How To Wear Smart Casual

Balancing smart and casual is something we are often asked to do but not really 100% sure what it exactly means! I thought today on the blog I would go through my options and thought process so if you are unsure and want some guidance hopefully I can offer a helping hand.

Think Occassion

I think the first important thing when getting ready is knowing your plans for the day and always keeping your destination in mind. This completely dictates what I wear, for example, if I was going out for lunch and then a walk afterwards I would want something comfortable with a bit of stretch whilst eating and moving about, some form of jacket to prepare me for the walk (weather appropriate) and a sensible pair of shoes. That helps you to cancel out most of you wardrobe allowing you to focus on what options are left.

Find A Balance

Finding a balance of smart casual is an art form and one that is hard to perfect. It is all about mixing some of the smarter pieces in your wardrobe like tailored trousers, a pretty blouse or tea dress and styling it down. The finished look should appear simple and not to try hard. I think incorporating classic staple pieces is a great place to start. For this look I went for a denim shirt, which I think is ideal to base any look around as there is already a mix of a structured shape and relaxed material. I popped on my cream loose fitting trousers as these are so comfy, plus rolled up they look less like 'office' attire. To tie the look together I went for a monochrome medium size bag and ankle strap black pumps. There are some really simple ways to dress things down, a popular one at the moment is wearing a suit with trainers and a tee - I love it!

When In Doubt

If I'm still unsure on my look I always ask the person I'm going out with what they are wearing! It's a great way to judge what you should aim for so you don't go too casual or smart. That's basically what my girl group on WhatsApp is for, am I right?! Once you have one outfit nailed in this sector, you'll find it really simple to switch pieces around creating an endless stream of looks from your wardrobe. For me I would personally always rather be slightly overdressed than under, so when in doubt I just go in what I think looks good and stylish.

Don't Overthink It

I know it's easier said than done, but honestly we make it so much harder on ourselves. If you spend too long thinking about it and trying on multiple outfits you will completely go against the 'effortlessly cool' look this is supposed to be. I bet 9/10 times you have it spot on first time!