If it’s your first job or one you have been at for awhile, you always want to make sure you are dressed appropriately for a business casual office. Dressing professional in a business casual environment is important to reaching your career goals. You want to be taken seriously, you want to command respect, and you want to feel your best so you can perform at your best.
In addition, you don’t want to spend your entire paycheck on a whole new closet. The key to dressing for the office, is having some key and classic business casual pieces mixed with additional items to add a stylish and fashion-forward look to your outfits. Finding these looks at affordable pieces is not hard. I rounded up my top picks for the best stores to shop business casual looks for young and older women professionals, and they won’t break the bank.
Banana Republic
Banana Republic is known for its contemporary and classic designs for both women and men. In addition to clothing, Banana Republic also offers a range of accessories, including jewelry, belts, handbags and shoes. You can find their retail stores worldwide or shop online at bananarepublic.com. They offer free shipping for orders of $50 or more and quick and free returns by mail within 45 days.
They sell a range of clothes from casual to business professional (e.g.; suits), but have a large selection of business casual looks for women. They also carry petite sizing. Their prices are moderate, but if you sign up for their mailing list they regularly offer 40% off everything online or in-store without any exclusions so you can even get a deal on their new arrivals. Blouses are usually regularly priced in the range of $40-80, pants are usually $88-120, skirts are $78-98, and dresses are $98-158. With 40% off, it’s usually reasonably priced for good quality pieces that generally don’t require dry cleaning.
You may want to apply for their credit card, as cardmembers usually get an addition 10% off their prices (including the 40% off) and luxe members receive free alterations such as hemming. The savings really add up, making Banana Republic a top pick for best stores to shop business casual workwear.
I love their dresses as you remember from this previous post, but they also have the best separates to mix and match for multiple outfits from a few key pieces. Here are a few of my favorite outfits from Banana Republic.
This outfit is so chic. I love the combination of prints and textures. Shop this look now:
I love how the classic plaid print is offset by the fun pop of kelly green. Shop this look now:
This look is for edgier gals. Love the vegan leather pants! Shop this look now:
Express
Express is an online and in-store retailer for young adult women and men professionals that are looking for trendier business casual workwear. Much of what they offer is perfect for a day to happy hour look, making them another pick for best stores to shop business casual. They offer a wide range of sizes, colors and silhouettes, especially in their work pants. Express offers free shipping on prices of $50 or more and offer free returns and exchanges within 60 days of purchase so shopping online at express.com is easy and convenient.
As this brand is targeted to younger adults, the prices are on the lower range. Tops are usually regularly priced from $19-49 and pants in the $79 range. In addition, Express usually has promotions that include a dollar amount off for various thresholds of spend.
They have a category page dedicated to Work clothes to make shopping their online site even easier. Here are a few trendier business casual outfits that I am loving.
A shirt dress is the perfect workday to date night look. Shop this look now
A brightly colored blazer is young and fun over any outfit. Shop this look now
This skirt comes in four colors! Shop this look now
Ann Taylor
Ann Taylor is perfect for the modern woman that is looking for sophisticated and feminine business casual workwear. Their style is effortless and clean. They also offer a great range of shoes and jewelry. Ann Taylor is another brand that often has online promotions, and you can usually find everything at 30-40% off. It’s my third pick for best stores to shop business casual for women professionals.
Price ranges for tops and blouses are around $49-$69, skirts for $69-$89, and pants around $98. I also really love their shoe selection because they offer different heel heights from kitten, midi, to high.
The quality is also really good from Ann Taylor, and you will have your pieces for a long time, so really worth the price. Here’s some sophisticated looks that will help you climb the corporate ladder.
Nothing says sophisticated like tweed. Shop the blazer and dress now.
Florals are so feminine and fun for the office. Shop this look now
A classic high heel pump is perfect with any outfit. Shop high, midi and kitten heel heights now.
Now that i’ve shared with you the best stores to shop business casual, are you ready to dress for success? I used to think the saying “dress for success” was very cliche. But now that I’ve been working in corporate environments to casual start-ups, I know how important it is to look your best at work. When you look good, you feel good, and feeling good is key to being your best self at work!
It’s time to do some online shopping! Let me know what you found, and if you are looking for more outfit inspiration, please let me know in the comments.
