Business casual is a popular dress code that emerged in white-collar workplaces in Western countries in the 1970s in response to the energy crisis of that decade. Government mandates to raise thermostat settings in office buildings led managers to authorize employees to dispense with ties and jackets that had been part of expected business attire.^{[dubious – discuss]} Many information technology businesses in Silicon Valley were early adopters of this style of dress.^{[citation needed]}

In the United States, 43% of non-self employed workers commonly wear casual business attire. Casual street wear is the next most common work attire (28%), closely followed by uniforms (19%). Only a minority (9%) of workers wear informal business attire. ^[1]

Business casual has partially supplanted business formal attire wear (suits and neckties, sometimes called international standard business attire), which was previously the standard apparel for managers and professionals. Trousers complete the package; jeans are rarely acceptable in workplaces as part of business casual attire, but some Silicon Valley entrepreneurs such as Steve Jobs are known to wear jeans as part of the business casual look.^{[citation needed]} In academic and research settings, however, jeans may be worn with a dress shirt. The second-from-the-top button may also be opened in addition to the very top button.^{[citation needed]}

Business casual is sometimes equated with (or depending on perception, confused with) smart casual.

[edit] Definitions

Bill Gates in business-casual attire.

In contrast with the dress code of many blue-collar and service workers, business-casual dress is not a uniform. In contrast to business informal, there is no generally accepted definition of business casual wear; its interpretation differs widely among organizations and is often a cause of confusion.^[2]

The New York Times cites job search engine Monster.com's definition:

"In general, business casual means dressing professionally, looking relaxed yet neat and pulled together." ^[3]

An employment counseling office at an American university defines business casual dress as a middle ground between business formal wear and street wear.^[4] The following are examples of appropriate workplace apparel from some organizations with a business-casual dress code:^{[citation needed]}

• for women: A reasonable length skirt (not mini-skirt) or full-length pants of a non-jeans material combined with a top (such as a dress shirt, polo, or sweater set) is considered acceptable. An informal dress with appropriate skirt length is also acceptable.
• for men: A combination of collared shirt (such as a dress shirt or polo shirt), cotton trousers (such as khakis) with a belt, and shoes (such as loafers) with socks is generally acceptable
• Unacceptable for either gender: gym clothes, rumpled or ripped clothing, miniskirts, underwear as outerwear, inappropriately revealing attire such as bare midriffs, and flip-flops. ^[3] Many corporations also frown upon open-toed shoes and any shorts.

Neckties and cufflinks are not required for business casual dress. Business casual dress should be able to accommodate a tie if needed, however.^{[citation needed]} Of the 33% of men who wear a necktie to work, 60% wear a necktie occasionally, while only 18% wear them all the time.^[1]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Business Casual dress code - specifics for men and women