San Francisco dress codes are noticeably more relaxed, but artists can still use their business casual attire to express their personalities without violating the more traditional or conservative dress code policies at a place of employment that is less artistically oriented.

Most companies have a detailed employee dress code. If a company upholds business-casual dress yet it’s unclear what business casual entails, take cues from the current employees. What are they wearing? Also, consider the type of job and the type of interaction that position requires with company clients and customers. What will a particular outfit say about that company?

TIP: When uncertain about how to dress for a new job, aim for one notch above the company’s stated dress code policy.

Even if a company’s dress code policy is business casual, always dress to impress when going for a job interview or internship. The same holds true for meetings with a potential business client and other conferences or meetings. It’s better to be overdressed than underdressed, and making the best impression first is crucial.

DOs & DON'Ts

• Wear clean, wrinkle-free clothes with no loose threads
• Avoid sweat stains, cleavage, or any flashy or distracting jewelry or accessories.
• Only wear jeans if you’ve been given permission (after being hired)
• Avoid wearing sneakers, worn shoes, or old clothes

Business casual alternatives For Women

• Knit sweater and long-sleeve shirt
• Add a belt to button-down shirt
• Pencil skirt
• Solid-colored flats paired with neutral-colored jewelry and dark-colored clothing

Business casual alternatives For Men

• Cool or pastel-colored button-down shirt under suit
• Knit sweater or vest
• Offset colored tie
• Sports jacket (wool)

Generally acceptable colors

• Beige
• Black
• Brown
• Gray
• Indigo
• Khaki green
• Light blue
• Mauve
• Orange
• Purples (use discretion)
• Taupe
• White

Last Thoughts

If a company enforces a strict dress code that is outside your preferred style or level of comfortable, ask yourself if you would be truly happy working there. After all, is it worth 40 or more hours a week of discomfort?

Additional Resources

Take a look at just a few of the many helpful advice articles devoted to the pesky problem of how to dress for work. Here, the topics range from the first day at work to how to dress as a manager to a general sampling of real-world persons throwing in their two bits!

• “Your First Days Working at a New Job: 20 Tips to Help You Make a Great Impression”
• “First Day Manual for Managers”
• Yahoo! Answers

Flaunt Your Best Business-Casual on March 30th!

CCA’s 2012 Career Expo is a great opportunity to flaunt your best business casual while networking with potential employers, creative non-profits, and Bay Area arts organizations. All CCA students and alumni are invited to join us on March 30th and receive invaluable information about potential internships, part-time and full-time positions, freelance work, and much more!

Before the Career Expo, register to attend, check out who’s recruiting, and browse more great tips from CCA Career Services.

This post was written by Career Fellow Autumn Darbrow.

Autumn Darbrow is a graduate student in CCA's MFA Program in Writing, the managing editor of Eleven Eleven, and a writing coach for the college's Learning Resource Center. To suggest a future topic that pertains to careers or higher education, email Career Services.

For more great career-related tips, see Career Services, or stop in at the 80 Carolina building on the San Francisco campus.