In general, neat casual, often also referred to as smart casual, means neat chinos or a pair of dark-coloured jeans with a shirt, a blazer, and a pair of leather shoes.
Your outfit should be well-fitting but slightly less formal than a business suit.
Smart casual is “pretty much anything smarter than a tracksuit, but less formal than a suit.”
Pants
The backbone of the informal outfit since the 1950s, great fitting jeans can easily be dressed up or toned down.
If you want to project a more polished appearance, opt for a quality pair of jeans in straight-leg styles and a dark wash.
Straight leg styles can include a slim fit, boot cut or relaxed cut. Skinny jeans don’t really fit the smart casual look.
Torn jeans too are probably pushing it a bit and shouldn’t be worn as smart casual, leave them for the BBQ’s and around at your mate’s.
Pretty good for nightclubs too…where they can’t be seen.
Chinos are excellent for mixing things up from time to time. The same upper outfit worn with chinos instead of your jeans will instantly change your overall appearance.
Invest in the right cut in classic colours such as khaki, navy and beige which are easy to match.
Comfortable and stylish, chinos also can help you achieve a smart casual look.
Chinos are perfect for occasions with ambiguous dress codes, especially the smart casual and business casual styles.
The Australian classic, moleskin jeans, look awesome with a neat casual ensemble.
Ideal for both Winter and Summer, moleskins are not only cut well, they are extremely comfortable.
Blazers
A blazer is definitely what will set your smart casual look apart from any other casual wear.
Start with a classic navy unstructured blazer that will be easy to match with any other items in your wardrobe.
A blazer a timeless piece that should remain with you for years so it’s worth investing in quality materials and design.
Blazers with a light plaid or check are not only on trend but also versatile.
Matched with a plain collared shirt or a subtle patterned one they exude elegance without being ostentatious.
Such a jacket also blends well with denim and most hues of chinos.
Just don’t wear one style of check pants with a differing check blazer.
Accessories
A common mistake is having a really great pair of pants, with belt loops, and not wearing a belt.
Your belt and footwear should match in colour, you know, black belt & black shoes, brown belt & brown shoes.
If you’re wearing casual shoes, such as canvas or white runners, then match the belt with the jacket hue.
Dark with dark, light with light.
Shirts can be any style or pattern but we recommend having a collar. Avoid more than one patterned item.
A patterned shirt seldom goes well with a patterned jacket. A mixture of floral with stripes can really hurt the eyes.
Checks and spots or a plethora of lurid colours belong in a 1960’s C Grade black & white movie, not out in public.
Jumpers, waistcoats, scarves and pocket hanks can all be added to create some fun and make statements.
They retain a classic look whilst bringing some bursts of colour to your outfit.
As we always suggest, plan your outfit early.
Even if you have all the components matching brilliantly, if they don’t fit well, it just wont work.
