Neiman Marcus said, “Women who wear black lead colorful lives.” Ain’t that the truth? If you disagree, I politely present Victoria Beckham as my counterargument. After working as the Operations Manager for a wealth management firm for five years, approximately 75% of my professional wardrobe is primarily black. There’s nothing wrong with rocking pops of color, but if you’re just starting to curate an office wardrobe, no color is more versatile than black. I’m also no stranger to the “business casual” dress code. What does it mean exactly? Look professional without trying too hard. If you’re looking for some stylish business casual outfit ideas, invest in a couple pairs of well-tailored pants, like these Banana Republic laser-cut ankle pants, and a handful of comfy casual tops to wear with them. 

Unfortunately, the business casual dress code doesn’t usually allow for jeans or flip-flops, although all office cultures are different. On our more casual days, my go-to outfit was a well-kept cotton crew neck tucked into comfy dress pants and paired with colorful accessories, like these bright red patent pumps. Although I’m wearing heels in this post, ballet flats and dressy sandals, ie sandals with backs, make great casual office shoes. Head down to the bottom of this post for full outfit details plus three of my most popular office outfits of all time. 

I’m so obsessed with the scalloped, laser-cut detailing on these ankle pants! Make them in seven more colors, Banana Republic!

Shop the Look: Black Laser-Cut Ankle Pants, $68 (currently on sale) | Striped Cotton Crew, $32 | Patent Red Pumps, $90 | Classic Red Ralph Lauren Satchel, $278 (available in black, brown, and red) | White Michele Watch, $445 | Rayne Necklace, $80

Click each image to shop!

More Stylish Business Casual Outfit Ideas

To give y’all few more ideas for stylish business casual outfits, here are three of my most popular “work chic” posts. This first ensemble is contingent upon a more relaxed dress code. I don’t recommend wearing shorts to work, no matter how conservative they are, before first consulting co-workers or your HR department. Click here for outfit details and more styling tips. 

Although I wouldn’t say this outfit is necessarily casual, it’s a fun way to show that you shouldn’t be afraid of color. Play around with your professional wardrobe and incorporate trends and styles that best suit your personality– and your company’s dress code. Click here for outfit details and more styling tips. 

This last office look is probably my favorite. Again, it’s not super casual, but it’s trendy, comfortable, and the definition of professionally chic. With different pairs of pants on rotation, this is basically what I wore to work every day. To dress it down, these bow heels could easily be traded in for some comfy ballet flats, and the black blazer could be replaced with a lightweight cardigan. Click here for full outfit details and more styling tips. 

If you have any more questions about how to curate a wardrobe of stylish business casual outfits, feel free to shoot me an email or leave a question in the comments! Have a great week, y’all!
 
_{Thank you, Banana Republic, for sponsoring this post! While I was compensated to write about stylish business casual outfit ideas, all opinions are my own. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that make Diary of a Debutante possible!}