What is Smart Casuals and How to wear them?

What is Smart Casuals and How to wear them?

Author: Imaaz Gaffoor

Generally, Smart casual is a dress code that is typically neat, well stitched using good materials, and also well-fitting which are slightly formal than business casual wear or a business professional dress code. However smart casual is preferred since it can be worn for both formal and casual meetings. Smart casual wear is more proper fitting than loose clothing.

Currently, many innovative clothing lines have introduced for smart casual wear, but this is getting its origin from as far back as the 1920s, the term smart casual has evolved over the decades to its most common connotations today.

Many experts have given their opinions about smart casuals. According to Arnold Partners LLC's President Mr. Dave Arnold, dressing " smart casual " is much more about elevating the typical casual looks.

In fact, Arnold who is also a recruiter mentions that dressing smart casual as a default for interviews can be essential to getting the job and eventually getting promoted. Recently brands such as Libera has introduced some casual shirt collection which is casual and smart. The important part is the materials that are used in these collections such as high-quality cotton and Linen etc.

Smart casuals generally do not imply flashy or flamboyant, it's more about employing finer quality cloths that are still casual but well fitted, in style, and of good fabrics. Apart from the recruiters' perspective, the stylist has their own definition perspective towards smart casuals. Celebrity Stylists such as Diane Lloyde Roth, who dresses people like the owner of the Luxury Boutique L'armoire in New Canaan, says smart casual is much more about making sure you are focusing on how your clothes fit and if the individual pieces look put-together.

The Transitional nature of smart casual from the office to an event or lunch meeting seems to be a major aspect when picking out your daily ensemble, according to these experts. Smart casual has picked up due to many different types of meeting and outing people have to attend in a day, a dress code which suits both events is a must, that's where many people prefer smart casuals.

" The Main idea behind smart casual is to dress "smart" by looking professional while also being approachable and ready for any occasion. The shopping mantra for smart casuals is to look for well-fitting items in solid colors that are a step above your casual wear. Items with elevated trims, buttons, and finishing details help dress up your look and allow your basics to be more office-appropriate".

Many studies show, dressing professionally makes you feel more mentally elevated and give a positive moral and abstract thinking. Also in a survey conducted by the Office Team concluded that 86% of professionals and 80% of managers claimed that clothing choices affected someone's chances of being promoted. Also, the tech recruiter Dave Arnold also claims that " dressing well every day once you have a new job is also important" and he also added that " dressing smart casual will lead to faster promotions and a stronger reputation in the workplace, its just needs to be done with a dollop of class and not over be over the top".

One of the leading casual shirts brand " Libera" has introduced different smart-casual collections to suit different types of people. These are made with high-quality materials, with good fit-on and the best fabric. These types of smart casual shirts can be worn tucked in for formal and pulled out for evening parties. 

Fortune 500 companies / Startup Ceo Turkel, as a wardrobe supervisor for the classic TV show " Friends," mentions that the characters on friends always dressed smart casual by the simple fact that every single piece of each outfit was thought out and worked on by a team of people - the costume designer, wardrobe supervisors, producers, and actors all weighed in. Color, pattern, texture, and proportion were all major factors in creating each outfit for each character in each set. Think of Ross' suits - rarely did he wear a basic white or blue shirt and navy suit. The overall outfit was defined by tone and pattern. Focusing on color, pattern, and proportion is a major part of a smart-casual outfit.

Smart Casual attire retains a clean, semi-professional look while encouraging the individual to express themselves accordingly. Though versatile in nature, smart casual varies by culture, climate, and occasion. Smart casual is more of a flexible extension of business casual.

Here are some tips for Smart casuals for Men - The Do's and Dont's

• Do try to avoid eye-catching or large branding or logos.
• Make sure it is clean and wrinkle free
• Do layer efficiently based on the weather
• Do pay attention to the fabric of each garment
• Do know the different types of collared shirts, as fabric, cut, and length makes all the difference.
• Don't wear shorts or pants with excess pockets
• Don't go for graphics or loud patterns
• Don't wear anything too restricting or baggy
• Don't wear a suit jacket in place of a blazer

For smart casual shirts that are in trend, check out Libera which has a wonderful collection for men's casual shirts, also check their website www.libera.lk, FB: LiberaShirts

IG: libera_srilanka

For any information on Smart casual tips, please write to us at info@libera.lk