Business casual: History and Key Facts

Business casual is an ambiguously defined Western dress code that is a form of smart casual wear for business purposes, replacing traditional business wear ("informal wear") for white-collar workplaces. For men this consists of some components of a business suit, typically a dress shirt and trousers, but without a matching suit jacket, and with neck ties optional. A coordinating (not matching) sport coat or blazer may be worn, or omitted; a sweater or vest may be worn instead. For women, the same components can be worn (dress shirt, trousers, optional coat etc.), though usually in a female style, like a blouse for a shirt. A dress or skirt may be worn instead, generally at or just above the knee. There is significant variation; see § Definition.

Acceptance of business casual in the United States was preceded by Casual Fridays which originated in California in the 1990s, in turn inspired by the Hawaiian 1960s casual custom of Aloha Friday. The designation of particular clothing pieces as "business casual" may be contentious.

Source and attribution

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