Many business conferences and other events specify a “business casual” dress code. But a lot of people are unclear about exactly what that means.

“Business casual is a merger of two distinct clothing styles,” says Anne Sowden, image consultant and vice president of Here’s Looking at You in Toronto. “It combines the professionalism and credibility of business clothing with the comfort and creativity of casual clothing, and it varies from industry to industry.”

For people in the financial services industry, business casual means “classic casual,” which is close to traditional businesswear.

So what should advisors wear when the invitation specifies “business casual?”

Traditionally, the smoother and darker the
fabric, the more formal it is, says Sowden.
So for starters, instead of the usual black, grey and dark blue suits, she recommends both men and women lighten up the colours a bit with, for example, a tweed sports jacket.

“The nice thing about a tweed jacket — which might have checks or a herringbone
pattern on it — is that it goes with just about anything. It’s versatile and it looks good,”
Sowden says.

Here are more business casual tips from Sowden:

Men:

> Wear a sports jacket with co-ordinating pants, and a shirt and tie.

> Make sure your pants and jacket are co-ordinated — match a grey-and-taupe sports jacket with grey or taupe pants.

> For a more casual look, substitute a sweater or an open-necked shirt for the shirt and tie.

> Try a microfibre shirt. “They come in wonderful rich colours and they look like silk but you don’t have to worry about how you take care of them,” Sowden says.

> Instead of lace-up shoes or Oxfords, wear loafers or more casual shoes, something with thicker soles.

Women:

> Replace your navy or black suit with a pair of pants and a co-ordinating jacket.

> For a more casual look, try a sweater instead of a blouse or a shirt.

> Add a sweater set to a pair of slacks or a longer skirt and put on a nice-looking pair of boots.

> Add colour to your outfit with your sweaters and tops. Keep the skirt or pants in a neutral colour, and choose a sweater in whatever colours are fashionable for the season, such as pinks, blues and yellows for this spring.

> Wear the right accessories with your outfit and keep jewellery simple.

> When it comes to footwear, lower heels are more informal, but a little heel with a
longer skirt looks great, Sowden says. IE