Over the last year or so, many of us have been working from home. This means showing up on Zoom calls with track pants on the bottom and a nice shirt on top was acceptable. You could even get away with just turning the camera off depending on the meeting and who you work with.
Going back to the office means we need to revisit what the dress code is for our workplace and what it really means because turning off the camera won’t be an option. Keep in mind as you read through this that the dress code at your workplace may not be exactly like this.
Business
The business dress code is very formal. Outside of clothing and shoes, it also includes tidy hair and good grooming.
Typically suits are required for everyone, but variations are acceptable if they still look professional. For example, some people may opt for a skirt instead of pants, flats instead of heels, or even a cardigan instead of a blazer.
This type of dress code shows up in places like high end corporate offices such as law firms, accounting offices and government agencies.
Business Casual
Most corporate offices have a business casual dress code. This allows their employees to feel comfortable, but still look professional.
A common look is to wear a blazer or dress shirt with jeans. There are a ton of different options that fit inside the business casual dress code that works for all types of people. The key is to make sure it doesn’t look too causal, by dressing it up with good accessories, shoes, blazers, etc.
This dress code usually comes along with a “casual” Friday and the flexibility to show your personality through your outfits.
Casual
A casual dress code is one that many of us enjoy and one that is found at Language Marketplace.
You can find this type of dress code at many start-up companies or non-client facing corporate jobs. One of the best parts of this dress code is you have full creative freedom to express yourself.
What you will notice is many people tend to still dress business casual with a casual dress code but have the freedom to be more comfortable on the days that putting together a nice outfit just doesn’t feel good.
Quick Tips
Before heading back into the office refresh your memory on what the dress code is. Go through your closet and put together some of your favourite go to outfits. Try them on and make sure they fit. Take inventory of what no longer serves you and pick up some new things to fill the gaps.
The number one thing to remember no matter what dress code you fall under is to have fun with your clothes and always express yourself.