Business Casual or Business Professional? We Break It Down for You

Perhaps you have been working with excellent staffing agencies in Houston like Clayton Services and are interviewing for the employment opportunity of your dreams or maybe your Houston recruiters have helped you land a job! No matter what your situation is, there will be several things that you will need to do to ensure that you are prepared and ready to go. One of the most important of these will be choosing appropriate work attire.

When staffing agencies in Houston match you with an interview or position, they will most likely give you advice on what the expected dress code will be. Typically, those will fall under the category of business casual or business professional. Now, you may be thinking that these sound the same, but they are not. Today we are going to help you understand the distinction between these two fashion categories so that you do not have an awkward moment of showing up underdressed or overdressed.

Let’s take a moment to break this down a bit further:

Women's Business Professional

Although it may feel daunting if you are not typically a “dressy” person, we can make business professional simple. In general terms, if you are asked to dress in this manner, you will want to choose matching pants or skirt suit in dark colors. Any patterns should be subtle, and the blazer sleeves should be long. In addition, you will want to wear a formal blouse underneath and be modest. You can finish this look with a low, closed-toe heel. Tasteful and simple gold or silver jewelry always pairs well with this look.

Women's Business Casual

Staffing agencies in Houston and their best Houston recruiters will tell you that women’s business casual attire provides more options than the more strict category of business professional wear. Conservative shirts and blouses, along with regular or cardigan sweaters are appropriate within this category. When it comes to pants and skirts, twill and cotton options are great choices. These items should be properly fitted without being tight and skirts should be fingertip length or longer. Dressy boots and low heels that are closed or peep-toed are good footwear choices. If you decide to wear jewelry, it should coordinate with your outfit and not be distracting.

Men's Business Professional

There are few things that make for a sharp dressed man better than a well-tailored suit. If your employment situation calls for business professional wear, it is time to break out such a suit and be ready to impress. A proper business professional suit should be correctly fitted and in a darker hue, such as black, navy, or charcoal. They should be paired with a solid, button-down, long-sleeved dress shirt and conservative tie. Tie patterns should be kept subtle and coordinating to the suit and shirt. Understated matching dress socks in a dark color should be worn with black or brown dress shoes. A gold or silver watch and tie clip can finish off this look well.

Men's Business Casual

A work environment with a business casual dress code will open up your fashion choices, and allow you to select a wardrobe that has more variety. You will be properly dressed in this situation by choosing khaki or dark pants with a brown or black leather belt. Long-sleeved dress shirts in cotton, or in some cases even collared polo shirts are a suitable choice. No matter what shirt selection you choose, they should be tucked in. If you go with a dress shirt, a coordinating tie, sweater, vest, or sport coat can make an excellent pairing. Finish off your ensemble with matching dress socks and brown or black dress shoes, and you will be ready to go.

In the end, much of what you are going to be wearing will be dependent on the specific situation you will be going into, but you will also want to consider the following, regardless of the outfit, you will want to have styled hair and clean manicured nails. Also, you should smell fresh, but not overdo it on colognes and perfumes. Finally, make sure that your teeth are freshly brushed and free of food particles.
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When you keep all of these things in mind, staffing agencies in Houston, like Clayton Services, agree that you will be dressed for success! We look forward to working with you to match you with the perfect employer who will help you reach the career goals you have set.