Business Casual???
 

Okay, so just to prove to myself that I'm not retarded, would someone verify that I understand this term correctly. We had a meeting today that I told everyone to dress in Business Casual.

Most the guys showed up in ties but no coats.

I always thought that business casual was usually more like khakis, polos and sweaters, at the very most a button down dress shirt.

I thought the levels of formality in dress went like this:

White Tie: means tuxes with tails required
Black Tie: you need a tux
Formal: pretty much means a real suit
Coat and Tie: you could wear a blazer
Semi-Formal: Needs a tie, but no jacket
Business Casual: Like I've described above. No jeans.
Casual: Collard shirt (ie no T-shirts), jeans and shorts okay depending on the weather.
In-Formal: pretty much anything, but in decent company no tank tops.

It just bothered me b/c it made me look bad when I felt I was in the correct form of dress.

In my book, you are completely correct. Business casual is khakis, polos, sweaters, that sort of thing.

-wendi

I think that business casual means that a man wears a jacket and tie, but not a suit.

My definitions for business:
White tie means white tie and tails, top hat is optional.
Black tie means a tuxedo.
Formal means a suit or a tuxedo.
Coat and tie means a suit or a coat and tie.
Semi-formal means a suit and tie or at least a jacket and tie.
Business casual is the same as coat and tie. You can always take off your blazer.
Casual means khakis, collared shirts, or a sweater. No jeans, t-shirts, sneakers
Informal means the same as casual.

I think that it is always better to overdress than underdress. I don't mean wear a tuxedo to a business casual event, but when in doubt, kick it up a notch.

See, I remember how happy my dad was when his office went buisness casual because it meant he no longer had to wear a tie to work at all. So that's been the thing I've always referred back to.

I usually tend to be a little bit better dressed than most people (not more trendy or anything, but a suit where a lot of guys would wear just a blazer or sport coat - which I personally don't like much anyway). I probably would have been better dressed if a) I hadn't been the one in charge of the event and wanted people to be casual. and B) if I hadn't come almost directly from class to the event.

I don't think you were in the wrong - I've always thought of business casual for men as like, a collared shirt and sweater, or maybe like a plaid oxford and tie and khakis. Definitely not a jacket. Jackets are for business professional. :p

Yeah you are correct. As long as you're not in jeans or a t-shirt, you would almost be fine in anything! We had a business-casual meeting on Monday and I didn't know what to wear, so I just wore my regular outfit - blazer, skirt, pantyhose and heels. I'm glad I didn't go more casual cuz everyone was dressed the same way!

In my chapter they gave us a little paper telling us what was appropriate for our different levels of meeting dress -- formal, business, and casual. Perhaps you could do the same for your chapter, if you don't want people to misunderstand the dress code again?

Our chapter bylaws actually go so far as to define "Class A" and "Class B" attire. Class B is business casual.. collared shirt, pleated pants (no jeans) and closed toe shoes.

I think alot of people confuse "business casual" with "business professional". Casual is what you referred to, Betarulz...no tie. In the midwest, I know ties are not considered casual attire, especially in the summer.

Here's the thing though, in college, alot of guys didn't own a suit (at least where I went) and they only had a jacket. Therefore, if the situation called for formal attire, they'd wear their jacket to that. Then, for business casual, guys consider that to be tie but no jacket.

I understand where you are coming from and my advice would be that its different from event to event. I'd get more clarification next time. My remedy sometimes for those grey areas is to wear a button-down oxford and to bring a tie with me just in case.

Business casual is kind of hard to define. My understanding is the same as yours, Betarulz: khakis/slacks, polo, maybe a sweater. No need for a jacket or tie, and no jeans or t-shirts.

It's even harder to define for women. In the business-casual work environments I've been in, I normally wear a nice blouse and slacks, and nobody's complained. (I actually dressed the same way when I worked for a dot.com. People were perpetually asking me if I had a job interview. :p )

Has anyone else heard of "black tie optional" ? Nobody's mentioned it yet. Black tie optional (at least around here) is "we'd prefer that you wear a tux, but you could get away with a suit".

Mr. Ginger and I are attending an event in two weeks that is black-tie optional. I have *NO* idea what dress to wear. I'm assuming floor length is a given, but what sort of fabrics/sleeve lengths are appropriate?

