So, you've been invited to a function and the dress code is "smart casual." Or maybe you came across the ambiguous term while reading a menswear article, or you overheard it in conversation, or you stumbled upon it somewhere out in the world and thought to yourself, What the hell does that mean? Pal, you're not alone—we're here to help you out.
In a sense, "smart casual" sounds like an oxymoron. If you're dressing smart, you're not dressing casual, and if you're dressing casual to go to the grocery store or game on the couch all day, you're probably not looking very smart and sharp, are you? How do you approach this vague, kind of nonsensical dress code?
Some people define smart casual as mixing timeless staple pieces with newer, trendier contemporary pieces, and showing your menswear prowess that way. You know—a white button-down (classic), some baggy pants that are of the times (trendy), and either some timeless loafers or some hype-worthy new sneakers. We don't oppose this definition, but "smart casual" is certainly more nuanced than mixing up what your Instagram feed and your LinkedIn connections are wearing.
Other people define smart casual as being generally well-dressed, typically through incorporating formal suit pieces into your everyday wardrobe with more dressed-down pieces. This is ... kind of what smart casual is, but it limits you to elementary outfit combinations, like a tee and trousers or a blazer and jeans. We can do better than that, guys. In fact—we'll just tell you how.
What Is Smart Casual?
Smart casual is your safe space when it comes to getting dressed. Most of the time (but not all of the time), it's your happy medium to not being overdressed or underdressed, because smart casual combines elements of casualwear and smartwear. To put it simply: It's a more polished, refined take on what you would throw on if you were just getting casually dressed, and it's a more relaxed, contemporary version of your traditional elevated looks.
There's no one way to dress smart casual, but there are certainly right and wrong ways to dress smart casual. A lot of you probably already dress smart casual without even realizing it; if you're wearing any combination of suit pieces with a tee, sneakers, a sweater, or jeans today, you're likely looking very smart casual.
Annoyingly, "smart casual" is a vague term that is exactly what it sounds like. You're a notch up from casual, a notch beneath dressy. Likely you're combining your closet's staples (think simple button-downs, blazers, loafers, jeans, tees, sweaters) with trends, whether that's certain silhouettes (baggy pants, tailored jackets, cropped hems), specific accessories (Adidas Sambas, anyone?), or prints and graphics.
A good rule of thumb: Mix pieces you would wear to watch a game at the bar with pieces you would wear to work or on a date. Ideally, that'll keep you from going too formal or too casual.
What Occasions Call for Smart-Casual Wear?
Honestly, most occasions call for smart-casual wear. Dinners, dates, work, your buddy's housewarming party, your girlfriend's birthday, your big presentation in a meeting.
If you're going somewhere like a wedding or a party, places where the dress code is typically explicitly stated, you should adhere to that, of course. But smart casual is always your fallback, a way to play it safe and not be the guy in the room who's out of place because he wore cargo pants while everyone else is wearing slacks, or a double-breasted blazer while everyone else is wearing boxy Carhartt tees.
Really, if you just want to look refined and fresh at all times, you should be incorporating smart and casual pieces into the same outfit anyway. It's a life hack for looking like you tried, but not too hard.
What's the Difference Between Smart Casual and Other Dress Codes?
We have a pretty handy guide to dress codes for you, but I'll break it down further.
The dressiest you can get is white tie, followed by black tie, followed by cocktail attire. When you're composing a smart-casual outfit, ignore those first two—they're simply too dressy, and you'll look strange wearing tuxedo shoes with Dickies.
Cocktail attire and any dress code with the word "formal" in it is where we can start having some fun. Usually, these dress codes entail garments like blazers, tailored pants, loafers or other dress shoes, and button-downs—all staple pieces you should have in your closet and all fantastic items to incorporate into your smart-casual fit. The difference is, with those dress codes, you're likely adhering to one vibe from head to toe: refined, polished, chic.
With smart casual, you have a bit more room to play. Start by adding in pieces that you would wear to functions with no dress code—sandals, tank tops, camp-collar shirts, baggy shorts, and oversize tees. So long as they're balanced with more elevated pieces, you're golden.
How Do You Dress Smart Casual?
I've said a lot about dressing smart casual already, so let me make it simple: All it takes is mixing in your formal and less dressy pieces. It's all about looking sharp and polished (smart, if you will), but not overdressed—approachable, cool, and chill but with some refined flair that shows you put some thought into it.
Styling is certainly a factor, and we'll get into that more later, but for now, start grabbing your nine-to-five clothes and your five-to-nine clothes, throw them together, and let the magic happen.
Smart-Casual Essentials
Having some go-to pieces that you know you can easily style into a smart-casual fit will save you a lot of time and stress. Every item below is versatile enough to be dressed up or down, and all of them make for fantastic staples to keep in your closet.
The Perfect Jeans
I would hope, for your sake, that you already have a pair of perfect jeans in your wardrobe. Versatile as jeans are, they're a staple to have when it comes to smart casual—you can dress them up with formal shoes and an elevated shirt, and when you wanna go casual casual, just throw on a tee and sneakers.
Levi's 501 '93 Straight Fit Jeans
Agolde 90s Jeans
Todd Snyder Relaxed Selvedge Jeans
A Classic Button-Down
There are oh so many ways to wear a button-down if you're going smart casual. Wear it buttoned-up, open with a tee or tank under, under a sick jacket or a chic coat.
