How to combine casual, business and dressy things in one look? With your mind! It’s not for nothing that the smart casual style is called “smart”, a style that has existed for more than 50 years and which is so relevant again. After all, in the modern way of life, who doesn’t want to look fresh, extraordinary and appropriate anywhere, starting from point A – this is work and, arriving in the evening at point B – meeting with friends at the cinema or restaurant.
The needs of us who are modern and trying to do everything, to feel comfortable throughout the day, without violating the dress code, have led to a new round of development in the smart casual direction. But previously, he was limited to only changing the fabric of a certain position of the business wardrobe, for example, a loose-fitting cotton jacket instead of a tight one with a lining that hindered movement.
There is also a business casual trend, which can be confused with our “smart” style, since it contains elements of a business wardrobe, however, in business casual they predominate and in such an image in a bar or on an evening walk it will be too much in terms of businesslikeness. Business style is more formal and does not allow overly elegant clothes or bright accessories.
It prefers a strict cut, dark or neutral colors, such as white, gray, blue. In contrast, smart casual is freer in the choice of color and style, it is more fashionable and individual.
From words to deeds. Let’s look at these comparisons with examples, and why they are suitable for both women and men.
Smart casual wardrobe examples
Today we don’t have to go to work and we want to go shopping. We wear jeans and a white T-shirt with sneakers, minimal accessories, a bag and basic discreet jewelry, perhaps even a jacket as a top layer. Today we are casual.
Tomorrow we go to work, during the lunch break we need to visit the doctor, and in the evening our friends invite us to go for a walk somewhere. We will already dress up in smart casual because there is no way to change clothes for every occasion in life, and especially we don’t know how quickly we will have to rush from lunch and how long we will have to walk on our feet in the evening. It turns out that our image must be comfortable, not boring enough and elegant, and businesslike at the same time. Tomorrow we will put on trousers, but not the most formal ones, a slightly relaxed shirt, loafers, a bag a little more elegant than today, and we will add another discreet decoration, for example, on the neck.
But the day after tomorrow we have a business meeting or conference. We also want a kit that is comfortable but also businesslike. Let’s put on a trouser suit in a calm, strict shade with a turtleneck, and leave yesterday’s shoes. The business casual look is ready and at the same time we are not as conservative and formal as in the business style look.
Thoughtfulness and proper combination within the framework of smart casual makes business looks more relaxed, and street looks more elegant and thoughtful. I want to look at such images, they have many variations and combinatorics among themselves and are appropriate in almost any situation, the main thing is balance.
At the moment, there is a huge variety of items that can be easily integrated into your everyday “smart” look: long sleeves, shirts, skirts, laconic-cut suits, turtlenecks, cardigans, jumpers, jackets, jackets, vests. Smart casual is characterized by the presence of details that allow you to connect things together and thereby create a harmonious image. Such a technique as multi-layering fits very well into this style.
For example, when we put a shirt on a turtleneck and a jacket over it. The image looks complex and interesting, and also has an individual style with the smart prefix, which solves many problems and saves space in the closet.
When buying shoes and bags for your smart wardrobe, we also answer 3 questions: will they suit business, casual and even dressy outfits? That is, they should be as universal as possible. Accordingly, quality is also important, and if clothes can be from any segment, then you definitely shouldn’t skimp on good shoes, because they will create the basis of the image and it will look either expensive or careless.
Guide to using smart casual
- Restrained shades: black, blue, gray, burgundy, brown, beige, white. In this case, the basic colors can be diluted with pastel shades.
- Dense, smooth natural fabrics that retain their shape well.
- Comfortable shoes with flat soles or stable heels.
- Items of a simple, laconic cut, comfortable fit, without emphasis on body shape.
What should not be allowed:
- bright prints, embroideries, necklines, large necklines, ruffles
- glitter, sequins, rhinestone
- bright and variegated colors
- textured fabrics such as lace, velvet, satin, etc.
- massive or revealing evening accessories and shoes
- more than three shades in the image
