Winter Business Casual: What To Wear to Work When It’s Cold Outside

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We haven’t talked about winter business casual in a long time — so let’s discuss! Readers, what do you think is off limits for winter business casual outfits? What do you think adds polish? How do you deal with layers, commutes, and more?

{related: The Ultimate Guide to Business Casual for Women}

Psst: in the past we’ve talked about ways to adapt conservative clothes to a business casual office, transitioning from a business casual to a conservative office, how to do business casual without looking overdressed, the best summer work clothes for a business casual office, what to wear to a big meeting at a casual office, what to wear to a very casual office, and how to look like a stylish professional in a business casual office.

{related: how to dress professionally for the coldest days}

What Not to Wear for Winter Business Casual

Wondering what not to wear for winter business casual? Here are some thoughts — every office is different, though, so know yours.

Probably Not OK:

• heavy winter boots — change into office shoes once you get to work
• anything that makes a ton of sound when you walk down the hallway
• anything not opaque that is worn as pants (this can be a problem with some leggings!)
• anything marketed as loungewear, such as fuzzy knit pants
• sports hoodies or hoodies shaped like them (you maybe can get away with cashmere hoodies at some offices)
• anything wildly inappropriate for the outside temperatures — think halter tops, shorts, bare legs, etc.

Maybe OK:

• pants with five-pockets, cut like denim — especially corduroys or velvet pants
• slip skirts — these are so common now that I think many people are wearing them to work, but whether they’re appropriate for work is an office-by-office determination. For my $.02 the worst offenders are those with lace at the bottom.
• super slouchy oversized sweaters — depends on how you style them
• over the knee boots (I would have put these in the “probably not OK” category, but they’ve been trendy for so long at this point that I think they’re a lot more accepted.)
• workwear from athleisure brands, such as Athleta
• patterned tights (know your office)

Are Doc Martin Boots Business Casual?

I often get asked if Doc Marten boots are business casual. While every office is different, I would think that solid black or brown Docs are fine for most offices, but the more colorful, wilder iterations aren’t. As always, though, if your shoes are making a ton of noise, the way that some boots with platforms or thick soles do, then they’re not appropriate for work.

Are Frye Boots Business Casual?

Frye boots are having a resurgence, so let’s discuss — a lot of this comes down to how loud they are in the hallway, and I would say that the styles that look more Western or motorcycle-inspired are less appropriate for work. So the Campus14L would be fine, but the Billy or Veronica boots are a know your office situation.

Tips For Your Commute to Work in Winter

It should be noted up front that if you’re in the middle of a horrible snow storm, you will hopefully get credit just for showing up at work.

That said, for other, less extreme weather days, there are some rules. If your regular footwear isn’t going to stand up to the weather, that’s OK — buy some waterproof boots or shoes with a serious tread, and then change into pumps or loafers or whatever at the office. (I’m always a fan of the shoe collection that lives at the office.)

Whatever coat you wear, I beg of you to make sure that it is long enough for your work outfit — if your sweater is poking out the bottom of your coat, that looks horrible. I’ve also always thought that dresses or skirts require at least a knee-length coat, but maybe that’s me.

How to Layer for Warmth at Work with Winter Business Casual Clothes

It can be tricky to get the layers right with your work outfits, especially because in the winter, in some offices, it may feel Arctic outside, but toasty warm inside thanks to heaters. I’ve always preferred silk long johns to layer under office pants — they block the wind but don’t add bulk or warmth to your outfit. They’re also a lot more breathable than just wearing tights beneath pants.

If you’re wearing sweaters or blazers that you prefer to dry clean rarely, I recommend avoiding sleeveless base layers such as camisoles — it keeps your underarms and any wandering deodorant away from the nicer pieces.

Easy Outfits for a Winter Business Casual Look

I often think winter is the easiest time to look polished, because it’s so easy to add a third piece — and with third pieces you can have so much more fun with colors.

Winter fabrics also lend themselves to a lot more texture (cabled knits, velvets, tweed, and more), which means it’s easy to make more sophisticated monotone outfits.

A few easy outfit ideas for winter business casual:

• A monotone outfit with at least three different textures.
• The “column of color” — typically done with a neutral color for your base layer (such as a blouse and pants) and then a more colorful blazer or third piece. Instead of a different color or pattern, you can also go for a notably different texture.
• Shades of one color — for example, a gray sweater with gray trousers and a silver necklace.

Great Third Pieces to Add to Winter Business Casual Looks

For my $.02, a cardigan will dress down any outfit, and a blazer will dress it up. There’s a bit of a spectrum for the other items — so a sweater jacket that looks like a blazer will be a medium option that makes the outfit slightly more formal, but still on the more casual side. And a lady jacket that looks more like a cardigan will be a bit more on the casual side.

You can also get that “slightly dressy” look by combining structured pieces with more flowy, drapey pieces. Drapey trousers paired with a more structured Chanel-style jacket, for example, or crisp trousers paired with a slouchy cardigan.

