The phrase “business casual” was first applied to a style of dress that replaced the traditional suit-and-tie corporate uniform with an aesthetic that is relaxed but not too informal or sloppy. A blazer with no tie and khaki slacks is business casual; a well-worn pair of jeans is not. A tie with a v-neck sweater instead of a suit jacket is business casual; a Hawaiian shirt is not. A pair of sneakers that costs more than $200 is probably business casual. A pair of sneakers that costs less than $50 is not.
But business casual isn’t just a style of dress. It’s also a more general phenomenon, a synthesis of work and leisure, the orderly and the improvisational, routine and rebellion. In the business casual era, our work lives have grown more creative, but creativity itself has grown more structured and private life has grown more business-like. The signature dwelling place of the business casual era is the live/work loft, where domestic space is rendered with the tasteful sterility of a reception area in a well-funded start-up. The signature meeting place of the business casual era is Starbucks, which replaces the boozy conviviality of the corner bar with plenty of electrical outlets for laptops, free wi-fi, and productivity-enhancing caffeine.
