9 Smart Style Tips for Casual Friday

There’s something special about Fridays. It’s the last hooray before the weekend and the feeling of freedom courses through the office, giving everyone a little extra pep in their step. Some offices take things one step farther and let employees dress down on Friday in one final act of defiance before the weekend.

Unfortunately, dressing down for casual Friday isn’t as easy as throwing on your favourite pair of jeans and a ratty old college tee. There are some style tips everyone should follow to keep casual Friday from blossoming into pyjama day at the office. Use these 9 tips to successfully navigate casual Friday.

Fridays: Dressing for the office.

1.) Be cautious about the fit. One of the drawbacks of allowing casual attire is that sometimes people can make poor style choices that expose a little bit too much of their anatomy. You should never dress provocatively at work. Even though it works on TV, it won’t work in reality and all you’ll wind up doing is getting the label of the office floozy.

You can avoid this Friday faux-pas by making sure your attire is comfortable and relaxed, yet conservative enough to get you through the day with your dignity intact. Avoid sheers all together and think slim fit, not skinny.

2.) Go for a mixture of business and personal attire. Think about your work shoes, and choose a more colourful version for casual Friday. Coloured loafers are professional, yet slightly rebellious and very comfortable. Adding a scarf, a daring belt or even a small print can make your work clothes more casual, but still work-appropriate.

Think of casual Friday as an opportunity to express yourself. Individual and unique are good. People in the office will appreciate your efforts and you’ll get the positive attention you crave without putting an unflattering label on yourself.

3.) Avoid obvious brand labels. Look at what you plan to wear. If you see a large logo buckle, a printed t-shirt or any type of tag or feature that identifies a brand, you shouldn’t wear it. While you may enjoy promoting a specific brand or activity in your free time, you don’t necessarily need to carry that over into your professional life.

When choosing pieces to wear to the office, think casual and classic. Subtly branded, high-quality items are the best choice. Integrate interesting textures, small prints or even pops of colour to add sophistication and draw attention.

4.) Dress-down the accessories only. If you normally wear a suit to the office, you can dress it down by swapping out your accessories for something less formal. For example, if you normally wear an expensive watch, you can opt for something sporty or forego the watch all together. Change your metal-rim glasses for your weekend frames and carry in a messenger bag instead of your usual briefcase. If you’re really daring, you can even ditch the tie and open the top button on your shirt.

5.) Take cues from the people around you. Nobody likes the guy that doesn’t participate in casual Friday while everyone else is wearing jeans to work. Likewise, nobody likes the guy that takes casual Friday too far and ruins it for everyone else. Try to go with the flow and take your cues from everyone else in the office, even if you’re out of your comfort zone. If you’re really not a fan of jeans, you can always wear chinos and an unstructured sports jacket without a tie.

6.) Use casual Friday to let your co-workers get to know you. You can put little bits of your own personality into your outfit in subtle ways. Dress using your favourite colour or select items from a certain brand. Avoid anything loud, extreme or overly revealing.

Start with a timeless outfit and then inject your personality as appropriate. You’ll find your co-workers will pick up on subtle style choices to strike up conversation and get to know the real you rather than the image you project other days of the week.

7.) When in doubt, ask about the rules. Every office treats casual Friday differently. Some offices may think that a t-shirt qualifies as casual while other offices see foregoing a tie as the ultimate in casual. If you are ever in doubt, contact your supervisor and ask. Be direct and know what is or is not allowed before you go into work.

8.) Don’t be a style thief. If you see a colleague wearing a great belt, don’t ask where they bought it, go out and get your own, then wear it to the office the next Friday. Instead, work to foster your own style and look outside of the office for ideas and inspiration. There are plenty of places to help you find the right look if you don’t already have your own style.

9.) Choose highly functional pieces. Remember that when you’re at work, you should be doing work. You don’t want to wear an outfit that restricts your ability to do your job in any way. Avoid delicate fabrics, complicated knits, leather and any other material that impedes your movement. Remember that you’ll be wearing these clothes all day, so choose something that’s comfortable over long periods of time.

Wrapping it up.

Following these 9 style tips will help you have a successful casual Friday. Remember that by following the rules and making great style choices, you’ll not only look great, but you’ll also feel great. Carrying on the spirit of casual Friday is a great way to finish off your work week and gives you something to look forward to. Start collecting your casual Friday pieces today and make going to work fun again.