Affordable & Trendy Business Casual Outfits for the Office

We spend most of our lives at our offices working, which means we should be wearing work clothes that make us feel and look good. While upgrading your workplace wardrobe with the looks you want may seem expensive and daunting, Buy Outlet’s affordable office clothes will elevate your closet at a discounted price. Gone are the days of wearing boring shirts with the same two pairs of plain pants. Instead, start dressing for the promotion you want with these trendy styles!

What Is Business Casual?

First, it’s important to note what is and isn’t business casual attire. To be workplace-appropriate, trendy business casual outfits should fit you well. A shirt that is too tight doesn’t come across as professional and an oversized top may appear too casual. Furthermore, any tops with cut-outs, low necklines, logos, or phrases are not businesslike attire. Transparent or sheer tops are another big no, and loud patterns don’t blend in with the business casual atmosphere. Instead, opt for affordable office clothes that show your style without being over the top or inappropriate.

Business casual pants can come in a variety of styles, but generally do not include jeans, sweatpants, athletic bottoms, shorts, or cargo pants. Instead, opt for trousers, dress pants, and knee-length skirts for your trendy business casual outfits. If your workplace does allow jeans, darker, straight cuts are the best choice. Anything distressed or too tight will not come across as professional.

As far as accessories go, most shoes easily fit in with business casual attire. Steer clear of running shoes, sandals, overly fancy shoes, and over-the-knee boots. Otherwise, whatever shoes make you feel comfortable and professional will not interfere with the dress code. Finding a neutral-toned work bag that will blend well with your affordable office clothes’ color palette is key, as well as wearing limited and inconspicuous jewelry.

Trendy Business Casual Outfits To Try

Plaid is trending right now in the business casual atmosphere. Don’t go overboard; only one piece of your outfit should incorporate plaid. The best options to do so are either trousers, a pencil skirt, or a blazer. Then, the rest of your outfit should be relatively neutral and basic. Think plaid trousers, a simple black women’s sweater, and black flats.

For more casual Fridays, throw on a pair of straight jeans with a long-sleeved top. Then, wear a fun blazer! Either buy a blazer in a color you wouldn’t normally wear, such as lavender or orange, or you can find a blazer with a fun pattern. Trendy business casual outfits don’t go too crazy; any colors should still be pastel or muted, and the patterns shouldn’t be overly distracting.

Women’s designer jumpsuits are becoming a popular staple of the business casual wardrobe, as well. When paired with flats, a monochrome blazer, and an ambitious attitude, you’ll have your boss considering you for the next promotion. The jumpsuit shouldn’t be overly loose and flowy nor too form-fitting; think similarly to how you’d want your shirt and pants to fit.

Create a Capsule Business Wardrobe

A capsule wardrobe consists of a select few pieces of office clothes within the same color scheme that can be mixed and matched to create a variety of trendy business casual outfits. Shopping within the confines of a capsule wardrobe allows you to build more outfits for less money, making it the ultimate savings technique. As business casual environments don’t mesh well with loud, vibrant colors anyway, it’s best to choose tones of gray, black, beige, navy, or white. However, it’s okay to have a few pieces step outside of that, such as a red handbag or a pastel pink designer blouse.

For a complete, basic capsule wardrobe, we recommend at least five total tops. To cover your bases, two shirts, two blouses, and one sweater should provide a good base for mixing and matching trendy business casual outfits. As for the bottoms, four should be enough. We recommend at least one pair of trousers and one skirt. Additionally, two one-piece outfits, such as a designer dress or a jumpsuit, will add some variety to your affordable office clothes. To complete every look, invest in two blazers of different colors—preferably one in a dark shade and the other lighter. Two pairs of shoes and one handbag will have you set with everything you need to be the trendiest one in your office.