Office Perfection: Button Down Shirt + Trousers

Image Credits: 1, 2, 3, 4

Although I’ve been in the corporate world for over 25+ years, the office wear has evolved and changed so much in the past ten years. The days when a suit and tie were expected for men and nylons for women are no longer expected (well, maybe possibly the banking, finance and accounting industries). These days, most professionals are sporting “business casual”, which means dressing professionally, looking relaxed, but neat and pulled together.

Regardless of what is considered “business casual”, what to wear to the office hinges on several things: your company culture and dress code, current trends, and your personal style. Remember, your outfit is a reflection of your personality, which in turn can reflect your work style.

I work from home which means I wear a lot of casual clothes and my outfit posts reflect that. But since I travel often for corporate meetings/retreats/training/conferences I strictly adhere to my business casual uniform (yes, my business outfits on Instagram can attest to that!). What this means for me is when I look my best I feel my best, which will undoubtedly give me an extra boost of confidence. Here are some tips to look your best at a casual office setting:

Makeup: Wear natural looking makeup, no bold red lips.
Nails: Clean, neat, and natural looking. Ditch the claw nails!
Hair: Clean, neat, and natural looking. Ditch the hairspray bottle!
Top: No cleavage! Leave the girls at home. Wear a tank top underneath if your top is low-cut.
Bottom: No ripped denim whatsoever. Save them for a night out or weekend errands.
Accessories: Keep it simple. The fewer the better. I always wear a watch, stud earrings, and a dainty necklace. Leave the excessively cute, big, or loud accessories for a night out with your spouse/partner or girl friends.
Shoes: No running shoes.

Remember, no matter how casual the office is the trick is to avoid getting too casual or creative with your dress. Whether you believe it or not, your coworkers make specific judgements regarding your capability based on your clothes and this may extend to your employers as well. The key is to always present yourself in a professional manner everyday with clothes that are neat, pressed, and appropriate for the type of work you do. The last thing you want is a casual dress code holding you back.

So, with that said I decided to start a new series called “Office Perfection”. Each week I feature my favorite business casual look. To kick things off I’m featuring one of my all time favorite business casual wear: a button down shirt with trousers. I hope this series will inspire and help you with wearing the appropriate attire for that corner office. Here are some pieces to help you get started.