I.     What is Business Casual?

     Business casual is somewhat of an amorphous concept; there being no generally accepted definition.^[1]  It has been likened to an "oxymoron,"^[2] and to a "vague directive,"^[3] although most would agree that, at minimum, it entails "a loosing up"^[4] of traditional business formal dress codes.

     Monster.com, the internet job search engine, offers a more concise definition, describing business casual as "dressing professionally, looking relaxed, yet neat and pulled together."^[5]  And Wikipedia, the Internet encyclopedia, speaks of business casual as the "middle ground" between "formal business wear and street wear."^[6]

Appropriate

Bermuda Shorts Deemed Inappropriate

     Some experts have gone a step further, identifying specific categories of clothing that would satisfy a business casual dress code.  For example, according to Laura Morsch, in an article entitled Dress Codes Deciphered, men should wear "higher-quality khakis, microfiber or gabardine pants with solid or subtly patterned pressed cotton shirts," but added that "Polo-style shirts and pullover sweaters are also appropriate."^[7]  Furthermore, "leather loafers and casual, coordinated accessories" are appropriate to complete the look."^[8]  Women, on the other hand, should wear "wool, blend or manufactured fabric skirts or slacks, combined with coordinating blouses or tops," but may also wear "sweaters, cardigans or contrasting vests."^[9]

Examples of Business Casual Wear

     II.     The Switch to Business Casual

     Business casual really took off in the 90's during the dot.com era when many young, Silicon Valley entrepreneurs simply refused to cut their hair short or to conform to other traditional modes of business attire.^[10]  From there, the trend spread across the country, eventually landing in even the most conservative companies.^[11]  Many firms transitioned gradually, first allowing casual or "dress down" Fridays, then relaxing dress codes during the summer, and finally making the move to full on business casual all of the time.^[12]

     Since its inception, business casual has grown to replace all other forms of workplace attire as the most most popular.  For instance, in a 2007 Gallup Pole, 43% of full or part-time workers (excluding self-employed) said they wore business casual clothing most days, while only 9% reported wearing business formal clothing.^[13]  Moreover, more than two in three men reported never wearing a tie to work.^[14]

     III. To Do, or Not to Do Business Casual

     There are many factors--including both socio-economic and practical--for why a given company or employee may or may not adhere to a business casual dress code.  For example, many executive-level employees still wear the full "executive uniform" of a suit with white or blue shirt and a loud tie.^[15]  Mr. Blackman of the Fashion Institute of Technology commented on the communicative function of such business formal wear, stating it "universally project[s] an air of authority."^[16]  Yet, others view dress codes as being more occasion, rather than status or vocation, driven.  For example, having lunch with a major client, or attending an important meeting might, are occasions that might warrant more formal garb, despite an otherwise informal business dress code.^[17]

     Other factors effecting levels of dress code formality may include: income (higher income workers are more likely than lower income workers to wear professional business attire to work^[18]); industry (50% of financial, insurance, and real estate companies allow casual dress once a week, but only 34% allow it all of the time^[19]); and geographic location (the East and Midwest are more conservative than the West Coast^[20]).

     IV.    A Switch Back to Business Formal?

Although no one can deny the prevalence of business casual in today's workplace, many are seeing or predicting a shift back to more formal attire. 

     There are many factors contributing to this newest trend, not least of which is the mere confusion "business casual" engenders among employees.  For example, many employees feel "uncomfortable" trying to interpret vague works like "businesslike" or appropriate" for fear of getting them wrong.^[21]  At least one vice president has admitted to having given up altogether, and has instead hired an image consultant to help him choose outfits that "befit his station."^[22]

     Moreover, with the outcrop of new sub-categories of business attire--including "executive casual" and "mainstream casual"^[23]--the decision of what to wear becomes even more difficult.

     Another reason for why some employers are choosing to return to a more formalized dress code may be the effect of casual dress on work product.  For example, the marketing firm McGrath/Power in Santa Clara, California used to allow employees to wear T-shirts and baseball caps as part of a casual dress code, but the firm recently changed its policy finding that when its policy was very casual "the quality of the work wasn't as good."^[24]  Moreover, Jackson Lewis, an employment law firm, conducted a survey of managers and found that 44% of them claimed to have noticed an "increase in employee absenteeism and tardiness when casual dress policies were introduced."^[25]  Although, others believe a more casual dress code is actually helpful to business production, as it allows employees to think more openly and creates a feeling of office camaraderie.^[26] 

     Finally, another reason for why some employers are returning to a more formal dress code may be economic uncertainty.  For example, Grady Grody, president of Marcraft Apparel Group, sees a "return to a more traditional business wear"^[27] given present economic conditions.  Broday claims that "people dress up more in times of financial uncertainty and intense competition" because "it helps their sense of stability."^[28]