As time marches on it seems as though the appropriate attire to wear to the office has evolved. hat started as a causal Fridays has now turned into business casual everyday! But what really does business casual mean? Keeping reading as I break down this topic into three segments to settle once and for all what your internship really means by business casual.
Business casual is an ambiguously defined dress code hat has been adopted by many professional offices in western culture. It is likely that your internship will tell you that they are a business casual office and to dress accordingly. The general definition for business causal is a type of dress that is less formal than strict business attire (suite and tie) but more formal than your daily casual wardrobe. The idea is to be more comfortable in the office and to promote a more inviting environment but still display a neat and professional look.
However, if this is your first internship you probably do not know what counts as too casual or too formal. For a general rule of thumb it is always better to be overdressed than underdressed. If you are really stressed out about what to wear on your first day to work ask your office if you can stop by the office to meet the team and see the office. This will give you a chance to see what other employees are wearing and give you a guideline and what is acceptable and what is not. Also, it will give you some wiggle room to be a little underdressed for the meet and great since you aren’t actually on the clock.
For all the ladies out there who have landed their dream internship and been told to dress in a business casual fashion, here are a few tips to go by. A dress is a good first day outfit that will allow you to go to work and see what others are wearing. The dress should be around knee length but not much shorter. The dress should also cover your shoulders and back and not be too tight. Feel free to wear flats or sandals for the first day ( no need to bust out the fancy heels just yet). If dresses aren’t your speed, no need to fear. You can wear a variety of pants (slacks, khakis, and sometimes jeans), fun blouses, and skirts. Things to avoid are shorts, over revealing tops, tight dresses or shirts, and short dresses or skirts. As a rule of thumb I would avoid jeans until you know they are acceptable to wear to the office.
For us gentlemen it’s a little more tricky to define what is too casual. What we do know is that if your internship says they are business casual you will not be expected to wear a tie. A safe first day outfit would definitely be a pair of slacks with a tucked-in button down shirt and some dress shoes. Button down shirts are always a safe bet when it comes to work attire and they can come in a variety of price points. Collard shirts and polo shirts are also a safe bet. Definitely do not where jeans until you know if they are acceptable to wear to the office. Things to avoid are shorts, t-shirts, tennis shoes, and ripped jeans.
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