We are often asked about appropriate attire for “casual Fridays” at the office. It’s quite simple: keep things smart casual. This is the easiest way to tone down the formality but maintain a professional look in your favorite pair of jeans! Here are the components in more detail:

Smart jeans or denim skirt: Darker blue jeans look dressier. Trouser cut denim styles are also great (grey and black are other colors to consider). No rips or fading for the office!  Major no-no!  A great look is this pair from Citizens of Humanity, shown above.

Dressy top: Girly ruffled tops, button down tops or collared shirts and tunics are appropriate for the office.  No t-shirts!   You’ll want to look professional when you take off your jacket, so the dressier the top, the more sophisticated you’ll look.

Jacket: Layer a structured jacket over your top when it starts to get chilly, or when you need to look extra professional for that business meeting.

Trench coat or coat: You’ll want something warmer than a structured jacket in Winter, so pop on a trench or coat instead of a jacket as it gets colder.  Add a dressy scarf and gloves as temperatures begin to plummet.

Shoes: Wearing dressy shoes is key. They can be heeled or flat, but not casual – the casual part of your outfit is the denim – keep the rest slightly dressier.  We prefer high heels, peep toes or knee-high boots are a good choice for denim skirts.

Handbag: Grab a handbag that completes your look to finish the outfit.  Also accessories like a pretty necklace or glasses can up your “smart casual” look.

You can tweak this look to be slightly funkier if your office allows it by wearing a longer tunic over jeans, tucking skinnies into dressy boots or adding a dramatic belt to a looser top. Now get creative and you’ll always look effortlessly stylish.