Workwear Has Changed, But Are Jeans Business Casual?
Fashion experts and stylists weigh in on whether or not to rock this pants style at the office.
The ironic thing about dress codes is that they’re put in place to make dressing for specific events easier on attendees, but they can be very vague and, as a result, not at all helpful. Take business casual, for example. “Business” and “casual” are two very different ways of dressing and finding a happy medium between the two can feel damn near impossible. No matter what you wear, you’re likely going to be leaning more business or casual, so what qualifies? For instance, can you wear jeans for business casual? Or is denim too informal for the workplace?
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When you search “business casual outfits” on Pinterest, there are some jean outfits sprinkled throughout the feed. The same goes for Instagram; the hashtag “business casual outfits” yields over 29,000 results, with jean outfits at the forefront. But don’t just take the internet’s word for it. When asked if jeans are business casual, stylists Christina Stein, Soneca Guadara, and Jordan Stolch answered with a resounding yes.
“Absolutely, unequivocally, yes,” says Guadara, a style consultant and personal stylist. “Fashion is leaning more and more toward the casual end of the spectrum as each year goes by, especially in a post-2020 world where the old business-formal office requirements are out of date for many workers.”
But while this may be true, generally speaking, Stolch notes that not every office is going lax. “Gauge the climate of your unique office and take note of what the standard protocol is amongst your co-workers,” the MIKADO personal stylist warns. “While most industries are open to denim in the workplace, there still remain several that are not, and you do not want to look as if you’re not taking yourself seriously at work.”
Related:13 Black Work Pants That Will Elevate Your Office Wardrobe
Once you have the green light, the question is how to style jeans in a way that meets business casual criteria. As a general rule of thumb, Stolch recommends sticking to darker wash, non-distressed styles to maintain a level of professionalism while striking the balance with casualness. Though it depends on the industry and office, unless told otherwise, Stolch says “medium, light and ripped styles are a no-go.”
Take “business casual” literally.
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