what exactly is "office casual" dressing?

Question

I'm being sent to an office job by an agency and I've never worked at an office before. They said the attire is "casual" or "office casual", what kinds of clothing is that exactly? Can I wear jeans? I was thinking about wearing jeans with a long-sleeve, button up dress shirt, would that be ok?

does my shirt have to be tucked in? what shirts can I get away with not tucking in?

Answer 1

khaki's and a polo

Answer 2

Office casual...could mean business casual. If it does jeans are not allowed. I would wear dress pants and a button up shirt on the first day. See what everyone else is wearing and take it from there. Good Luck!

Answer 3

no jeans

wear a nice shirt (not a T shirt or beach attire shirt) but not necessarily what you see executives wear

you should be able to wear short sleeves

you probably can go without the tie, but it is a nice touch, especially at first to make an impression

i think you might be able to wear khakis but again, as you have not been working there previously, DON'T

you could probably wear something like Top siders but no skechers or kicks

please no flip flops

the long sleep dress shirt with nice pants should be okay

there are types of dressy jeans that don't have seams and look just like navy blue slacks, but still don't go there

that is what I would say

Answer 4

The guys and my office stay super sexy with out being overly dressed in a nice button down shirt (they are usually long sleeved or short sleeves, think crisp cotton and undershirt) and khaki pants. Or a nice pull over shirt will work as well (nothing faded or stained or wrinkled). People judge you on how you look as unfair as it seems so always look well kept.

If your shirt looks like it should be tucked in, tuck it in otherwise you do not have to. Try both ways with each shirt you wear which one makes you look your sharpest.

Answer 5

I think on your first day I would wear dress pants and a nice shirt (long sleeve) with open collar. Very often all that office casual means is no tie or jacket. When you arrive you can see how others are dressed and adjust from that. No one will consider you overdressed as I described but I wouldn't chance jeans until I saw others wearing them.

Answer 6

stop giving the guy sophistocated answers.

Office casual is tan pants/polo with dress shoes tucked in and a belt.. simple as that.

If you wanna be safe, wear a button down long sleve shirt but bring a polo in case, get there a little early, and watch what people wear walking in.

Im sitting at my "Office Casual" job right now, and its jeans, a T, sneakers (its friday) but otherwise its a polo/tan pants.

Answer 7

No jeans or gym shoes, you need a nice shirt and a suit jacket, you can wear any kind of dress pants and shirt with out a tie.

Answer 8

Clothing that works well for the beach, yard work, dance clubs, exercise sessions, and sports contests may not be appropriate for a professional appearance at work. Clothing that reveals too much cleavage, your back, chest, stomach or underwear is not appropriate for a place of business, even in a business casual setting. Clothing that has the company logo is a good idea, and the company may provide that at some point. Torn, dirty, or frayed clothing is unacceptable. All seams must be finished. Any clothing that has words, terms, or pictures that may be offensive to other employees is unacceptable. Sports team, university, and fashion brand names on clothing are generally acceptable, but only on days that are noted as dress-down days. Let your boss tell you when dress down days are.

This is from About.com and follows my company's policy fairly closely:

Slacks that are similar to Dockers and other makers of cotton or synthetic material pants, wool pants, flannel pants, and nice looking dress synthetic pants are acceptable. Inappropriate slacks or pants include jeans, sweatpants, exercise pants, Bermuda shorts, short shorts, shorts, bib overalls, leggings, and any spandex or other form-fitting pants such as people wear for biking. Please note: shorts are not acceptable, even on dress-down days.

Casual dresses and skirts, and skirts that are split at or below the knee are acceptable. Dress and skirt length should be at a length at which you can sit comfortably in public. Short, tight skirts that ride halfway up the thigh are inappropriate for work. Mini-skirts, skorts, sun dresses, beach dresses, and spaghetti-strap dresses are inappropriate for the office. *My office allows capris in warm weather.

Casual shirts, dress shirts, sweaters, tops, golf-type shirts, and turtlenecks are acceptable attire for work.
Inappropriate attire for work includes tank tops, midriff tops, shirts with potentially offensive words, terms, logos, pictures, cartoons, or slogans, halter-tops, tops with bare shoulders, or tops made from fabric that is sheer or thin enough that undergarments are visible (unless an appropriate garment is worn underneath). Sweatshirts, and t-shirts are acceptable only on dress-down days, as long as they meet the listed guidelines.
Conservative athletic or walking shoes, loafers, clogs, sneakers, boots, flats, dress heels, and leather deck-type shoes are acceptable for work. Non-beachwear-type sandals are acceptable. Rubber flip-flops, or anything that would be considered beach attire, and slippers are not acceptable in the office. *We all have slippers under our desks, bc it's cold in there in the winter, but this is going to depend on the office overall. We are also mixed on the whole sandal/flip-flop thing. My boss hates flip flop, but every other manager allows them.

Jewelry, Makeup, Perfume, and Cologne should be in good taste, with limited visible body piercing. Remember, that some employees are allergic to the chemicals in perfumes and make-up, so wear these substances with restraint.

Hats are not appropriate in the office. Head covers that are required for religious purposes or to honor cultural tradition are allowed.

Answer 9

If your smart enough to work in an office and you dont know the answer to this......... look around. NO printed/plain t shirts. No jeans with holes. No shorts. No flip flops.

Answer 10

jeans on Friday and weekens.
First day wear another type of pants then check the others out and day two you can be more comfortable.
also avoid sneakers on day one.

Answer 11

No jeans or capris.