How to Dress Business Casual

By Accountemps

Just how casual is too casual? The answer could affect your career. You may be a top performer, but if your office attire is inappropriate you may not always receive the level of respect your achievements merit.

Here are a few general guidelines to help you dress for success:

• Play it safe. Clothing should never be distracting. Think of it this way: Would a coworker spend more time focused on what you're wearing versus what you're saying? If so, your attire is probably not appropriate for work.
  
  
• Observe others. The old rule — dress for the position to which you aspire — holds true. Notice the way your manager and coworkers dress each day and incorporate the same style when building your professional wardrobe.
  
  
• Pay attention to details. From head to toe, your appearance should be polished and neat. Your hair should be in place, and jewelry and accessories should be subtle. Avoid excessive makeup, and use cologne or perfume minimally.

Ask an expert for help. If you have difficulty selecting your wardrobe, ask a sales representative to assist you. Many stores have personal shopping assistants who can suggest professional styles. You could also bring a well-dressed, candid friend along for a second opinion when you shop.

By following a few simple guidelines, you'll learn to dress appropriately for your workplace. You can then get down to the real business of the day — your job responsibilities!

Accountemps is a specialized temporary staffing service for accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals. Accountemps provides support throughout an accounting department. Headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif., Accountemps and has more than 270 offices in North America, Europe and Australia. Article source: SmartPros