Business Casual???

Betarulz! · #1 11-19-2003, 09:50 PM

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.

winnieb · #2 11-19-2003, 09:55 PM

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

-wendi

Peaches-n-Cream · #3 11-19-2003, 11:36 PM

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.

Betarulz! · #4 11-20-2003, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Peaches-n-Cream
I think that business casual means that a man wears a jacket and tie, but not a suit.

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.

GeekyPenguin · #5 11-20-2003, 01:24 AM

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.

Hootie · #6 11-20-2003, 03:10 AM

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!

TigerLilly · #7 11-20-2003, 08:56 AM

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?

Kevin · #8 11-20-2003, 09:07 AM

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.

KEPike · #9 11-20-2003, 10:45 AM

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.

aephi alum · #10 11-20-2003, 11:48 AM

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.

)

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".

#11 11-20-2003, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by aephi alum
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 !)

aephi alum · #12 11-20-2003, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ginger
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.

#13 11-20-2003, 01:05 PM

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?

ThetaGrrl · #14 11-20-2003, 01:33 PM

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

mu_agd · #15 11-20-2003, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ginger
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 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.