So you have finally secured the job you always wanted and you are asked to dress in business casual. Now this differs for men and women so you have to look at your options that are business casual and formal at the same time.
The confusing part of business casual is that there are no visible rules of dos and don’ts. You have to figure out something that works for your personality, the work environment, and the business casual definition.
Now from casual, don’t get the idea of wearing pyjamas or shirts. You could easily go for something more convenient and honestly, that gives you the perfect description of casual and you are right because we are talking about flannels.
If you dig up your wardrobe right now you might even find a flannel shirt just lying around waiting for you to try it on for once. These shirts are considered ideal for a business casual look for both men and women.
Flannels have more cliché designs like checks and are mostly made in different fabrics like wool, cotton, and even linen now. You can also find these shirts in synthetic material and overall these shirts keep you warm in the cold months.
But since they are available in different fabrics they can be worn throughout the year. Flannels are a very diverse kind of clothing article for work and even for daily routine.
You do have to be careful what kind of colours you wear in these flannel shirts and how you decide to pair them with other clothing items and accessories. And trust us when we say that you can easily go overboard with something as simple as flannel shirts as well.
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How To Wear A Flannel To A Business Casual Environment?
It all comes down to how you decide to channel your style to something simple as flannel and what kind of colours you put together. With Flannel shirts, you have to choose more common and work-like colours instead of some vibrant and bright as the day.
Try not to go for a bright yellow or a neon lining Flannel because that is going to give a very casual look for a business casual workplace. You can always try browns, blues, and white with black lines.
Try to wear cotton ones because they look neater as compared to linen as it tends to crease easily. Now comes the pants that you have to pair your flannel shirts with.
Since flannel shirts are a blend of lines or two colours or a singular colour, I need something that blends in rather than stands out. You can wear black jeans or pants with your flannel shirts and even khaki pants would look great as well.
If you are going to wear flannel made out of linen which can be baggy too so the perfect combo here would be the skin-fit pants in a neutral colour. You just have to balance out the colours and the style of both clothing items here.
The next things that can make your flannel shirts look more professional are the accessories. Pair these with a black or brown belt and put on your brown or black boots or loafers that look neutral and blend in with the rest of the outfit.
When you are heading out in this attire, you can put on your denim jacket. If you don’t feel like it and want to just avoid the windy weather outside, keep a breathable yet windproof jacket with you all the time.
Is Flannel Appropriate For Business Casual?
Of course, you can wear flannel to your dream job interview but it has to be a good combination of different clothing items as well. Let’s say you are wearing a black and white flannel shirt, pair it with a tie and a blazer.
Put on your good black pants and you are all set for the interview, clothing-wise. You just have to make sure that everything works well together and looks good while you meet someone as well.
There is a simple rule while wearing flannel shirts to a business set-up and that is to differentiate between the way too casual and slightly one. Some flannels can be worn on a lazy weekend as well but do not wear them anywhere outside.
Is Plaid Okay For Business Casual?
Plaids are considered a little less formal so technically they are acceptable in a business casual environment. Plaids are almost similar to flannel except for the boxes here on a shirt are much bigger.
Plaid in specific and other than flannel remains a classic for the fall season. You would spot almost everything in plaid if they are a fan.
From coats to ponchos to even pants and even accessories, people are all plaid during the winter season. Not just for warming yourself, if you want to look smart and casual both at the same time, you go for a plaid print.
Plaid is the perfect candidate for a smart and casual office wear and outerwear look. You can also dress up with plaid colours as well by selecting the bright colour palette for almost any clothing article.
So for an interview, you need to keep it understated rather than going overboard. In a conservative business environment, plaids are already hardly acceptable so you don’t want to lower your chances of joining a company by wearing a neon green or yellow to an interview.
Always keep it casual and mature with the combinations and the colours and you would be all set for your dream job.
