Wherever you show up—whether your first day at work, an interview or a networking event—your personal style and brand should be represented. If you like to combine form and function in your workwear, smart casual attire can be an excellent choice, as it combines comfort with a professional, trendy appearance.In this article, we provide a guide to smart casual attire that will help you learn more about this option for your professional wardrobe and how to incorporate your personal style.Key takeaways:
- Smart casual attire is a professional dress style that blends trendy pieces with a clean, semi-formal appearance, making it an excellent choice for your professional wardrobe.
- Key elements of a smart casual wardrobe can include quality items such as pants, skirts, tops, jackets and blazers, and professional shoes and accessories.
- Smart casual attire is a professional yet trendy look that allows for flexibility in incorporating your own personal style through choices such as color, prints, fabric and accent pieces.
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What is smart casual attire?
Smart casual attire is a professional dress style that incorporates trendy pieces into an outfit to achieve a clean, yet comfortable, semi-formal appearance. There are a wide variety of clothing options to choose including skirts, dresses, trousers, slacks, sweaters, collared shirts or blouses and possibly a blazer or a jacket depending on the occasion.Informal smart casual attire and business casual attire are similar. They’re both a style of clothing that will give you a professional appearance without wearing suits or other formal professional clothing. The main difference is that smart-casual attire may incorporate more trendy, fashionable pieces. Informal smart casual options might include clean sneakers, dark-colored jeans and structured T-shirts.A smart casual wardrobe should include comfortable and versatile clothes. Ideally, most pieces can work with one another to form a variety of outfits for your professional life. Let’s take a closer look at examples of smart casual attire for the workplace.Related: Guide To Business Attire (With Examples)
Pants
When building your smart-casual collection, shopping for pants is a good place to start. You will need a quality pair of non-ripped denim jeans that fits into numerous environments and can be dressed up if needed.You can also invest in chinos, khakis or linen pants of different colors that can serve as a base for any smart-casual outfit and is wearable in many different settings.
Skirts
There are plenty of skirt styles to choose from, such as pencil skirts, midi skirts, A-line skirts, pleated skirts and maxi skirts. You might also explore interesting skirt fabrics such as denim or corduroy to pair with basic tops and jackets.
Tops
Nearly any top will work well in a smart casual outfit as long as it’s clean, has no holes and is wrinkle-free. Examples of smart casual tops include sweaters, henleys, button-downs, blouses and nice T-shirts.You can also incorporate sweaters, which can easily be dressed up and down based on your pants and shoes. If you feel comfortable with colors and patterns, you might also invest in statement pieces that can be paired with solid basics.Related: Understanding a Casual Dress Code (Plus Tips and Examples)
Jackets and blazers
Jackets are a great option to mix up your outfits and they look great in both formal and informal settings. An unstructured, dark blazer can create a smart, professional look while also feeling casual. Look for blazers you feel comfortable wearing at work as well as outside of work.
Shoes and accessories
Make sure you have a couple of pairs of professional shoes—such as Oxfords, heels or loafers for more formal occasions and a pair of clean leather, canvas or suede sneakers for casual situations. To accessorize, add a belt, a watch or jewelry.
Adding your personal style
Because smart casual attire is a more relaxed, professional trendy look, it allows for flexibility and a greater opportunity to showcase your personal style. Your personal style is the particular way you like to express yourself.Oftentimes, the clothes we wear communicate before we speak and so it’s important to think about the message we want to communicate when picking out what to wear for different settings.Now that we’ve covered the different types of clothes that would fall under smart casual attire, let’s discuss a few ways that you can make it your own.
Color choice
Incorporate your favorite color that you like to wear, but be conscious of the season and environment that you’re in. For example, wearing bright bold colors in the winter may not give you the attention you’re hoping for, but consider a color scheme that goes well with your favorite color and look for ways you can incorporate that color into your outfit.
Prints and fabrics
If you like to wear prints, but you can’t show up to your event in your favorite leopard print jacket, look for a blouse or shirt in a nice fabric with that print and wear it under a blazer or sweater. You can also subtly incorporate prints you like with your socks or with pocket squares for your blazers.
Accent pieces
Use your accessories, but don’t overdo them. Sometimes small statement pieces can really bring your attire to life and still maintain a professional look. Consider a scarf, necklace, watch or shoes with cool detail.With the right mix of casual and formal clothing, you’ll look great. It’s important to adhere to dress code policies and fit in with workplace culture, but don’t be afraid to be “YOU” during your workday, in your next interview or at a networking event.