How To Dress As A Smart Casual Woman

What is a smart casual dress code?

The idea behind smart casual dress code is to look professional while being approachable. The general rule of thumb is to make sure your attire is ready for any sudden events.

Smart casual is a dress code that is a mixture of well-polished business wear with a hint of casual elements into the mixture of both worlds. There are two types of smart casual looks which are based on the spectrum of formality, that work on different formality levels and lies between dressy casual and business casuals. Different formality levels could be combined to achieve a smart casual look.

Smart casual attire is mostly mixed up with business casual dress code due to multiple attires that could fall into both respective categories but there are certain differences between the two dress codes. Business casual attire is mostly focused on a more conservative style meanwhile a smart casual attire would be more focused on being more fashion savvy while comparing the two dress codes.

According to the President of Arnold Partners, dressing “smart casual” is much more than just elevating the current typical casual looks. It is mostly embedded with well fitted and not being too flashy from finer-quality clothes that are still classified as casual. The focus of smart casual dressing is to look sharp and in style while not being in competition with peers with flamboyance. 

Smart casual dress code is much more focused on the right fit of clothes and each individual piece matches the vibe and look with the other respective pieces.

When to wear Smart Casual?

Smart casual outfits need to be built one piece at a time to mix and match to be dressed appropriately in conjunction to the event.

This dress code is ideal for different social occasions, differing from after work socialising or business conferences.

There are a few smart casual outfit selections for women which are ideal for social occasions with a definite flair for elements of casual attire as well as business attire. The aim for smart casual for women would be focusing on a relaxed look while being elegant and comfortable on the outfit as well as the garments, and to relate to the occasion’s theme or setting.

Tops: Selections of blouses/ collared shirts/ button-ups that are made of interesting, detailed fabrics with a selective blazer for additional flair. Oversized graphics and slogans should be avoided because the attire would be siding too much in terms of casual look.

Bottoms: A variety of chino, silk or dress pants are great choices for a smart casual look, some other selections of pants could be added in as long as the pattern of the pants is not distorted and tailored to the wearer. Pinstripe dresses would be too focused on the business casual side, but pencil and flowy skirts are appropriate in most scenarios.

Shoes: Multiple selections consisting of oxfords, flats, loafers, ankle boots, wedges and low-to-mid heel types are suitable for a smart casual dress code. Heels would require a casual balance between the bottom part to maintain a balance between the formality levels by pairing with jeans to balance the business attire out. 

One-piece outfits: A sheath dress or collared shirt dresses could speedily provide a relaxed balance meanwhile jumpsuits shape its uniqueness by pairing it with a belt to boost the elegance from the jumper outfit.

Accessories: One or two well-polished accessories such as simple earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and watches are considered acceptable for finishing up the prepared attire to elevate the final touch of the smart casual dressing outfit.