Smart casual attire is often confusing, but it’s different from business casual or just casual attire. For women, it can include dresses, skirts, pants, and blouses. For men, it can include sports jackets, button-down shirts, and slacks. The fabrics used are richer than business attire, but not too luxurious. Shoes and jewelry should be well-coordinated with the outfit. Smart casual is similar to business casual, but a little more down-to-earth. Avoid dressy jeans, shorts, T-shirts, flip-flops, three-piece suits, and cocktail/formal dresses.
Smart casual is one of those terms you often see on invitations, but many people are confused about, in part because not all experts agree on what type of clothing is included. This type of clothing is sometimes confused with business casual or just casual attire, but there are some differences. For women, casual attire typically includes a dress or blouse and dressy skirt or pants. Smart casual attire for men can include a sports jacket, button-down shirt, and slacks.
womenswear
Women with nice pants and a top fit the smart-casual bill, but you can also wear dresses, skirts and tops, pants and a nice sweater, or less formal suits. Most office clothes can be dressed up with a scarf, an attractive pin or by taking off a jacket and wearing a skirt and blouse combo. Adding a colored silk blouse and a high-heeled shoe could take the office outfit to the chic side.
The fabrics used for a smart casual event tend to be richer than business attire, but not so luxurious that you carry the outfit over to semi-formal or formal. Daytime fabrics like brushed cotton, chiffon, and linen can be a good choice, but the outfit should be accessorized so it’s not too casual. Dress lengths tend to vary, although shorter lengths are common; The nature of the event must be considered, but knee length or just above is usually perfectly acceptable.
Shoes for women should be semi-fancy or flat heels, and patent leather or metallics are often a good choice to dress up an outfit. Jewelry must be well coordinated with clothing; Any type of metal, semi-precious stones, or well-crafted costume jewelry can work well with a smart-casual outfit. Excessive and overly dramatic pieces should be avoided as they may appear too showy.
Mens clothing
For men, this clothing category generally means pants, a collared shirt, and a sports coat. For slightly more casual events, a button-down shirt can be worn without a jacket, although it’s a good idea to bring a jacket just in case. In most cases, a tie is also not required, but wearing one would not necessarily make a man look too formal. As with the jacket, wearing a tie to a smart casual event can save embarrassment if you wait, as it does in some restaurants. Sweaters, including cardigans, pullovers, and vests, also fit smart casual attire, and can be worn under a sport coat in nice weather.
Shoes for men include simple loafers or other leather casual shoes, similar to those that can be worn with business attire. Some men wear boat shoes, but this can be a bit casual, depending on the event. Socks should also be worn, preferably in a color close to that of the pants.
Smart Casual vs. Business Casual
Smart casual isn’t that different from what’s usually described as business casual, but it’s a little more down-to-earth. For men, the look is much the same, although the clothing could be more conservative for a business casual event. Women’s clothing tends to be a bit more dressed up; a nice top and skirt can be worn instead of a suit, for example. A woman might also wear more jewelry than she would for business casual.
Do not put it on
Possibly the safest way to dress appropriately is to avoid certain items. Although some people may consider dressy jeans to be dressy and casual, others may not, so avoiding them is a good idea. Other things to skip are shorts of most types, T-shirts, casual short-sleeved shirts, and very casual shoes like flip-flops. It’s also possible to be too fancy; men should not wear three-piece suits or tuxedos, and women should avoid cocktail dresses or formal dresses.
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