Fall Business Casual Outfits

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Now that we’ve officially hit my favorite season, Fall, we can finally start talking about my favorite topic, dressing for fall! More specifically, dressing in fall business casual outfits.

Earlier this summer, we talked about summer business casual outfits and all of the different ways you can make different pieces work well for you. You all seemed to love that post so much, that I thought it would be fun to do that again with fall business casual outfits. Plus, I’m excited to bring back some older outfit posts and share why those ones work as fall business casual outfits as well!

Old Navy Dress
CASLON Blazer (Similar)
Franco Sarto Bootie
Everlane Bag c/o
Old Navy Tights

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Old Navy Dress
CASLON Blazer (Similar)
Franco Sarto Bootie
Everlane Bag c/o
Old Navy Tights

Fall Business Casual Outfits

So what is a fall business casual outfit exactly? Well, to put it in as broad terms as possible, it’s an outfit that you can wear to work that isn’t a suit, but it’s definitely not a pair of jeans. It’s going to be that look that falls somewhere in between. Business casual is that double edge sword because it’s great in that the category is so broad that you can get away with a lot of different outfit options. But it’s terrible in that there’s always a change that you could be too casually dressed. Business casual for women can be kind of difficult for women sometimes.

Personally, I think that the latter tends to be more of a problem in the summer when it’s too hot. But once you hit the fall, business casual outfits tend to be a little bit easier and they open up a little bit more. Why? Well, the temperature (inside and outside) can shift between warm and chilly, layering now becomes an option, AND scarves are coming back into the mix. When it’s a little colder, your outfit choices tend to be a little bit more conservative which lowers your chance of going to casual. You might go for a long sleeve business casual dress, a long wide leg pant, or a brightly colored sweater. The possibilities are endless!

How To Dress Business Casual In Fall

Okay, now that we’ve talked about what fall business casual outfits are, let’s talk about some of the ways you can dress in those outfits.

Layering

Fall is all about the layering. You may need it to get to work or once you’re at work, but get ready to layer! Sweaters and cardigans over your shirts, and cute jackets for on your way to work. Plus a fun scarf to help keep you warm on the way to work. The best thing about the layers? You can add them back on or take them off as necessary, but they’re great to have on hand as you need them. For your fall business casual outfit, test it out by wearing a cardigan over your dress or top. A blazer (like my knit blazer in these pictures) is also a great way to take your outfit up a step).

Fall Colors

The fall color palette is my favorite. I love the deep greens (like my bag!), navy, burgundy, and gold. It’s honestly the best color palette in my opinion. Plus, all of those colors work so well together (it’s great for color blocking if you want to test it out!). If you aren’t much of a colors person, I still think you should find a way to incorporate one of these colors (besides the navy) into your fall business casual outfit. Buy a burgundy sweater, get a deep green office appropriate dress, or try a golden cardigan! Or, if you love shoes like me, I’m highly in favor of getting a pair of burgundy flats.

Plaid

I’ve told you before, plaid’s my jam and it’s perfect fall. But how do you avoid looking like a school girl or a Scottish man? Um, well first you don’t wear a pleated plaid skirt. Second, limit your plaid. One piece per outfit. No plaid pants with a plaid shoe, pick one or the other. What do you do with the rest of your outfit? I think like to either go with all neutrals or pull one of the smaller colors in the plaid and wear that. For instance, in this outfit, the blue was one of the colors in the skirt, so I paired it with a navy sweater!

Boots (Ankle Boots and Riding Boots)

It’s boots season! But before you wear the boots, read your outfit. For instance, for the fall business casual outfit I’m wearing in all of these pictures, I originally had an ankle boot with a higher heel on. After looking at it in the mirror though, I figured out what was wrong, the heel was too high for my skirt. The fix? A shorter heel for a shorter dress or skirt. The longer the hem, the higher the heel.

You can also pair your dresses and skirts with riding boots, which I personally love to do. I think it’s a sleek look that looks great for fall. The only boots I would warn against for any office dress code? Over the knee boots. Save those for the weekend.

Pants

It’s finally time to wear pants and not sweat a lot! As a shortie, I have a thing for ankle pants. They pair perfectly in the fall with flats or heels. For fall business casual outfits though, there’s a whole world of pants available to you. There’s wide leg pants (which are really in right now) or just your basic straight leg. Whatever you do, just make sure it’s a flattering look for you.

A White Button Down Shirt

Remember my white button bodysuit from last spring that I loved? Well they sadly aren’t that great for wearing during the humid DC summers. But now that chilly fall weather is here, I can’t wait to break them out! I love the sleek look of a white button down shirt and they look so good with any fall business casual look. Just pair them with a skirt or pants, and a cute pair of flats and you’re good to go!

Sweaters

I know I keep mentioning sweaters here, well that’s because it’s finally sweater weather time. Cardigans or pull overs, I love them all! Personally, I love crew neck sweaters since you can pair them perfectly will skirts or pants. Cardigans are great though as a perfect layering piece. Remember, sweaters are also a great time to try out fall colors!

Work Appropriate Dresses And the Sweater Dress

I could have divided this up into two categories, but I figured let’s just throw dresses into one. First, you need a good sweater dress for the fall. This can be anything from a fit and flare to a sheath dress, but trust me, you won’t regret it. It’ll keep you warm and look good while doing it. For the rest of your fall office appropriate dresses, I would said to aim for a short sleeve or longer. This is my personal preference, but it makes life easier once it gets chilly.

The Trench Coach

Ah, the elusive trench. It’s so hard to find a good one, but once you do, don’t let it go. I found an amazing swing trench at Everlane a few years ago and you can bet it’s my favorite now. They’re great in the rain and perfect for pulling together your entire look. Plus, you just look so good walking into an office with your trench on.

Fall Business Casual Outfit Ideas

Fall Boots

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Work Pants

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Button Tops

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Skirts

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Dresses

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Sweaters

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Now tell me, what are some of your favorite fall business casual outfits? Do you love fall colors as well?

Photos by Kimberly Graydon