Eight fashionable items you can incorporate into your business casual attire.
By: Amanda Cardinal
As many of us transition into the professional world, one of the hardest parts is building up a professional wardrobe. Identifying what terms like business casual mean can be hard, but making business casual look fashionable can be even harder. If you are looking for ways to make business casual your own, or to get outside the box of the typical pantsuit, consider adding some of these pieces to your wardrobe.
We spoke with the event planning team for the OSU Communications Networking Event to get some insight into this topic. With their help, we put together a list of fashionable pieces that you can find at stores around Stillwater! For a chance to show off your business casual look and network with professionals, you can attend the Communications Networking Event on March 6 by registering here!
1. Jumpsuit
If putting pieces together isn’t your strong suit, go for a jumpsuit. Find a jumpsuit like this one from Greige Goods with a little more length, and add a blazer to upgrade the look to business casual. Jumpsuits come in many varieties so it’s easy to find one that looks great on you and can be incorporated into business casual attire.
2. Trendy Dress
When going for a safe, business casual look, many women opt for pants or the traditional pencil skirt. However, a professional looking dress is an easy way to step outside that box. A more nontraditional dress like this one from Greige Goods, like a jumpsuit, can be paired with a blazer to elevate the look to business casual.
3. Printed skirt
If you want to step outside the realm of the simple black pencil skirt, a plaid or tweed skirt is a great way to mix it up. A skirt like this one from Pecks Lodge is a great example, however, in a business casual setting, the skirt should reach the top of the knee.
4. Classic jacket
For the men, go for a vintage looking jacket like the one seen here from Pecks Lodge. This style of jacket can be paired with slacks or dark, tailored denim to achieve the business casual look.
5. Menswear
This same classic men’s jacket can be repurposed for an oversized look on the ladies. Pair with slim fit pants or a professional form-fitting dress to balance the oversized jacket. Raid your boyfriend's or your dad’s closet to experiment with this look.
6. Stylish pants
If slacks aren’t your thing, step outside the pantsuit box, and incorporate some more interesting pants into your business casual wardrobe. The plaid pants in the center are perfect to pair with a blouse and heels or go for the wide-legged green pants paired with a blazer for a less traditional look.
7. Mix n Match
While it’s tempting to go for a matching suit, multiply your business casual wardrobe by mixing and matching like the model on the left. Pairing the black jacket with the red pants looks sharp and stands out from the monotone suit pairings.
8. All Over Print
Another way to stand out from the crowd is to dawn a printed suit like the model on the right. The blue plaid is nontraditional, but perfect for the business casual setting.
Stylist: Madeline Manning Photographers: Jill Cope, Kelly Kerr, Katie Cohen