The AVB Guide to Business Dress Codes for 2023!

Dressing for work can be tricky, whether you’re in the office or working remotely. Use this guide to get familiar with your 2023 dress code and build a work-ready wardrobe.

Every industry or office has different dress codes and cultures, and even if you know which dress code your office uses, it can still be a challenge to figure out what to wear.?

The good news is, putting together a work wardrobe doesn’t have to be complicated. I’ve compiled everything you need to know about dressing for work, along with some tips and tricks to feeling professional and comfortable.

Do Your Research

Everyone wants to make a good first impression, and that all starts with how you present yourself on your first day. Knowing what to wear to a new job can be a challenge, but there are a few steps you can take to help.

Ask!

There’s nothing wrong with a quick email to your supervisor asking what the company’s dress code policy is and what people usually wear to work. Just asking for the dress code doesn’t always tell the whole story, so there’s nothing weird or inappropriate about also asking what people usually wear.

Check the Website.

You can almost always find some clues on a company’s “about us” page or on their social media account. Look for pictures of the team around the office or at events to see what they’re wearing.?

Observe.

During your interview (whether it’s virtual or in person) take some notes on what the people you’re interviewing are wearing.?

Take Notes.

Once you’re in the office (or on video calls), look around and see what all your colleagues are wearing. Find the person (or people) you most want to emulate and take your outfit inspiration from them. As the old saying goes, dress for the job you?want, not the job you have.?

Decode the Dress Codes.?

If you ask someone what the dress code at their office is, they’ll generally give you one of four dress codes: business professional, business casual, smart casual, or casual.?

Let's take a closer look at the 4 dress codes mentioned above.

Business Professional

The Basics:

Business professional is the “old fashioned” way of dressing for work — the suit and tie look. This dress code is characterized by its conservativeness. Keep things simple and don’t overthink it.

The expectations of business professional are the most standardized — no matter where you go, the expectations are generally the same:

• Charcoal or navy suits (pant suits or skirt suits) where the jacket matches the pants/skirt.
• Button down shirts (always tucked in for a clean look).
• A necktie, bowtie or some other simple accessory.
• Dress shoes, black or brown (depending on your suit).

Business Casual

The Basics:

One of the most common dress codes for workers today is the wardrobe you probably associate with all your favorite workplace comedies (“The Office,” “Parks and Recreation”). Like business professional, this dress code is best kept simple but offers more freedom to mix things up. This one is also the hardest to put together since it varies so much between workplaces. Start simple and adjust as you feel out your new workspace.

• Dress pants or skirts.
• Professional dresses.
• Professional shirts and sweaters.
• Nice shoes or loafers.
• Neckties usually optional.

Smart Casual

?The Basics:

An increasingly popular way of dressing for work, smart casual is the compromise between business casual and completely casual. This one can be hard to figure out and might not even be the company’s “formal” dress code, just how most people dress.?

The key to this one is taking a “casual” look and dressing it up, so it looks more professional.?

• Dark jeans or casual pants.
• Dresses and skirts.
• Untucked shirts and more casual sweaters.
• Nice shoes.

Casual

The Basics:

The minimal-to-no-dress-code dress code, casual is exactly what it sounds like: come as you are! The trick with this one is finding the line between casual and too casual. Casual means different things to different offices, so always be sure to ask if you’re not sure. Does casual mean baseball caps are allowed? Shorts? Flip flops? A full sweatsuit??

A casual workplace makes it easy to stand out if you want to impress. But really make sure you feel things out before you start overdressing — it may rub people the wrong way if you start showing up in a suit when everyone else is in shorts.?

• Jeans or casual pants.
• Dresses and skirts.
• Comfortable shoes.
• T-shirts, hoodies, and button-down shirts.

Video Call Dress Code

Video calls are becoming very common practice in business and figuring out what’s an appropriate look is often tricky. Is it appropriate to pair sweatpants with a suit jacket? How dressed up do you?really?have to be?

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Here are some quick tips for dressing for a video call or a remote office:

Observation is Key

Even more than in a regular office environment, observing what your colleagues on video calls wear is crucial. Many offices have different sartorial rules for working from home as opposed to being in the office. There’s also no harm in asking what the expectations are for video calls.

Dress Up as Opposed to Down

Video calls do tend to skew more casual than a traditional work environment, but you’re always better off overdoing it than underdoing it. It’s a little awkward to be the only one in a button-up on a video call of people in t-shirts, but it’s much worse to show up to a video call in an overly casual top when others are wearing suits.

“Zoom Pants” Are Up to You

There are lots of schools of thought on the idea of the “Zoom pants” (that is wearing a professional top with some sweatpants) but in the end, the choice is yours. The truth is, on a video call, no one is going to see your lower half, so what you wear down there is up to you. Some people do find it helpful to their mood and their work ethic to be dressed from head to toe, but the choice is yours.?

Let me finish up this article with a quote from the legendary french fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent - “Fashions fade, style is eternal.”