stay away from multi-colored prints; dark colors are usually the safest option, but women can be more playful color-wise than men.
Exceptions
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These business attire guidelines are for those working in corporate-type business settings. Those working in other professions---such as doctors, artists, chefs and landscapers---may not be required to wear the above types of clothing to be considered dressed in "proper" business attire. Therefore, to be safe when entering a new work environment, follow these guidelines, but take note of what managers and executives are wearing to fully assess how you should dress in that particular work environment.
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