If this is your first time working in a job where casual or dress down Fridays are a ‘thing’, you might be panicking a little right now.
After all, what does dressing down really mean? And when you’re in a professional setting, surely you can’t dress down in the way you usually would at home? And you would be right about that!
But how do you find the balance between looking professional and having more casual clothing on?
It’s not as hard as you might think, so take a deep breath, open up your wardrobe doors, and let’s find some casual Friday pieces that are going to work!
Nothing with Rips or Holes
These are a total no-no when it comes to wearing casual items on professional grounds.
You don’t want to rock up to work in a jumper that’s riddled with small holes, nor with a pair of jeans that have the knees torn out, even if you look good in them.
These items are just not a good look for the workplace. Even if holey clothing is ‘in vogue’ right now, it’s not going to come across well at all.
Save these items for later and only choose from the non-ripped clothing items you have in your wardrobe.
Even if you think you could get away with a pair of jeans that have a small threaded piece on the upper thigh, don’t wear them.
Stick to Block Colours or Simple Patterns
Casual Friday means putting in a little bit of effort, even if your usual casual wear is anything you’re happy to throw on and lounge around in.
However, don’t go too far and put a little too much effort into what you’ve got on! Keep it simple and save the more sheer, shiny, and sparkly items for the Christmas party in a few months’ time!
Flowery patterns are just fine, as are classic stripes or polka dots, but try not to go too far beyond these.
Something Comfortable to Both Sit and Move in
You’re going to be at work, so you’re going to need something you can both comfortably sit at a desk in AND head off to lunch trekking across the city. And that’s quite a hard balance to strike, but do try to avoid wearing heels on your first casual Friday!
You’re going to need some versatile clothing here; something that keeps you feeling good (and like you can move) without needing to make any real adjustments.
A lightweight pair of jeans is a good fit, as these won’t be made of the kind of hard, starchy denim that makes sitting down a bit restrictive.
You should also think about long-skirt dresses here, like the made in Italy dresses from Laundry B that provide a good amount of shaping without feeling like they’ve sucked you in!
Casual Fridays can be hard to navigate as a beginner, but we’re here to help! Keep it simple, keep it lowkey, and be comfortable!
