Whether you love or loathe your job, once Friday comes around you are probably in full weekend mode. You’re ready to say deuces to your tiny cubicle, mile-long to-do list and, most importantly, stuffy corporate attire. If you’re a fashion conscious woman, then that last part of that sentence probably resonated with you. Casual Friday gives you the chance to showcase your sense of style and experiment with your work ensembles, but there is a fine line because appropriate and inappropriate business casual style. Dress codes vary from office to office—sometimes quite severely—which makes it difficult to pinpoint exactly what you should and should not wear on Fridays. As a result, some people tend to throw caution to the wind and fully embrace the casual in Casual Friday—flip-flops, stained band t-shirts and yoga pants are best saved for Saturday and Sunday. Although there are no hard-and-fast rules, here are 5 general guidelines that will help you avoid committing a major Casual Friday fashion faux pas this week.

1. Don’t Wear Distressed Denim

I bet you were ecstatic when you first learned that you could add jeans to your work wardrobe, but there are a few styles that you should avoid. Denim with fraying, large holes and slits at the knee are still a big no-no at many offices. Although I do love a good ripped boyfriend jean, dark wash bootcut, skinny or straight leg denim styles without distressing are typically safe pieces for a Casual Friday outfit.

2. Don’t Get Careless with Hemlines

Spring and summer are just around the corner and as the temperature rises, so do our hemlines. Trying to beat the heat is absolutely understandable; however, you need to watch the length of your dresses and skirts even on a Friday. Shorts might seem like a sure thing when it comes to casual attire, but they’re probably one of the most fiercely debated articles of clothing. Some claim that shorts in dressier materials are acceptable for the office, while others despise the idea of seeing the mid-thigh of their coworkers. Since the lines around shorts at work are so blurry, the best way to evade an office fashion atrocity and stay cool during the warmer months is to opt for a pair of culottes. They’re the perfect blend of shorts and trousers and will keep you comfortable and chic. If your work environment is very conservative it’s best to stay with neutral colours like black or navy.

3. Don’t Bring out Your Saturday Leggings Too Early

Oh leggings, what are we going to do with you? They are probably one of the most comfortable pieces of clothing that you own, but like shorts, leggings at work are up for debate. Most offices have a ban on tacky printed leggings or wearing them as pants, but in certain environments you can get away with wearing them if they’re made from luxe materials like suede and leather. So, if you wake-up one Friday morning feeling exhausted and unmotivated, reach for a pair of joggers instead of your tried-and-true Saturday leggings. They’re comfortable, easy to style and have that effortless Friday feeling.

4. Lazy day footwear at the office 

After wearing heels 4 days straight, your feet probably hate you. To ease the tension, sensible footwear is a great idea for Casual Friday, but not all shoes are embraced at work. Wearing your salt-stained UGG boots or dingy sneakers can garner quite a bit of whispers and odd looks, even if it is Casual Friday. If comfort is what you’re looking for, try a pair of loafers, oxfords or ballet flats. These styles are casual but much more professional looking than sneakers.

5. Going overboard with jewellery 

When you find that your Casual Friday look is a bit bland, it’s easy to get carried away with accessories. I get it, you want to dress-up your outfit, but blinding your coworkers with bling or annoying them with incessant clinking and clacking jewellery is not the way to master the business casual look. Swap-out multiple large pieces of jewellery for dainty ones, like a layered necklace or stackable rings. It’s a weird analogy, but think of jewellery as cilantro: as a garnish, a little goes a long way, but too much cilantro can leave a bad taste in your mouth.

1. Boohoo Lola Open Knee Frayed Boyfriend Jeans, $70

2. Mango Textured Flowy Blouse, 59.95

3. American Eagle Stretch skinny jean, $39.71

4. Mango Metallic Rigid Choker, $39.95

5. Zara Contrast Tote, $25.99

6. Call it Spring Suzanna Pump, $27.99

7. H&M Wide Shorts, 34.99

8. French Connection Samba Avenue Floral Camisole, $68

9. Zara Culottes, $49.90

10. Zara Blazer Jacket, $139

11. Express Shiny Textured Bracelet, $16.90

12. Nine West Jackpot Pump, $77

13. Mango Floral Print Leggings, $79.95

14. French Connection Valentine Viscose 3/4 Sleeve Top, $68

15. Topshop Contrast Piping Jogger Pant, $60, available at Hudson’s Bay

16. River Island Light Pink Textured Blazer Jacket, $76USD

17. Mango Semiprecious Stone Necklace, $39.95

18. Call it Spring Brevia Shoe, $39

19. CT AS Canvas Ballet, $55, available at Little Burgundy
20. Zara Brooch Clasp T-Shirt, $19.90

21. Babaton Landry Skirt, $125, available at Aritzia

22. ASOS Whistles Slim Square Bangle, $34.19

23. Matt and Nat Loon Collection, $160

24. Steve Madden Meela Loafer, $111.07, available at Nordstrom

25. Oasis Feather Drop Earrings, $11.40, available at ASOS 

26. Aldo Eresen, $25

27. Forever 21, Faux Stone Cocktail Ring

28. Express Diamond Cut Bangle Bracelet Set, $19.90

29. Joe Fresh Popover Tunic, $29

30. Boohoo Lilah Low Rise Supersoft Rinse Wash Skinny Jeans, $70

31. Aldo Afaunia, $10

32. Forever 21 Ornate Pendant Layered Necklace, $6.90

33. Halogen ‘Ava’ pointy toe flat, $124.97, available at Nordstrom

Style inspiration image by 9 to 5 Chic

By: Sasha Smith

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