Cardigans for the Office

Sweater Jackets for the Office

Lady Jackets for the Office

Some of our latest favorite lady jackets for work include sweater jackets from ba&sh and J.Crew. On the budget side of things, check out Mango, Tuckernuck (XXS-XXL), and CeCe. If you prefer a lined, more Chanel-style jacket for work, do take a look at IRO and L’Agence; Mango, J.Crew Factory, and Madewell often have them at budget-friendly prices.

Chanel-Style Jackets for the Office

Blazers to Wear as Separates

Tweed Blazers for Fall 2024

Other Favorite Winter Business Casual Clothes for Women

Warm Pants for Business Casual Outfits

As noted above, know your office before wearing a pant with 5 pockets (i.e., cut like jeans) — but you can often find a ton of corduroy and velvet pants that feel so much warmer in the winter.

Our General Favorite Warm Dress Pants for Winter

Warm Flannel Pants for Women

Wool Blend Pants

Business Casual Corduroy Pants for Women

For 2024, some of our all-time favorite cords (mostly for casual offices) include the Kut from the Kloth ones at Nordstrom, available in regular, petite, and plus sizes. If you prefer a tighter fit, check out corduroy from denim brands like AG; if you prefer a looser but still tailored look check out NYDJ cords. I love these cropped, flared cords from Tuckernuck.

A Trick To Make Any Pants Warm: Silk Long Johns

Another favorite way to warm up in the winter, especially if wind is a part of your commute: silk long johns! They don’t add bulk under pants, and they don’t make you too warm once you’re inside — but they do an excellent job of blocking the wind.

Another Great Trick: Fleece Tights

Readers have loved fleece tights for years! In recent years you can even find fleece tights that look like pantyhose. Plush Tights have been a longstanding favorite, but you can find a lot of more affordable options at Amazon.

Warm Business Casual Sweaters

Cashmere Sweaters

Some of the classic cashmere sweaters for work (as of 2024) include Nordstrom Cashmere, Quince ($50!), Vince, J.Crew, Naadam, Talbots, Lands’ End, and Brooks Brothers. If you’re looking for something fancier try TSE, Loro Piana, Akris, Autumn Cashmere, or (more casual) Jenni Kayne.

Merino Sweaters

Our all-time favorite 100% merino sweaters for work include Uniqlo, Everlane, Banana Republic, and APC. Eileen Fisher has high quality merino, also, although the clothes tend to be on the more casual side.

Cashmere/Wool Blends

Some of our favorite silk-cashmere sweaters for work include these from LaLigne and Brooks Brothers; if you’re looking to splurge, Akris has a bunch right now.

In 2024, Buck Mason has a lot of silk-cashmere-wool blend sweaters, including this turtleneck and this crewneck – APC also has some!

If you’re hunting for wool-cashmere sweaters in 2024, check out this lovely one from Kule, and Vince also has some. This Jenni Kayne cardigan/sweater jacket is fabulous. On the more casual side, Summersalt has a bunch!

Hunting for sweaters in a wool-alpaca blend? Stay tuned for our full roundup, but as of 2023 check out AllSaints and Buck Mason.

How to Do Business Casual in Cold Weather On Your Commute

Professional Coats to Keep You Warm in Cold Weather

Although puffer coats have come a long way, I still think the most professional outerwear is a knee-length wool blend coat. It looks good with skirts and dresses because of its length, and the “wool blend” aspect is important because a 100%-wool coat can be really itchy. (I’ve always preferred a wool/cashmere blend.)

I would vote for practical features such as pockets and a buttoned neckline (as opposed to some of the deep-V coats we’ve seen recently).

As far as fit, make sure you can wear a thick sweater or a blazer beneath the coat — this may mean sizing up a bit.

Cold Weather Boots for Work Outfits

As of 2024, some of our favorite general boots for work outfits include the ones below…

This depends heavily on where you live and what kind of circumstances you expect to encounter on a) your commute and b) your quest for lunch. If you’re in tundra-like conditions you may just want to get a pair of proper snow boots to commute in (we’ve even talked about packable snow boots for interviews!)

For NYC winters I’ve always felt that you can usually find a fairly clear path on the sidewalk if you have a short commute, and have always thought heeled boots or booties were the best. If you think you’ll encounter a bunch of snow or slush I’d recommend wearing a skirt (perhaps with fleece tights) so you can avoid getting your pant hems wet.

If you’re worried about encountering ice, definitely go with flat shoes with a good grip (unless you’re a total pro in heels). 

Commuting to Work in Bad Weather

Great Weatherproof Shoes

Great Weatherproof Knee-High Boots

I mentioned this above, but I’ve always found a heeled boot or bootie the best for commuting, albeit with a relatively low heel (1.5-2.5″) if you’ll be walking a ton.

Some people prefer wedges for commuting, and depending on conditions you may want to look for waterproofed shoes such as La Canadienne or Aquatalia.

(I’ve always had pretty good luck with waterproofing spray, but I wasn’t exactly jumping in puddles.)

Ladies, what are your thoughts on staying professional on your commute? What would you advise Reader M? 

Stock photo via Deposit Photos / massonforstock.