Professional Style

When asked to define business casual many people would have a similar answer but with some disagreements. This new wave of business casual dress codes has become extremely popular and in doing so has caused confusion for what is actually means to be “business casual”. The factors that influence this disagreement stems from – company, to industry, to climate, and even to interactions an individual has throughout the day. To help get a better understanding of what the term means, I read an article from the Business Insider. I find that any questions I have, they often have an answer so I highly recommend their website to all of you. The business insider defines business casual as, “a dress code [that] encourages employees to project a professional, business-like image while enjoying the advantage of more casual and relaxed clothing.” (Smith, 2014) What this means is that business casual is professional but not as formal as suit and tie. The transition for many companies to move to a business casual dress code is to encourage staff to be comfortable, stylish, and individual but also maintain a sense of professionalism. Many people may be confused when they start a new job and find out this it’s business casual, or even some large companies that require formal business attire but have casual Fridays. The best advice I can give to you all is know the companies dress code, and policies. Play it safe and NEVER wear jeans. Jeans will never be “business” appropriate. There are differences for the term and it often depends specifically on industries and job titles.

I think this is a great example for business casual. Both man and woman are dressed professionally and look respectable. Their outfits are more fashionable and personable then typical business attire. This is great inspiration for everyone who has a business casual job.

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Before researching about professional appearances and proper business attire it never would have dawned on me just have significant personal appearance is in the business world. First impressions are extremely important – this I knew. However, if you asked me what I thought the most important things about a professional are, my answer would be work ethic, professionalism and social etiquette. Sure appearance falls into professionalism but I wouldn’t say that it is the most important. What this research has taught me is that everything you do in your professional career is also linked to the way you dress and how you represent yourself. First impressions are important, but so is everyday impressions. People judge you based on natural human instincts, whether it is done consciously or sub-consciously people remember the details that they first picked up on when they interacted with you. First and for most your appearance. I read an article from the Business Insider that featured Nicole Williams, a career expect with LinkedIn. What this article taught me is that people will unknowingly form an opinion of you based on the way you represent yourself physically. "The problem with appearance is that it translates to performance," "Even if your boss doesn't think that they're thinking any less of you, they will subconsciously think it." – Nicole Williams. (Giang, 2013) This took me by surprise but it also makes complete sense. When you meet people for the first time, they are more willing to show respect to someone who is well dressed, and professional looking. When you represent yourself as always being clean, put together, and organized it translates into how your work ethics will be too. This is in contrast to someone who comes in with wet hair, untucked clothing, and things falling out of their bag. When your boss goes to give you a raise you want them to have a good image of you and this takes working on your appearance every day to have a positive image in their mind.  This is something I think is important for every person in formal business to understand. “Your appearance plays a significant role in the success of your career.” (Giang, 2013)

Wess Roberts

Here’s a link for the guys on the Windsor knot, he makes it look so easy.

Different inspiration for formal business men. Adding details like a patterned tie, or pinstriped suit make for a fashionable statement.

There are two types of men in this world – The first are the men who put a lot of time and effort into their appearance and the second are the men who wake up 15 minutes before they have to leave for work. There is no harm in getting all the sleep you can, but us females are envious of that fact. Regardless of which category you fall into; there are several simple and easy tips that can make a five minute run around, look like you took your time getting ready. I of course am not an expert on professional attire for men so I took to an article from Men’s Fashion Magazine to help give you guys some tips on how to add personal style to your professional attire. Men’s Fashion Magazine hopes to educate and influence men on style and how to dress and present yourself in the business world. I found some of their best tips that they stand behind in making the right impression. - Your shirt and tie must be of opposite contrasts – This means a light coloured shirt i.e. white, looks best with a dark coloured tie. - A patterned tie and a plain coloured shirt make a great combination – This is a fashion forward tip and makes a great bold statement. - A side part hair cut makes you look like a true professional – the side part for men has become extremely popular, it’s easy and quick to do in the morning and gives a clean look. - Spend money on a nice pair of shoes – The article also suggests the cleanliness of your shoes has to be on point every day; if not it ruins your whole look. - Invest in a nice bag, nothing too big or small. - A watch is a necessity and adds elegance to your style – A watch to me always completes the look for business men. I hope that some of these tips are new to you guys and inspire you to try something different with your look. Men have typical suit expectations but there is always ways to dress it up. I would love any feedback, or tips you guys have to share!

Here is some inspiration for you ladies, these outfits are all business formal and fashion forward.

One of my favourite fashion blogs to read is by Lauren Conrad. Some people know her from reality TV, but she is also a fashion designer and author of many lifestyle books. She has great fashion tips and advice that I think are important to share for formal business apparel. Lauren mentions that business attire for women is similar to how men are expected to dress, i.e. the “power-suit”. As I mentioned in the basic dos of professional attire, a suit is a common outfit worn by women in formal business. This can incorporate pants, a dress, or a pencil skirt all worn with a blazer. Although it is more on the manly side, it can be stylish when it is well tailored with the perfect fit.   Some of the great tips from Laurens blog that I plan on incorporating into my own wardrobe and daily style include; - Cropped trousers with a blazer – I love this idea and think it adds more personality to the outfit then simple dress pants do. - A light coloured blazer with black bottoms – This is a controversial idea, some businesses are less modern and want matching suits so it depends on the type of profession you are in. - Clinched waist with a thin, coloured belt – This tip is great for people with curves, it adds some feminine details into a boxier outfit. - Introduce high waisted outfits into your wardrobe – I’m a huge fan of high waisted and think it adds style into any outfit, it’s also very fashion forward.   I think they’re are all great tips and it takes some playing around with outfits to know what looks good together. Women have it harder than men when it comes to business attire. It isn’t always the most feminine, and it needs to be conservative in the business world. I would love to know what you guy’s think of these ideas, and share some of your own as well!

This man and woman are perfect examples for the Dos of business attire.

Edith Head

These are some outfits that I love, and are appropriate for my dress code at Coach. Leave some comments or feedback if you agree or disagree.

My name is Kaileigh Smith and I am a visual merchandiser for Coach. The profession that I work in has inspired me to create a blog on different styling tips and ideas for dressing professional in a business environment. The dress code at Coach is pretty simple, as we are allowed to wear black, grey, and camel (similar to beige). That being said there are several things that go into dressing for work, and simply throwing on a black t-shirt and dress pants will not cut it. My role as a visual merchandiser is making the store look presentable. In making a great impression, I have to take my own appearance into consideration as well. My personal style is supposed to be top notch and help encourage other associates on how to dress. This is why I thought making a blog would be a great idea to help inspire myself and others in the same position I am. My hopes as you read my blog are to take some tips and ideas on how to make your appearance stand out, and make a great impression in the business world!