Your Professional Image: Dress for Success
A McDonough Career Center guide to business attire
There are basic principles followed across all types of attire and professional settings. Business attire is the clothing you wear in professional settings and can mean many different types of clothing, each of which may be appropriate in certain circumstances and inappropriate in others. There are varying levels of business attire ranging from “casual” to “business formal.” This guide shares some best practices and general guidance. If you're uncertain or still have questions, ask a career advisor and/or someone in the company or industry!
First impressions matter, whether it’s a job interview, a networking event, or your first day at a new job. How you present yourself in professional settings matters and your attire is one of the first things people notice about you. Your wardrobe should reinforce your professional brand and be appropriate to the company culture and norms as well as for the work you need to do. It is certainly possible to look professional and still feel comfortable and confident.
Here are a few universal tips to keep in mind to help you prepare for your next professional meeting or event:
Do's
Do ensure that your clothes fit properly.
Do ensure that your clothes are clean, in good condition, and free of wrinkles, holes, lint, and excessive fading.
Do remember to be well-groomed at all times, and keep up with personal hygiene.
If makeup is worn, it is applied sparingly and properly.
Do make sure that any piercings or visible tattoos you have align with company guidelines.
Do show your personality in your accessories, but don't overdo it, "less is more" (e.g., 1-2 statement pieces are usually perfect).
Do always use a padfolio and sometimes a briefcase to store belongings.
Don'ts
Don’t wear clothes that are ill-fitting (i.e., too large, small, tight, and baggy) or shoes that are difficult to walk in.
While it is nice to smell good, don’t use heavy perfumes or colognes.
Don’t wear accessories that can be distracting (e.g., chunky jewelry).
Don't use a backpack to store your belongings.
Below is an outline of the most common types of business attire. Click the caret/arrow by each title for more details.
Business Formal and Professional
Business formal attire (also known as business professional) refers to a "crisp" dress code, literally: pressed, neat, and never wrinkled. Business formal is almost always the default for interviews regardless of industry.
Some companies in industries with more formal office environments may ask their employees to dress in professional attire on a daily basis. These industries generally include but are not limited to: finance, law, government, consulting, or real estate.
When to wear it: Most interviews, more formal office environments, university or company-sponsored networking events
Clothing examples: In general, your clothing should be a neutral color like black, white, darker grey, tan, or navy. Avoid patterns and bright colors.
Tops / Bottoms: Suits, pantsuits, skirt suits with a button-up collared shirt or blouse
Shoes: Close-toed dress shoes with or without a heel that is at or under 3.5 inches
Accessories: Ties, professional bags, portfolios, minimalist jewelry, leather belts (pro tip: should match shoe color)
Where to shop:
$: H&M, Express
$$: Zara, J.Crew, Jos A. Banks, Macy's, Calvin Klein, Ann Taylor
$$$: Banana Republic, Cos, Brooks Brothers, Armani, Hugo Boss, Suit Supply
Disclaimer: Business formal clothing can also refer to the dress code for formal occasions such as "black tie" or "evening dress" events. Think award ceremonies, corporate events in the evening, galas/benefit dinners, and award ceremonies.
Business casual
Business casual is a frequent source of confusion for many because there is no clear or standardized definition. However, the basics of business casual are that wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and flipflops is too informal, and wearing a full suit is too formal.
When to wear it: Everyday office for many industries, interviews for companies in industries outside finance, law, government, consulting, or real estate, some networking events, some professional conferences
Clothing examples:
Tops: Collared shirts, short- and long-sleeved shirts/blouses, button-downs, turtlenecks, blazers, fine-knit sweaters
Bottoms: Chinos, dress pants/slacks, skirts
Shoes: Closed-toe shoes such as dress shoes, boots, loafers, flats, oxfords
Accessories: Professional bags, padfolios, minimal jewelry
Where to shop:
$ ASOS
$$ Loft, Zara, Kohl's, Macy's, Nordstrom
$$$ Banana Republic, Ralph Lauren
Smart OR Dressy casual
Smart or dressy casual attire falls somewhere in between business casual and business professional. It opens up a lot more variety in your wardrobe, allowing your personality to shine through while maintaining a professional vibe.
When to wear it: Your go-to for an interview with a company that has a “casual” dress code. For everyday office wear, some companies have a business professional dress code but might find that people actually dress closer to smart casual.
When to wear it: Everyday office, interviews for companies with "casual" dress codes, coffee chats
Clothing examples:
Tops: Collared or short-sleeved shirts, button-downs, polos blazers, cardigans
Bottoms: Dress pants/slacks, chinos, suitpants
Shoes: Closed-toe heels, flats, or loafers, some open-toed shoes (no flipflops)
Accessories: professional bags, padfolios, jewelry
Where to shop:
$ Amazon, Target
$$ Lulu's Office Chic, Club Monaco
$$$ Ralph Lauren
Casual
Casual dress is the least formal type of business attire. This is common among creative industries and tech companies. Although comfort is a priority, certain standards are required. You should still avoid tank tops, flipflops, workout clothing, and anything that is see-through, or excessively ripped, tattered, and frayed. Your clothes still need to be appropriate and presentable for the workplace.
When to wear it: Everyday office among creative industries and tech companies
Clothing examples:
Tops: Nice t-shirts, henleys, sweatshirts, colorful blouses
Bottoms: Jeans, khakis, chinos
Shoes: Tennis shoes, boots, sandals
Accessories:
Where to shop:
$ H&M, Target, Amazon
$$ Nordstrom, Club Monaco
$$$ Ralph Lauren
Additional resources
Georgetown student examples from past career fairs and events
How to Dress for a Job Interview, Cawley Career Education Center
"What Is Business Attire?", The Balance Careers (June 30, 2020)
"Gender Neutral Interview Attire and Business Clothing", The Balance Careers (February 13, 2020)