What to Wear to the Office – Business Casual 2022
I have been thinking about writing this post for a while and I finally sat down to do it. I work in a business casual environment and have been going into the office for a while now. It can be difficult to find to find cute clothes that are office appropriate and that you feel good in. That’s were this post comes in! A lot of these items are fairly basic and can be found at a variety of stores. I find the most luck at Abercrombie, Zara, Everlane, J Crew (and J Crew Factory) and Banana Republic. I have linked one option of each item, but these can be found at a bunch of different stores. I did not include jeans on this list, as I can’t wear jeans, but some offices do allow jeans as long as they are a dark wash and have no distressing. Abercrombie again has good options. For several months, I took photos everyday of what I was wearing to the office (and on the weekends), which you can look at here. Now let’s dive in!
Tops
Neutral Tank Top – I have a black tank top that is high cut and has thick straps, so I feel good about wearing it into the office. Looks great paired with a pair of trousers or skirt. Perfect for the Summer months when you don’t want to wear sleeves.
Quarter Zip Sweater – A good quarter zip is prefect to keep at your desk when the AC is cranked or in the winter time. Looks work appropriate and is almost as comfortable as a sweatshirt.
Blazer – A good blazer is a staple and you can wear them casually on the weekends as well. I think a plaid blazer adds some nice visual interested and most people already own a basic black one.
Work Dress – I love wearing dresses to work in the summer. The key is to find one that isn’t too tight and not too short. I have some great work appropriate dresses from J Crew and Banana Republic that I wear over and over again.
Neutral Sweater – A button down sweater is another staple. You can wear this as a shirt on its own, or with a tank top underneath.
Silk/Satin Button Up – These tops are good to have in rotation when you don’t want to wear a normal cotton button down and add some visual interest to the outfit.
White Button Up – A staple in any wardrobe and can be found at virtually any store.
Patterned Button Up – Similar to the satin button up above, a patterned button up can break up an otherwise more boring outfit and look great under a blazer or sweater.
Sleeveless Sweater Top – I have a sweater tank top from Banana Republic I get a ton of wear out of in the summer. Great paired with nice trousers.
Modern Polo Top – This top caught my eye because it is similar to an old school polo, but looks more elevated. Can be worn on the weekends as well!
Patterned Flowy Top – I threw in one more kind of top for good measure. A cute flowy top is not a must have, but I have several in my closet that I get good use out of.
Bottoms
White Pants – These are great for the summer. They are more casual than the pants below, but definitely nice enough for a business casual workplace.
Full Length Black Pants – I love a full length pant and these are very classic and will go with everything.
Full Length Pants (alternate color) – If you already own a pair of black pants, try a full length pair in another color, like khaki or gray.
Black Pencil Skirt – I get a ton of wear out of my black pencil skirt in the summer time and it is a great staple in a work wardrobe.
Flowy Skirt – I threw in one more kind of skirt into this list. I think this flowy skirt is dressy enough for a business casual workplace and gives you more options when it’s too hot for pants.
Accessories
White Leather Sneakers – A nice pair of casual sneakers is a great option for a more casual workplace. Just make sure they are clean!
Neutral Pumps – These are my everyday work heels. They are a low heel and blocky so my feet don’t hurt in them. I do commute in a flat though and change into these when I get into the office.
Backpack – You can go either way with a bag for work. I am partial to a tote, but sometimes a backpack is easier. This one is neutral and sleek.
Tote bag – I don’t use this tote specifically, but this looks plenty big to hold everything you could need for the day.
Outerwear
Trench Coat – As the weather starts to cool down, I will definitely be pulling out my trench coat, which is great for wearing into the office and on the weekends.
Puffer – Hopefully won’t need this kind of coat anytime soon, but in Chicago you will definitely need a good parka!
