What Smart Casual Means
Smart casual is a dress code for dinners, parties, dates, creative offices and many events. It asks you to look like you made an effort without dressing for a meeting. In practice, it's casual pieces chosen and worn carefully: dark, clean, well-fitted and without logos.
What to Wear
Tops: oxford or casual button-down shirts, polo shirts, fine merino or cotton knitwear, and a plain, heavy T-shirt under a jacket. Jackets: an unstructured blazer, a chore jacket, a bomber, an overshirt or a smart overcoat. Trousers: dark, unripped jeans, chinos or casual wool trousers. Shoes: loafers, desert or Chelsea boots, derbies, or plain white or black leather sneakers kept clean.
Read more: Business Casual for Men: What It Means Now
5 Smart Casual Outfits
1. Navy unstructured blazer, white T-shirt, dark jeans, white leather sneakers. 2. Grey merino crew neck over a light blue oxford shirt, stone chinos, brown suede desert boots. 3. Black knitted polo, charcoal trousers, black loafers. 4. Olive overshirt, cream T-shirt, dark jeans, brown Chelsea boots. 5. Navy polo, beige chinos, brown loafers for a summer event.
Smart Casual vs Business Casual
Business casual is office clothing: collared shirt, chinos or wool trousers, leather shoes, maybe a blazer. Smart casual relaxes it: dark jeans, knitwear and sneakers are fine. See business casual for men for the office version.
Avoid sportswear, hoodies, shorts unless the invite says so, graphic T-shirts, ripped jeans and running trainers. If in doubt, add a blazer; it's easy to take off.
Want a starting point? In Ollie Stylist, Choose for me with the Clean classic or Minimal style builds a smart casual outfit on a model set to your build.
Read more: What to Wear on a First Date