How many times have you laid in bed in the early morning asking yourself, “What am I going to wear to work today?” Workplace dress codes, whether official company policies dictate them, or more casual standards everyone adheres to, can be difficult to navigate as casual styles are becoming more prevalent in day-to-day life. Unless you wear a uniform or functional apparel, like coveralls, chances are your professional wardrobe falls into one of three categories: Business Formal, Business Casual, or Smart Casual. And, while there are rules for each category, the standards of dress are constantly shifting, both in and out of the workplace. Let’s break down each dress code type and how to answer that age-old question above: “What am I wearing to work today?”

Business formal, which you may know as business professional, is the most rigid of the three dress codes. Formal professional wear requires a suit and tie. Some offices may be a bit more lax with just a button-down and tie. For ladies, a pants suit with a collared blouse, or a conservative dress would be the shirt-and-tie equivalent. However, that doesn’t sound very comfortable or interesting. If you’re looking to breathe more life into your formal business wear, here is a good general tactic — keep the silhouette conservative, but the colors more progressive, and utilize accessories to show a bit of personality. There are so many black and gray “suiting” dresses, why not go with the same style dress in a red or purple. Same for pant and skirt suits. Look for formal cuts in fun colors, or patterns like polka dots or plaid. Try swapping that button-up for a printed blouse, or mix and match suiting separates with knitwear. As for accessories, pick one to throw out some flare. A statement necklace on its own is acceptable for the formal workplace, but if you’re wearing all statement-level jewelry, it can be a bit much.

Business causal covers a wide range of work-wear styles. For men, polo shirts and khakis usually fit the bill. For women, there’s a lot of room for interpretation when it comes to business casual work wear, plus there’s the added danger of going too casual — I’m looking at you, leggings. To keep the business in business casual, approach your potential outfit with this question: “Can I wear this to church?” Whether or not you regularly attend church services, most people agree that “church clothes” as a style are going to be a bit more formal than the rest of your weekend attire. By deploying the church filter, you’re guaranteed to be dressed appropriately for the workplace.

Another technique for navigating business casual is what I call the two-out-of-three method. Basically, your work look has to mimic two out of the three main features of business professional: traditional silhouette, structured fabric, darker/muted prints and colors. If your office outfit hits the mark on two of these characteristics, then you’re in a good business casual zone. You can have more fun with accessories in the business casual environment, but it’s best to stay away from anything too novelty or cartoony.

For smart casual, otherwise known as creative casual, the rules are much more fluid and open to experimenting with your personal style. The smart casual office will most likely allow jeans and sneakers. However, you’re still at work, so the jeans shouldn’t be distressed or stained, and the sneakers need to be clean and really only worn for work, not the pair you run in or wear to mow the grass. The main goal to looking professional in a creative workplace is to look presentable. You can wear casual pieces like leggings, and even sweatshirts, but they have to be clean, wrinkle-free, and styled in a way that acknowledges you are at work, not in your living room. So for those leggings and sneakers, top them off with an oversized button-down and blazer. For jeans and a sweatshirt, style them with a statement coat and business-like loafers. If you live for print and color, then by all means, bust them out in the creative casual office.

Of course, your job may require situational dress codes. For big presentation days, you may be expected to wear a suit. On non-meeting days, you’re fine in a printed sweater dress and boots. On casual Fridays, shorts may be allowed. Whatever your dress code, be sure to always to put in a bit of extra effort when you’re representing your employer. And if you think an outfit may be questionable, it probably is, best to dress on the side of caution.