What Is Western Business Casual?
Business casual is a cultural phenomenon that permits employees to dress more casually than what was historically appropriate. Business casual became popular in the United States during the 1990s. According to an October 2007 New York Times article titled "Redefining Business Casual," business casual is practiced at companies on Fridays, but is not a permission slip to dress slovenly or promiscuously.
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Shirts
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The Robert J. Trulaske School of Business at the University of Missouri advises men in business casual environments to wear collared shirts. Men should never wear crew-neck T-shirts in any business environment. Men should always tuck their shirts into their trousers while in the workplace. The school also recommends that women wear conservative tailored shirts or a shirt/sweater combination in a business casual environment.
Pants and Skirts
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Men should always were work-appropriate pants in a business casual environment. According the the Robert J. Trulaske School of Business at the University of Missouri, men should wear khaki or "Docker" style trousers or a nice pair of corduroy pants. The school also advises women to wear either loose fitting, tailored pants or an appropriate length skirt while in a business casual environment. Women should pay careful attention to skirt length and slit height to avoid a potentially embarrassing situation.
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Shoes and Accessories
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According to the Robert J. Trulaske School of Business at the University of Missouri, men should always wear dark socks, a leather belt and leather shoes in a business casual environment. Men should wear a minimal amount of jewelry, consisting only of a nice watch. According to the school, women should wear a small amount of jewelry, but it should be neither gaudy nor excessive. Women should keep makeup to an appropriate amount for a professional environment.
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References
- Photo Credit business colleagues preparing for business meeting image by Vladimir Melnik from Fotolia.com
