Not Your Father's Suit: How to Build a Business Casual Wardrobe (On a College Budget)

By Olivia Pfeiffer

One of the first things that struck me when I arrived at Villanova was the sudden need for business casual everywhere, from networking events to in-class presentations. I began to panic that I didn’t have the appropriate attire for events, and was not especially thrilled at the idea of spending $150 on a blazer from Loft. I ended up borrowing a few items of clothing from my mom at the beginning of the year, and felt like I was a kid playing dress up, nothing ever feeling comfortable or flattering on me. It took me a long time to figure out exactly how to wear business casual, and not feel uncomfortable while doing so. 

However, this by no means needs to be your own experience with finding business casual to wear. Below, I offer some tips and tricks on how to build your own business casual wardrobe -- and not feel like you have to go into more student debt.

1. Understanding Business Casual

First, an understanding of what business casual truly means sets you up on a path of success towards building a proper wardrobe. It is difficult to completely define, given that different companies and individuals have different ideas on what business casual means. Oxford Dictionary defines it as “a style of clothing that is less formal than traditional business wear, but is still intended to give a professional and businesslike impression." For women, this typically means dresses, slacks, and blouses, similar to full business but with more freedom to wear items such as open toes shoes and it is not necessary to wear a jacket. For men, business casual usually involves dress pants and dress shoes, as well as a button down but without the need to wear a full jacket and tie. 

2. Pick a Color Scheme 

It is significantly easier to build a business casual wardrobe when all of the items in the wardrobe coordinate with one another. That way, it is easier to mix and match different items, as well as reduce the overall number of items necessary to have a full wardrobe. For example, my business casual wardrobe primarily consists of black, tan, olive, and cream, and I can easily pull together different looks from that, whether it is a full monochrome black piece or a tan and cream ensemble. Having a color scheme also makes it easier to shop for business casual attire, as you can go in with a game plan on what exactly you are looking for.

3. Prioritize One Nice Purchase 

Now, the idea of building an entire business casual wardrobe seems intimidating (and painful to your wallet). However, it is not necessary to drop hundreds of dollars on buying a full set of clothes from Loft or Anthropologie. Rather, select one item to splurge on as a statement piece, something that makes you feel incredibly confident while wearing it! Confidence and business fashion go hand-in-hand, and this confidence is incredibly important for interviews and other necessary events. 

After you have one nice item, everything else in the wardrobe can be secondary. Don’t discount popular or lower budget stores for not having good business casual attire. H&M has a wonderful (and cheap!) business selection, such as an adorable pair of checkered slacks for $14.99, or Target offers a chic blazer for $34.99. The less important items of the wardrobe, such as button down shirts, can be found almost anywhere, and by sticking to a color scheme and theme, it is easy to build up your wardrobe. 

4. Consider Alternative Methods of Buying

Furthermore, you do not have to simply consider traditional retail when it comes to building a business casual wardrobe. Thrift stores and consignment stores offer incredible deals on lightly-used business casual wear, and at significantly lower prices than a traditional retailer. Though it might take slightly more time to find exactly what you are looking for, the low prices and opportunities for unique and stand-out pieces are absolutely worth it. I recently bought an Eddie Bauer jacket from Goodwill for only 8 dollars, and it looks brand new. 

Alternatively, consider renting some of your business casual attire. Sites like Rent the Runway offer 4 and 8-day rentals for moderate prices, meaning you can get a higher end item for a specific event without the overall damage to your wallet. Villanova also offers many resources for students who do not have appropriate attire. The Career Center has something known as The Wildcat Wardrobe which allows students to borrow gently-used professional and business casual attire. Simply schedule an appointment with the Career Center to “shop the wildcat wardrobe,” making formal business casual wear available to any and all students who may be in need.

In the end, building a business casual wardrobe is important in creating a good first impression with potential future employers and current teachers. By fulling understanding what business casual is and how to properly have business casual items, you can enter into any professional event with the confidence of knowing you look and feel good.