Business Casual

I have a love/hate relationship with “business casual.”

The term “business casual” is open to a wide variety of interpretations. Reasons to love it: endless room for creativity and playfulness, ability to toe the line with what is technically “appropriate,” opportunity for personal expression. Reasons to hate it: I have to put in 2% more effort than throwing on jeans (2% is a lot at 6:00am).

This week I am on the struggle bus in terms of getting dressed. I’ve been swamped with work and homework, have been battling a nasty cold, and took a 12-hour road trip to visit family over the weekend (that’s 24 hours in the car for all you math-avoiders out there like me). All this equals no clean laundry and zero preparation for the week. I usually like to spend Sunday afternoons preparing for the week: doing laundry, making my lunches, picking out outfits, finishing homework. Yeah, absolutely none of that happened this week. Which is fine, but it means I’m struggling in terms of feeding and dressing myself in a socially-acceptable way.

Luckily, I tend to have a fairly robust collection of neutrals in my closet, so in times of dire need I find myself reaching for my “uniform” of black skinnies and flats, with either a button down or knit top. I’ll add a statement necklace or earrings for some flair, and finish it off with a swipe of fun lipstick before I rush out the door (running late, no doubt).

Do you have a dress code at work? Do you love or hate it? Share your thoughts in the comments below!