A Month of Business Casual Work Outfits: Week 2

Welcome back to me attempting to document all my Monday-Friday outfits this month! Business casual outfits can feel so tricky. Add needing professor teaching outfits to the mix and I can’t even count the number of work outfits I’ve tried on, deemed too risky, and discarded. The problem with teaching is that it can feel pretty dang vulnerable, like your whole body is on display and you need good mobility. So this week, I decided to focus on my favorite outfits to teach in. Here we go!

Monday: Sheath dress + sweater + boots

I love this outfit. I tucked the sweater up into a belt to reuse my black work dress (comes in two lengths and inclusive sizing) as a skirt and it was surprisingly comfy. I suspect we will see these black boots frequently this month, as they are waterproof and the most comfortable.

Tuesday: Colored dress pants + black and white top

This is my favorite combo for colored dress pants and I reuse it frequently. My colorful dress pants are this Gap pair–they come in tall sizes so I love them, I have them in burgundy, too. Also, may I formally plug short-sleeve sweaters? The right amount of coverage (no bra lines) and perfect for not overheating. Madewell always has a couple on their site so they are abundant secondhand as well.

Wednesday: Button down + crew neck sweater + dress pants

This outfit involves no shirt tucking, which I love. Plus, no exposed buttons, which adds comfort in the classroom. I wear layers like this sweater and shirt with this sweatproof undershirt, which is an absolute game changer for me. These black dress pants are also about 8 years old and my favorites, still.

Thursday: Plaid blazer + long sleeve tee + dress pants

I guess I was feeling the green this week. This light green tee was originally picked up for camping but then I learned that “pistachio” is a trendy color this year (here’s a similar option). I’m just trying to keep up, ok?

Friday: Vintage jeans + soft button up + loafers

Ok, I know not everyone could wear this light of denim for casual Friday. Our office is a ghost town on Friday, so I deemed it fine, and put it with more tailored stuff. This button up (old Loft–search for their “utility shirt”) and these loafers are still in my top 10 comfiest business casual items, so I felt pretty chill as I worked and roamed our abandoned hallways. Also, glasses (Zenni is so affordable for prescription lenses, cannot recommend them enough).