Be the Boss of Business Casual
I am a person who thinks way ahead; the person who lays in bed that cannot fall asleep because I am thinking about where I will be living or be working in 10-15 years. One of my many late night thoughts has been how boring and awful I will have to look at work. But, now I lay in bed DREAMING about the outfits I can go to work in. Funny, right? The rising trend of the “business casual” look is what everyone needs to hop on. It is chic, professional, and can be super comfortable. An easy way to start is with these three staple pieces: a trench coat, blazer, and trousers/work pants. These items are necessary because believe it or not, are very versatile and can be worn outside the workplace.
The trench coat is a huge part of this trend. From its historic moment in World War I to now in the streets of New York, this garment has always been prevalent and iconic. The trench coat is fashionable in a work setting, but also for any day. Pair it with slim trousers and a turtleneck, and you are good to go, but pair it with a hoodie and joggers and you are the new Hailey Baldwin. This piece works as an alternative for those tedious, static coats that can take away from an outfit; they are not too heavy or too light.
Similar to the trench coat is the blazer. Both stemmed from men’s fashion. I used to never picture a blazer being “cute.” However, now they are everywhere and being paired with everything. A blazer is a statement piece, but not one that you will wear once and give away. Like the trench coat, it can be worn to work or a night out. For example, pair a gingham blazer with a white t-shirt over a black bralette tucked in with jeans and loafers for the day, and at night switch out the t-shirt for just the bralette. There has always been this mindset to separate work clothes from “fun” clothes, but you can use the same item to create two different outfits that are equally trendy.
Pairing these jackets with bottoms is so easy with what I like to call “work pants.” These pants in my definition are slim-fit or wide with a cotton or khaki material. They are perfect for an interview or a nice dinner. The pants can be worn with platform sneakers or heels. I like to think of work pants as a fancier version of joggers, comfortable, but professional.
Next time you have an interview or presentation, do not dread what you are going to wear, get excited about it. Be a boss with this trend in and outside of the workplace.
