References:

    Cooke, K. (2008, February 6). Tattoos and piercings still not accepted at work.
           Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/02/06/us   
          -tattoosworkplaceidUSN0621388820080206. 

     Fox, S. (n.d.). Defining Business-Casual Menswear. Retrieved from

       http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/defining-businesscasual-
            menswear.html.

    Guffey, M. E., Rhodes, K., & Patricia, R. (2011). Business Communication:

      Process and Product (6thed.).Nelson, 70.

   How To Dress in Business Casual Attire For Men[Video File]. (Aug 12, 2010).

     Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_
          embedded&v=_fHf7SrAyBg.

Moore, J. (n.d.). GQ Rules: Get the Skinny. Retrieved from

      http://www.gq.com/video/gq-rules/2009/best-skinny-tie-cheap-skinny-
          ties-jim-moore

O'Leary, K. (2012, October 15). Kevin O'Leary - Music, Style, Money -
           Harry Rosen[Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com
          /watch?v=0PJaZRwIHHw.

Urbina, C. (2011, July, 26). Do's and don'ts of business casual attire.
           Retrieved from http://www.examiner.com/article/do-s-and-
           don-ts-of-business-casual-attire

Conclusion

Nobody wants to be the focus of attention for the reason of not dressing appropriate for the job. Save yourself the embarrassment and read the company business casual policies. By law, companies can create policies for dress code to control what employees wear at work. Due to the research, I gained a better understanding of how important it is to dress appropriately for work and the type of negative impressions an inappropriate dress can have. Since there is such a grey area in business casual, when you get a new job, it is beneficial for you to play it safe, at least until you can observe and see how others are dressed.

Ignoring business casual dress codes can really harm your career and lead to be possibly being fired; businesses have the right to set policies on what we wear. It is important to remember that, as an employee you are a representation of where you work and the clothes you wear is a way of representing the organizations.

When you want people to know you mean business in the words of Kevin O`Leary how you dress communicates that without any words.

Business Casual Controversy

Nowadays, piercings and tattoos in the workplace is a question of great controversy. Tattoos and piercings were first worn by ancient tribes as a symbol of beliefs and rituals. In the contemporary society, tattoos and piercings are used as a form of self-expression and continue to grow in popularity. However, they are not seen appropriate by most employers even with business casual policies in place. Although there is no telling when these expectations by employers can change due to the amount of pressure put on employers to attract and attain employees. It is important to realize that employers are not in favour of visible tattoos and excessive piercings. Personally, I understand how a tattoo or excessive piercings may be a distraction when dealing with people. It also depends on the environment you are in which needs common sense on your part. My opinion is that it would be a good idea to not wear piercings on the first day of work and slowly add them in to your outfit if it is appropriate. I also think that in the business casual workplace, there should be guidelines depending on the type of customers you deal with. People who are willing to cover up tattoos and abide by the piercings policies at work should be given a fair chance to work.

Moreover, by law businesses have the right to put in place guidelines of what to wear to work but should tattoos and piercings be excluded, as they are more of a form of self-expression?

How to get started business casual video!

Style Rules 3! Oxfords

            Leave the Hawaiian shirt and $100 dress shirts at home. Add in oxfords to your business casual wardrobe. Some benefits of an oxford shirt:

• Machine washable

• They come in cotton which is very comfortable and reduces body odor

• Very affordable

• An easy way to look professional and be business casual 

Above are oxfords from Club Monaco. They are $64.59 and they offer student’s an additional 20% of that price. They come in different colours and patterns and the two essential colours white and blue.

Style Rules 2! Get the Skinny!

      This entry is about skinny ties. According to GQ magazine, we should always keep the ties skinny. Adding a tie into your business casual outfit is a great way to look professional and business casual at the same time because you are not wearing a suit with your tie. Recently, skinny ties have been gaining popularity. Today, most manufactures will only make skinny ties and will not make wider ties anymore due to the demand. It is always good to get the right width of a tie.

What you need to know:

• skinny tie is considered any tie that is below 3 inches at the widest point

• sold in 3 sizes: 2 inches, 2.5 inches and 3 inches                                                                            

• try on all 3 sizes to see which one looks the best

• the colours that go with the most amount of outfits are grey, blue, and brown

• the only knot you need to know is the simple knot

• avoid getting a tie that is less than 2 inches as it will look more like a string

Below is a picture of ties from thetiebar.com. They are sold in all 3 sizes, various colours, different patterns, various fabrics and they are only $15 each. I have personally bought the ties and have never had a problem with shipping and the quality is comparable to $30- $50 ties from Tommy Hilfiger, Winners, and The Bay.

How To Get Started

         You have now started your first job. You have not worked there yet but soon realize that the dress code for the job is business casual. This is all you know so far and you do not know anyone who works there. So what should you do? How should you dress? Business casual may differ from company to company. For example, business casual dress code in Texas is most likely very different from that of downtown Toronto. Business casual at an IT company will be different than at an advertising company. The first thing not to do is to go out and start buying new clothes. Before purchasing new clothes, look into your closet and see what you already have. Do a self-check to see if you have the clothes you need to be successful. Doing this may save you a lot of money, if you already have the clothes you need. Below is a list of clothes which are essential for anyone that is starting business casual. 

Shirts: 7 in total

• 2 white oxfords

• 2 light blue oxfords, if you do not like blue than get an extra white shirt

• 1 chambray shirt

• 2 gingham shirt

Pants: 4 pants

• 1 Khaki

• 2 different shades of chino's

• 1 navy blue chino

Shoes: 2 shoes make one of them wingtips if possible and a corresponding colour belt

• 1 brown leather shoe

• 1 black leather shoe

Blazer:

• 1 navy blue sports blazer

        Remember when trying on clothes you already have, make sure they fit properly. For shirts, try having less material around your waist and arms. If you do, it means, the shirt is too big. For chino’s, make sure that they can fit without a belt to hold them up. The blazer is the hardest to know the right size and often takes going to tailor or trying on a lot of different types. The shoulders should fit and the back of the jacket should lay flat against your back.

What does business casual mean to you?