Today I want to talk about intelligent casuals for men. What
is it? When do we wear bright casual clothing? From this article, you can learn
steps that will help you move away from the conversational style (jumpsuit,
jeans and t-shirts) to which many men resort. Dress code.What does dress code mean? It is the suggestion that is written in invitations to parties and ceremonies. When it is present, it is undoubtedly a good thing because then there will be no doubt about how to dress.
There are different types of social occasions, and therefore, there are different types of dress codes, from the most formal to the most casual. Most of us will be dealing with more or less informal and few formal occasions. Therefore, it is worthwhile to become an expert in how to dress most of the time.
What is casual?
Instead of defining what it is, it is easier to understand what it is not. It is anything that is not formal wear, formal dress, black tie, white tie or tuxedo. The idea of casual is something comfortable and not too complicated to wear.
Casual clothing is what you wear to go to school or the
store. No one expects anything. There is no degree of formality; you could
present yourself in a tracksuit or jeans. No one could make it the subject of
discussion.
Some great CEOs have gone down in history who have decided
to simply dress with jerseys and jeans even in their workplaces (Steve Jobs,
are you listening?). It's what doesn't make you stand out from the crowd. It
does not require any colour-matching effort, etc
Smart casual: meaning
In contrast, smart casual is instead the refined version of casual, which indicates a more significant effort in presenting oneself adequately to others and using it for slightly more significant events: a dinner, an appointment, to go to the cinema, etc.
Bright means being elegant and neat. Together, "smart" and "casual" sound a bit weird. Smart casual has no precise rules, so you don't have to study a manual to dress smart. There is no Bible that teaches what is innovative and what is not. It is instead the "intelligent" choice of elegant elements together with casual pieces. It is the care with which you combine colours and garments rather than individual elements.
What complicates everything is time: what was accepted as "smart casual" at the beginning of this century is now almost elegant. This is an example taken from my Instagram page: even if the elements that make up the outfit are not sleek, they create a homogeneous whole. I used neutral colours for this outfit.
Origin of smart casual
Not surprisingly, the word is of American origin. The first time the term was used was in 1920 in the Iowa magazine: "The Davenport Democrat And Leader". Over time (1950), the concept has merged with "business casual", an American idea that refers to typical office clothing.
The point is that, over time, customs have become less
rigid; therefore, this type of class does not mean anything precise today. One
example is the debate: are jeans part of smart casual? What does the smart,
simple dress code mean? For some, yes, for the United Kingdom, apparently not.
Smart casual doesn't mean anything. It's a vague concept. In line with what Mr Porter's Style Advice page states, this dress code doesn't have many rules:
"Practically anything better than a gym suit, but less
formal than a suit. An ideal answer is a blazer, white shirt, tidy jeans and
brown moccasins. The key is not to worry about being too well dressed; few
people that matter will fear that you are too well.