Smart Casual for Work: What to Wear
Imagine a look that moves with your day—crisp at 9 a.m., effortless at 9 p.m. Smart-casual sits between suit and Saturday: tailored separations, quietly luxurious fabrics, and shoes that speak softly.
🎯 Core pieces
- Unstructured blazer (navy/gray) with easy shoulders.
- Oxford/Poplin shirt or a knit polo for a softer Friday.
- Chinos or dark dressy denim (no rips, clean line).
- Leather sneakers or loafers in a neutral tone.
🎨 A calm palette
Navy, charcoal, beige, white—and one accent only (burgundy or forest green) in knitwear or a small accessory.
📏 Fit that convinces
- Blazer: shoulder seam meets the shoulder bone.
- Shirt: no pulling at buttons.
- Chinos: minimal break; no puddling over shoes.
🔁 Desk → dinner, in two moves
- Swap shirt for a knit polo.
- Add/remove blazer to tune formality.
- Switch sneakers ↔ loafers to shift the tone.
✅ Do / ⚠️ Don’t
Do: - Keep to a tight neutral palette; add one accent only. - Match leather tone between belt and shoes. - Keep footwear immaculate—clean trumps trendy.
Don’t: - Overload fragrance or accessories in office hours. - Wear distressed denim or shiny fabrics. - Let sleeves run past the wrist.
🤖 Use AI to refine
Show us your staples; the assistant recommends the missing rung—perhaps that navy blazer or the loafers that complete your range—so your ladder of looks is complete.
Related reads
- Capsule pieces: mens-capsule-wardrobe-12-pieces
- Accessories: accessorizing-101-belts-watches-jewelry
- Color harmony: color-theory-for-outfits
Upgrade your work looks → Start Now