This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
We haven’t talked about winter business casual in a while — 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?
Remote and hybrid work has reshaped the idea of “business casual” — so what does it mean for 2025/2026? Winter commutes can still complicate matters with slushy sidewalks, slippery steps to the bus or train, and more. Offices themselves can be unpredictable, either overheated or freezing.
Through it all, I think it’s true that your goal for work is to look polished, with your outfits looking intentional. For winter, you also want to be warm, adjustable with layers, and wearing functional clothes that don’t get in your way. After all, if you’re shivering in a blazer or sweating in a parker — you’re doing winter workwear wrong.
A Quick TL;DR Checklist for Winter Business Casual
- a warm base layer, whether that’s something warmer beneath your pants or something like fleece tights (they even have fleece tights that look sheer!)
- a structured top layer or third piece, whether it’s a blazer, lady jacket, sweater blazer, or cardigan
- weather-friendly shoes (this may include commuting in something different than your office shoes!)
- smart fabric choices, such as wool, cashmere, merino, especially for warm winter pants
- a sleek coat that fits over the layers (we’ve even discussed which coats look best on top of suits and blazers!)
- polished winter accessories such as a stylish scarf, hat, and gloves
{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.
Avoid:
- 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 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.
- anything not opaque that is worn as pants (this can be a problem with some leggings!)
Know Your Office:
- pants with five-pockets, cut like denim — especially corduroys or velvet pants (we just rounded up some great corduroys for work in 2025, mostly including ones that are NOT cut like denim)
- 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)
Keep Some Clothes and Accessories at the Office To Help With Your Winter Commute
We’ve talked before about the importance of keeping a few clothes at the office, like a neutral, affordable blazer you can throw on if you’re going to big meetings — this can be especially true in the winter! Some ideas:
You should also keep some backup items at the office, such as tights
Are Doc Marten 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, Boden, and J.Crew. (M.M.LaFleur just got some also!) 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
Some of our latest favorite Chanel-style jackets for work in 2025 include these, but in general check more jacket-y options like Chanel, IRO, L’Agence, and Veronica Beard, as well as more sweater-y options like St. John, and ba&sh. J.Crew and Nic & Zoe offer a bunch of both kinds, in regular and plus sizes. On the budget side of things, check out CeCe, Tuckernuck (XXS-XXL), J.Crew Factory, and Mango. (Also check out our roundup of the best lady jackets for work!) Nordstrom has a bunch in all price points!
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
Hunting for warm dress pants for winter? We like fabrics like wool flannel, wool blends, corduroy, and velvet — but know your office before wearing pants cut like denim, with five pockets (especially corduroy and velvet). In 2025, for wool flannel, check Aritzia, Loft, Talbots*, and Nordstrom. For great wool and wool blends, check out Banana Republic, J.Crew*, and M.M.LaFleur. (* = plus sizes)
Warm Flannel Pants for Women
Wool Blend Pants
Business Casual Corduroy Pants for Women
We just rounded up our favorite cords for work outfits in 2025 — look for pants cut like trousers, not denim. Our favorites include great options from Tuckernuck, Boden, Talbots, and Me & Em. If your office is really casual (or you’re shopping for the weekend), check out J.Crew, Kut from the Kloth, NYDJ, Wit & Wisdom, AG, and Loft.
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. As of 2025, this affordable option at Amazon is great.
Warm Business Casual Sweaters
Cashmere Sweaters
Some of the classic cashmere sweaters for work (as of 2025) 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
As of 2024, our 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 2025, check out this lovely one from Kule, as well as Nordstrom’s house brand, Vince, Reformation, Favorite Daughter, and Caslon. This Jenni Kayne cardigan/sweater jacket is fabulous.
Hunting for sweaters in a wool-alpaca blend? Stay tuned for our full roundup, but as of 2025 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
Some of our favorite classic coats for work as of 2025 include J.Crew, Sam Edelman, Aritzia, L.L.Bean, Quince, and Cole Haan. On the splurgier side, do check out Mackage, Soia & Kyo, Eileen Fisher, Fleurette, and Cinzia Rocca. We’ve also rounded up our favorite washable winter coats!
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 2025, 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 the best winter business casual looks?
Frequently Asked Questions About Winter Business Casual
What is winter business casual?
Winter business casual = warm layers + tailored silhouettes. Think wool pants, merino sweaters, structured blazers, polished boots, and a coat that fits over layers.
Can you wear boots to the office in winter?
Yes — commute boots outside, sleeker boots or flats inside.
How do you layer for a cold office?
Start with a thin base layer (silk/heattech), add a merino sweater, top with a blazer or sweater jacket.
How many coats do I need for winter office dressing?
Two: a wool coat for everyday and a weatherproof coat for slush or ice days.
Are sweater dresses business casual?
Yes, when styled with tights, polished boots, and a structured coat.
In general:
Winter business casual means polished warmth. Layer a silk base, wool pants, and a merino sweater under a structured blazer, then top with a tailored wool coat. Commute in waterproof boots and change into polished office shoes. Look for quality fabrics (wool, cashmere, ponte) and avoid bulky sherpa or athletic fleece.
Stock photo via Deposit Photos / massonforstock.