Business Talk

Monday morning means putting aside your casual and comfy attire and getting back into your business attire for another week at the office. For many, formal office wear can "wear" on you. With little change to express your self, your forced to be a "suit" eight hours a day 5 days a week; or is it 4 days a week? If your lucky enough to work in an office privy to the needs of their employees you may be the proud participant in the well renowned "Casual Friday." Casual Friday means you get to leave the suit on the hanger and don something a little less restrictive and a little more "you." Unfortunately with causal Fridays comes the ever looming question: "what is casual?"

The word casual can mean a plethora of things which leaves you with a wide open closet and an important decision to make. Making the wrong decision can at best get you a one on one meeting with the boss to discuss policy and at worst leave you with a pink slip and a box of your office belongings. So how do you avoid the worst and make the best out of casual Friday? Here are a few tips to help you stay in the realms of casual without being the topic of conversation at the water cooler.

• Read Your Handbook: Like most work related questions, the answer to some of your casual Friday quarries can be found in your employee handbook. Before you even look in your closet consult your handbook too see if there is anything listed that is explicitly out of the question for your casual Friday wardrobe.
• Ask Around: If your not sure what casual Friday means in your office ask your co-workers. Those who have been employed by your company for awhile should have a pretty firm grasp on what casual does or does not mean. Ask them what things should definitely be avoided and what are acceptable.
• Use Common Sense: Sure, you may feel casual and comfortable in your favorite jeans worn in all the right places and that graphic tee you've had since your college days but should you wear it to work? Absolutely not! When you're deciding what to wear use common sense to guide your decision. Anything with holes, frays, faded sports, or wrinkles should be left for your out of work or after activities. If you look in the mirror and see "watching the game at your favorite hole in the wall bar," you've gone to casual for the office. If you think you look sloppy you probably do so clean up a bit.