What is so Eluding About Business Casual

Getting dressed for work used to be simple. You wore what the occasion called for — a blazer, neat trousers, maybe a sensible heel. But somewhere along the way, the guidelines became fuzzy, and business casual turned into a mysterious, vague dress code increasingly harder to pin down.

Modern society has become disillusioned with the concept of a dress code. With much respect given to the ideals of self-expression through dress, I believe most people have no idea how to read the room. In terms of how to dress for a job interview or an office setting, the young adults of today are lost.

The term “business casual” can now apply to a variety of different styles and can mean almost anything. Personal branding, comfortability and individuality have blurred the lines of what it means to look ready for the office. We’ve sacrificed professionality on the altar of comfort. 

This sixth sense of dressing according to occasion seems to have eluded many. Comfort may be one culprit, but there is another which causes much confusion. I point my finger at the “office siren” social media trend.

Many influencers deemed traditional business casual as boring and unflattering for working women. Looking for something with more appeal, they created a new dress code consisting of button-up crop tops, mini skirts and sheer blouses. 

It’s confident, sexy and visually magnetic. It’s also completely impractical and inappropriate for sitting down in a cubicle.

My grievances aren’t aimed at influencers or stylists. This look is great for instagram or going out with friends. However, the confusion begins when young people copy what they see on their feed and paste it into their actual nine-to-five.

Instagram outfits don’t belong in an internship’s office. It’s especially devastating to me when I find out girls are getting fired from their corporate jobs for trying to pull these outfits off at work.

Outfits which photograph well under perfect lighting rarely translate to fluorescent office environments. The appeal of looking powerful and fashionable online now overshadows the reality of professionalism expected in workplaces. 

The counter argument to this would be clothing has no bearing on how efficient one is at their work. While I agree clothing has no bearing on the quality of someone’s work, an office dress code isn’t about promoting productivity. It’s about setting a standard of respect for the environment. 

There are unspoken expectations for every environment. The office being one, but also funerals, family get-togethers and classroom settings. All are places where dressing with intention should be placed above dressing for attention.

Respecting a dress code doesn’t mean suppressing individuality, but rather reading the social cues of an environment and adapting one’s outfit accordingly. Style can still be expressive within boundaries.

The modern challenge of professionalism isn’t choosing between fashion and respectability, but learning how to integrate the two.