(bear in mind... this is Wisconsin, in December. It's cold !)

Floor length, yes. Sleeve length, whatever you're comfortable with - I've seen long, short, sleeveless, and strapless (though I wouldn't recommend the latter two if you're in Wisconsin in December!)

Fabrics, I'd recommend velvet. You could also do silk or satin, but velvet is warmer. ;)

good to know :) I'm actually not too concerned about the sleeve length (I can always wear a wrap or something), but I did wonder about the fabric.

Next question: do they make velvet dresses that don't look like they belong on a 4 year old or an 84 year old? ;)

"Black Tie Optional" is such a load of crap. I hate it when I see that... Either make it black tie, or don't...

floor length is not absolutely necessary. i'm going to a bat mitzvah next week that is black tie optional and i'm wearing a short black dress. maybe think of it as something you would wear to a formal. also, be careful on the heavyiness of fabric/material. even though it will be cold outside, they will probably have the heat on in the building and you don't want to get so hot that you are uncomfortable. so with that in mind, strapless, sleeveles, sleeves, they should all be fine.

also, my sisters wedding was black tie optional and many of the female guests were in shorter dresses. granted the weather was different since it was on the cape during the summer, and not wisconsin during the winter.

Gotta agree with you there. Black tie optional seems to be an acknowledgement that not everyone owns a tux these days - but I've always felt that every gentleman should own a tux, and if you don't, go rent one!

I think you're correct in your definition of business casual... at my last internship, I had asked what the dress is and my boss said business casual... but all the guys, including him, walked around in button down shirts and ties and dress slacks.

As for women, business casual spans the spectrum I guess... I've always been more of a dress-up girl, but my co-workers will come in with sneakers, even my boss... not gym sneakers, but Diesels or ones that look dressier.

My office is trying to get back to enforcing "business casual". Problem is what flies as business casual in our office isn't the same as the ones back east. No set rules accross the board. Though they did finally decide that facial/tongue piercings and mohawks maybe didn't fit the definition. We're a call center, so I find that to be crap. :( But I don't feel we really fit anyone's definition of business casual either.

I think they're just trying to give the option of not having to rent a tux -- assuming you don't own one -- and with the exception of the TV folks I work with who do public appearances all the time, I don't know anybody who does own his own.

Problem with owning one is that they change the "in" styles so often that an older one really looks out of place.

I think the original definitions in this thread are right on. I seldom ever wear a tie. Dockers and at least a button down shirt. Loafers and blacks socks.

One guy in FSP with me owns a tux...problem is, he refuses to wear anything but sneakers with it. Black sneakers, but still...kinda destroys the look. :rolleyes:

Every gentleman should still own a tux... or at least be willing to rent one if he doesn't go to enough formal events to justify owning one.

One of the little things that impressed me about my husband when we were first dating, was the fact that he owned a tux. We were always the best dressed couple at my sorority's formals. ;) He still owns a tux, and he buys a new vest or cummerbund and tie every once in a while to keep it up to date.

Yeah, I was wondering that. What is considered as business casual for women? Specifics?

I know a few music majors who own them, simply because they have so many performances and recitals where they are required to wear a tux. Other than them, I don't know anyone.

Quote:

Originally posted by Dionysus

I'm not really sure of specifics... when I had asked my boss she was like it's business casual, jeans are fine too... so I wear nice jeans with sweaters, button down shirts, dressy-ish shirts and boots. I also have worn dresses, denim skirts, dress pinstipe, black, and gray pants. I've worn my Diesel sneakers once... on a Friday. I like to dress up more, but at my work place, the attire is fairly open.

I think that nice pants and a nice blouse or sweater is business casual. No jeans or sneakers and nothing too short or revealing.

No formal for us is in suits. I couldn't imagine having to spend money on renting a tux. Luckily all we have to pay for in regards to our Winter Formal is for alcohol for us and our dates. Our parents come and serve us dinner for winter formal.

I also think business casual depends on the type of company you work for, ie. entertainment industry, has less strict guidelines.

My office is business casual on M-Th and casual on Friday.
M-Th most of my office wears khakis or some type of slacks, nice blouses or sweaters (guys are usually in polos). Every so often one of us women will wear a dress or skirt.
On Fridays we all wear jeans and whatever we want for shirts. In the summer, most of the women wear sleeveless shirts and sandals.

-wendi