Dress code
Smart casual means polished but relaxed, a clear step below a suit and a step above jeans and a tee.
Smart casual means polished but relaxed, a clear step below a suit and a step above jeans and a tee.
Smart casual is the most used and most confusing dress code, because it is a direction rather than a uniform. It means you made an effort, and it shows, without looking formal.
The reliable formula: well-fitting trousers or clean chinos, a collared shirt, a knit or an overshirt, and clean shoes. Add a blazer if the venue is smarter. Colours stay quiet.
The test is simple. Could you meet a client and then go for a drink without changing? If yes, you have it. It is not the same as business casual, which is softer on tailoring, nor dressy casual, which carries a touch more evening.
The lever · Swap one casual piece for a tailored one, trousers for jeans or a shirt for a tee, and the whole outfit lands.
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