Casual Work Dresses

Quick Tips To Master Smart Casual At Work

It sounds like a tricky combination to pull off, particularly when you don’t know where to start. But when you’ve mastered it, it’s the easiest go to for most occasions. Here’s our top tips on how to dress smart casual at work.

We’ve all been there. You’ve had a brilliant first week in a brand new job, it’s 5:00 on the Thursday afternoon and someone tells you ‘Don’t forget it’s dress down day tomorrow.’ The first dress down day in any job is always the most stressful, perhaps even more stressful than the first day itself.

You’re told that the appropriate dress for dress down is smart casual. Those dreaded two words that every man hates to hear. Here at Idle HQ, we’ve compiled a handy how to guide to help you get over those anxieties which will make you the most stylish person in the office on any given Friday.

Smart over Casual

If ever in doubt always go with smart over casual, after all you’re still attending work, not nipping down the pub with a few mates. This means an ironed, casual shirt over a T-Shirt, well fitted jeans or work trousers, and shoes as opposed to trainers.

Now making the right decisions in terms of all these items is still essential. Make sure your shirt still looks smart. Dress down days are a chance to express yourself but if you come in wearing an Alfie Moon inspired get up, chances are you won’t make a decent impression. If you are feeling the need to mix things up a bit, go for a simple patterned shirt.

Footwear

Footwear is simple enough- steer clear of trainers (depending on what industry you work in) and instead opt for brogues or loafers. These are the perfect compliment to the smart casual dress up.

Jeans, Trousers, and The Denim Debate

Do invest in a high quality pair of jeans. What you wear on your bottom half can often be the most important element of your outfit and thankfully, there are plenty of options available that suit a smart casual style. The basics here are simple enough: make sure your jeans are well fitted, ironed and don’t have any rips or blemishes on them. The denim debate will continue to rage on but providing the denim is of good quality and fits well it should do the trick. Though darker colours are often better suited to the style.

A pair of dark, well fitted slim trousers can perfectly compliment a casual shirt, as can skinny jean providing they aren’t spray painted on. Though well suited to casual situations low rise jeans are probably best avoided when putting together a smart casual outfit for the workplace.

Knitwear

If there is one item of clothing that can be perfect for the smart casual look at work, it’s a nice fitting jumper. Getting the right jumper is essential.