J.Crew Broken-In Organic Cotton Oxford Shirt
Todd Snyder Favorite Oxford Shirt
Trendy Sneakers
Dope kicks are the key to easily (and stylishly) dressing down. If you feel your fit getting a little too formal up on top, throwing on one of the chic, trendy sneakers below will easily bring it down a few notches, without sacrificing the integrity of your style.
Nike Killshot 2 Shoes
Adidas Samba OG Shoes
New Balance 997H Sneakers
Timeless Loafers
On the other end of the spectrum from sneakers are loafers. These are what you wear to bring your fit up a few levels if you're on the more casual side. They make your jeans look nicer, your baggy pants seem trendier, and your overall look a bit smarter.
G.H. Bass Larson Weejuns Loafers
Gucci Jordaan Leather Loafers
A Versatile T-Shirt
A plain white tee is going to take you places. It's the holy grail of layering, whether you wear it solo or under a denim jacket or a double-breasted tailored blazer.
Buck Mason Pima Classic Tee
Lululemon Zeroed In Short-Sleeve Shirt
Some Chic Knits
Knitwear, in any shape or form, is quintessential. There's nothing like a great cardigan to add some dimension to your look, or a sweater vest to get some layering on. If you're really in a crunch, tie a crewneck sweater around your shoulders for a preppy, elevated vibe.
Suitsupply Spencer Sweater Vest
A Dressed-Down Blazer
Don't go too stiff and stuffy when it comes to a blazer, because the style is inherently formal. Instead, feel free to opt for a casual, relaxed silhouette that you can dress up or down.
Flint and Tinder 365 Cotton Linen Blazer
Uniqlo AirSense Blazer
Casual Pants
Aside from jeans, you're going to want a healthy rotation of everyday pants that you can pair with anything from sneakers and sandals to oxfords and loafers. Pro tip: Workwear is your friend, here.
Dickies Original 874 Work Pants
Lululemon ABC Warpstreme Pull-On Pants
Flint and Tinder 365 Pants
And Some Smarter Pants, Too
Of course, if all your pants are casual, you're going to have to rely on your top and shoes to make things smart. Have some stylish, elevated pants on hand to make your life a little bit easier.
Luca Faloni Lipari Trousers
J.Crew Giant-Fit Chino Pants
Tips for Styling Smart-Casual Outfits
Keep it simple: Too many pieces in one outfit can stray into looking disheveled rather than smart. I'm pro-maximalism all the way, but for a smart-casual outfit, keeping things minimalist is always a good choice in order not to overwhelm your look with too many different aesthetics.
Employ the sandwich method: Honestly, the sandwich method is a life changer. It's as simple as this: Alternate your smart and casual pieces as you work your way down, from head to toe. Smart shirt, casual pants, smart shoes. Or a casual shirt, smart pants, and casual shoes. If you're layering on top (for example, wearing a jacket or blazer and a shirt), make one piece casual, one piece smart.
Invest in staple pieces: This is just a good rule of thumb when it comes to fashion in general. Timeless pieces should last you a long time, and the more you invest, the more likely you are to get some good longevity in return. These are pieces you can wear for years to come, because unlike trend pieces, they won't go out of style; think wool coats, silk shirts, and leather shoes. These can always be made casual with trendy pieces, but you can wear them no matter what's trending on TikTok, too.
It's all in the fit: Silhouette is not something you should overlook. Don't be afraid to visit a tailor to get a piece perfectly fitted and take some style chances by diving into what's popular right now, too, whether that be baggy jeans or tight shirts.
Our Favorite Smart Casual Brands
Percival
London-based Percival is quickly becoming one of our all-time favorite brands. Honestly, this is smart casual in a nutshell; the brand specializes in refined pieces but with a fresh twist. Think of suiting in cool colors, crewneck sweaters with funky graphics, and heavyweight tees with custom embroidery.
Percival Tailored Linen Blazer
NN07
NN07 has nailed that sleek, chic Copenhagen minimalism that we all covet. Its pieces are timeless yet cool; from tailored shirts to patterned jackets, these are versatile styles that are easy to dress up or down.
NN07 Freddy 5327 Striped Linen and Cotton-Blend Shirt
NN07 Billie 1454 Tapered Linen Trousers
J.Crew
This is the menswear brand you know, love, and likely already have a ton of pieces from. J.Crew has all the essentials, from suits to sweaters to shorts, and they're all inherently chic and cool, too.
J.Crew Classic-Fit Linen Trousers
Todd Snyder
For timeless styles with modern flair, turn to Todd Snyder. The brand excels in crafting classic silhouettes that are handsomely new, whether through contemporary fabrics and prints or flattering silhouettes.
Todd Snyder Italian Gabardine Two-Pocket Overshirt
Todd Snyder Crosshatch Leisure Shirt
Banana Republic
You can't go wrong with elevated pieces from BR. It's all about sophistication with this brand, whether you're getting a plain ol' sweater or some dress pants.
Banana Republic Wrinkle-Resistant Dress Pants
Uniqlo
For affordable basics and staples, Uniqlo has your back. The Japanese-born brand makes a damn-good layering piece, and whether you need a plain white tee or a blazer that clocks in at less than 100 bucks, this is the place to go.
Uniqlo Merino V-Neck Cardigan
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