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Dress code

Business formal: what to wear

The most formal office dress: a dark suit, dress shirt and tie, or a suit, tailored dress or skirt suit.

When you'll see it: Law, finance, government and client meetings in conservative industries; formal interviews.

Decoded

What to wear, and what not to

Wear

  • ✓A trouser or skirt suit, or a tailored sheath dress with a blazer
  • ✓A plain blouse or fine knit
  • ✓Closed-toe heels or smart flats
  • ✓Minimal jewellery

Avoid

  • ✕Sleeveless tops without a jacket
  • ✕Very bright colours head to toe
  • ✕Open-toe sandals

Outfits

Business formal outfits

Outfits at business formal level of formality.

Tap a colour dot on a card to swap that piece; only colours that still work are offered.

Business · All-neutral

Two neutrals with clear contrast: grey and black always sit well together.

Business · All-neutral

Two neutrals with clear contrast: charcoal and white always sit well together.

Business · Layered

Two neutrals with clear contrast: charcoal and white always sit well together.

Business · One accent colour

Burgundy adds depth to navy without shouting; common in autumn tailoring.

Business · Layered

  • black overcoatShop
  • white dress shirtShop
  • grey dress trousersShop
  • burgundy heelsShop

Two neutrals with clear contrast: grey and white always sit well together.

Business · Layered

Two neutrals with clear contrast: navy and cream always sit well together.

Questions

Quick answers

What's the difference between business formal and business casual?

Business formal needs a suit (and a tie for men); business casual allows separates, knits and no tie.

Is a black suit business formal?

It works, but navy and charcoal are more traditional for business; black reads more evening.

Keep going

Other dress codes

Verdicts and outfits come from published colour and dress-code rules, not paid placement; garment images are AI-generated illustrations of generic pieces. How we decide