Dressing for Work in 2025

The workplace has become increasingly casual with the onslaught of remote work over the past 5 years and the dress code for many onsite jobs has leaned more casual too. As a result, "dressing" for work doesn't mean what it used to mean. But the impact that your appearance makes on your colleagues and clients is still a powerful thing. Knowing a little bit about the different levels of professional dress is a smart move when you're interviewing, changing jobs, starting your first job, or when you're just wanting to take your career to the next level. Here's a breakdown of the different levels of professional dress and what they mean in 2025: 

Casual Dress: Simple, casual items like jeans, shorts, t-shirts, open-toed shoes, tank tops - are examples of casual dress. These are things you might also wear at home on your day off to run errands or go to the store. *However, loungewear and things like yoga pants, athletic wear, leggings, sweatpants, crop tops, and pajama pants are too informal, even for casual dress. Casual dress is increasingly common across a range of jobs and environments these days. But before you make shorts and flipflops your every day "uniform" remember to be mindful of how others in your company are dressing, particularly if most people dress a little more professionally. And take notice of how your company's leadership team dresses too, and let that play a role in shaping how you think about what's appropriate.   

Smart Casual: These items are often also called 'elevated basics' so this includes shirts and tops with a slightly more tailored fit, unripped jeans, darker wash jeans (and a belt), chinos or khaki pants (and a belt), wide leg pants, polo shirts, sleeveless tops (but NOT tank tops). These are things you might wear to go out to dinner with friends at a nicer restaurant. This is where the majority of companies fall when it comes to thinking about a modern dress code in 2025. The idea is to be casual and comfortable, but in clothes that look a little bit more polished and professional.  

Business Casual: The dress code in this category is still pretty flexible, but the general rule for business casual is usually "no jeans, no shorts, no tank tops, no t-shirts, no open-toed shoes." This is where we start to get into work environments where the expectation is that employees demonstrate a more elevated sense of professionalism when it comes to their clothes. Button down shirts, polo shirts, professional looking knits, and slightly dressier tops are the expectation here. Khakis, chinos, wide leg pants, linen pants, or other smarter trousers are what you'll need to aim for in this category.  

Business Professional: This is the most elevated category that you'll see for daily workwear. The expectation for this dress code usually includes a suit & tie, a shirt & tie, a skirt or dress with a blazer, or trousers with a jacket or blazer. Common environments where you'll often see this style of dress include jobs in law, finance, insurance, medicine, government, sometimes real estate, and sometimes general sales. There is still a sliding scale here though, and this can trend more or less "fancy." Take cues from senior leaders and high performers in the company to help inform your choices. 

Remote Work: If you work remotely, it's easy to fall into the habit of dressing really casually - even loungewear casual. But it's important to recognize times when you need to elevate your appearance on screen to give the impression that you're really focused and serious about your work. If you're working in a job where you have very little or no "on-camera" time, then wearing your pajamas or yoga pants is not out of the question. But getting yourself ready to be on camera is like dressing for work when you have to go into the office. You want to give off an impression of professionalism and confidence, particularly if others are coming to you for your expertise. This means remembering the importance of personal grooming (brushing/styling your hair, putting on makeup if that's your style, choosing a shirt that looks polished and professional, and having a background that is well lit and looks tidy and professional on screen. Don't show your bedroom, don't show a mess behind you, don't show anything that could be seen as distracting or inappropriately personal. Research has shown that dressing for work, even when you work remotely, is an important psychological element that helps your brain wake up and function at a higher level. So "dressing up" for work (even if work is at home) is still a smart career move to help get your brain and your body out of lounge mode and into productive mode. 

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