A collage with a mustard sweater, animal print booties, blue light glasses and a glasses chain.

How to Master the Art of the Casual Work Outfit

Throwing on a power suit every now and then is great, but when you’re spending upwards of eight hours in an office—or even just a desk in your home—you want something that’s both chic and comfortable enough to wear all day. That’s where plus-size casual work outfits come into play. Whether it’s a board meeting in a conference room or a Zoom meeting from your home office, you should be able to feel confident without wanting to immediately change clothes when the clock strikes 5 PM. There’s a fine line between too casual for work and just casual enough—and we believe we’ve cracked the code. (You’re welcome.)

Of course, every workplace is a little different. If you work in a start-up environment, you can likely get away with wearing jeans and cute blouse every day. For those who work in more formal offices, that might not cut it. You’ll likely need to to stay away from denim pants and find something that works as a happy medium—crepe pants and a comfortable blouse might do the trick. As long as you aren’t expected to wear suiting each time you arrive to your workplace, you can likely find plus-size casual work outfits that meet all of your needs.

Frankly, the more wiggle room you have, the better. While we don’t suggest you show up to the office wearing ripped jeans and a graphic tee, there are some typical office-wear rules than can be broken in a more casual setting. Jeans and a nice sweater are always a great option. Or, if you can’t sport jeans, you can opt for a nicer pant paired with a denim shirt. There are so many possibilities—all you have to do is get a little creative.

Lucky for you, we’ve done a lot of thinking on this matter (We love workwear, OK?) and have come up with five (!) easy-to-recreate plus-size casual work outfits. Keep reading if you need a little outfit inspiration—or just want an excuse to do a little shopping. You’re sure to discover your next go-to office or Zoom meeting ensemble.

Here at Unruly, we’re committed to featuring plus-size pieces we genuinely love and want to share with you. We’re connected to an affiliate revenue program, which means we might make a small commission when you buy products through our shopping guides. This in no way affects the pieces we choose to feature, and it never will. (Confused? We’d love to answer any questions you have about this. Email us at beunrulyinfo@gmail.com!)

1. The Comfy Blazer ‘Fit

You might not immediately think that a blazer can be part of a casual work outfit, but paired with paperbag waist pants that stretch (We love to see it!) and some cute mules, you won’t feel constricted at all. Plus, if you opt for an oversized blazer rather than a fitted one, the comfort levels increase—but you still look chic AF.

A collage with a brown blazer, dark red pants, silver mules, and blue light glasses.

shop the look

blazer — $49.99 from H&M
pants — $35.70 from Torrid
shoes — $49.50 from Topshop
glasses — $55 from Quay Australia


2. The Animal Print Ensemble

Animal print at work? You bet. Try a pair of animal print pants with a slightly oversized denim shirt and loafers for an office appropriate look you won’t want to take off the moment work ends. This outfit is also a fun way to get a little denim into the ensemble without wearing jeans.

A collage with leopard print pants, denim shirt, black loafers, and a phone case

shop the look

shirt — $88 from Anthropologie
pants — $35.70 from Torrid
shoes — $148 from Madewell
phone case — $50 from Casetify


3. The Dress & Sneakers Combo

Pairing a dress with sneakers is not a new concept, but you might have never thought the look could work in a casual office setting. If you’re careful, though, you can totally wear a neutral dress with fun fashion sneakers. Just add a pop of color bag and some blue light glasses to finish off the outfit.

A collage with a gray dress, mustard yellow bag, sneakers, and blue light glasses.

shop the look

dress — $41 from Missguided
shoes — $100 from Madewell
glasses — $72 from Revolve
bag — $59 from Draper James


4. The Sweater Weather Look

For most casual workplaces, dark jeans are totally acceptable. If this is the case for you, add a fun mustard sweater, blue light glasses (Protect those eyes, bb!) and a chunky glasses chain. It’s a street style-inspired look that works as well in the office as it does on your Instagram.

A collage with jeans, a mustard sweater, blue light glasses and glasses chain.

shop the look

sweater — $148 from Anthropologie
jeans — $34.99 from H&M
glasses — $50 from Revolve
glasses chain — $75 from Eyewear Love Affair


5. The Work-Ready LBD

You likely have a little black dress in your closet—and with the right accessories, it works great for the office. We love adding a colorful tote bag, some funky booties and a chic phone case to complete the ensemble. If your workplace is always cold, simply add a moto or denim jacket and you’re set.

A collage with a black dress, green tote bag, leopard print booties, and a black phone case.

shop the look

dress — $88 from Anthropologie
shoes — $79.99 from Chinese Laundry
bag — $99.99 from Banana Republic
phone case — $45 from Casetify