If you’ve spent the past few years working from home, it’s likely that you’ve got used to sweatpants (or hey, even pajamas!), and the idea of dressing up in heels and smart dresses or slacks and a tie is filing you with dread. Luckily, most offices these days are moving towards a more relaxed, smart/causal look.
This means that we’re seeing more men in leather shoes with jeans, and women in a skirt and shirt with low-heeled boots, ballet pumps with jeans, or even a khaki biker jacket and black pants.
How to Dress in Mixed Styles at Work
What’s the best way to rock this casual dress code? To help you do so, here are some tips on how to mix professional and casual styles.
Keep It Classic
If you don’t want to wear your formal heels or your favourite blazer, then opt for classic black ballet flats instead – they’ll elongate your legs while making sure that you still look put together. For men, a simple suit jacket over jeans is a great look to keep you looking both professional and smart.
Pop-Out Colors
Instead of wearing all black, why not try mixing it up with the colors in your wardrobe? If you’re going to wear a suit, go for lighter colors like navy or grey – it’ll help take away any heaviness that might be caused by your big black suit.
A great way to do this is to focus on your shoes. Getting a pair of customized Converse, for example, is an easy but stylish way to mix business and pleasure when it comes to your shoes!
Let the Layers Do the Talking
If you’re going to be wearing a jacket, pair it with a nice shirt or blouse underneath so that you can still rock your more casual look. For women, you could go for a super cute scoop neck t-shirt or a nice sundress.
For men, a buttoned-up shirt with a suit jacket is really classy. The pairing of the two styles of clothing looks great and makes you look incredibly sharp.
Stick to the Basics
If you’re going to wear a suit, then you need to make sure that you wear it the right way. Wearing a suit outside of work is actually becoming more popular, with men opting for high-quality pieces and properly tailored waistcoats, which helps them to look stylish whether they’re at a business lunch or drinks after work.
Use the Casual Dress Code in a Smart Way
If you’re going to wear high heels or any type of wedges, make sure that you keep them to a minimum. This way, you’ll be able to look professional while still looking casual, and it will help ensure that your co-workers don’t get used to the same look day after day.
Wear Accessories in Multiples of Three
For women, we love to wear three accessories: a watch, a bracelet, and earrings. The trick, though, is to make sure that the colors work together. Try not to mix silver and gold jewellery.