Smart Casual for Men: What It Means and 12 Outfits That Work

Smart casual for men means a relaxed outfit that still looks deliberate: a shirt, polo or fine knit on top, chinos, tailored trousers or dark jeans below, and clean loafers, Derby shoes or minimal trainers. No tie, no tracksuit, no logos. If you would be comfortable meeting a client for lunch and then going for a drink, you are in smart casual territory.

It is one of the most common dress codes on British invitations and office handbooks, and one of the least clearly defined. The good news: a handful of rules covers almost every situation, and the same few pieces can be combined into a dozen different looks.

What smart casual men's dress code actually means

Think of it as a scale. At one end sits business formal: a suit and tie. At the other end sits casual: hoodies, joggers and running shoes. Smart casual takes the structure of the first and the comfort of the second.

• Top: a collared shirt, a polo shirt, or a crew neck, quarter-zip or roll neck knit.
• Bottom: chinos, tailored or pleated trousers, or dark, unripped denim.
• Shoes: loafers, Derby or Oxford shoes, Chelsea boots or very clean leather trainers.
• Layer: a blazer, an overshirt, a Harrington or a smart wool-look coat.

Smart casual vs business casual

Business casual is a step closer to the office: shirts with collars almost always, trousers rather than jeans, and leather shoes. Smart casual allows knitwear without a shirt underneath, dark jeans and suede loafers. In practice, most UK offices that say business casual mean the smarter end of smart casual.

12 smart casual outfits for men

For the office

1. Navy quarter-zip, white Oxford shirt, grey trousers, brown loafers. The safest Monday outfit there is.
2. Long sleeve polo, pleated trousers, black Derby shoes. Clean lines, no tie needed. Our mens polo shirts include knitted and long sleeve styles that work here.
3. Fine-knit crew neck over a collared shirt, chinos, suede desert boots.
4. Overshirt over a plain T-shirt, black trousers, Chelsea boots for creative workplaces.

For dinner and drinks

5. Black roll neck, charcoal trousers, black loafers. Effortless and slightly evening.
6. Cream cable knit, dark jeans, brown suede loafers.
7. Check flannel shirt open over a T-shirt, slim chinos, white leather trainers.
8. Knitted polo, wide leg trousers, loafers with no socks in milder weather.

For weekends, weddings and events

9. Harrington jacket, half-zip jumper, chinos. Very British, very easy.
10. Blazer, crew neck knit, dark jeans, Derby shoes for a relaxed wedding reception.
11. Bomber, Oxford shirt, tapered trousers, suede trainers.
12. Wool-look overcoat, roll neck, tailored trousers, Chelsea boots for winter events.

The pieces that do the most work

You do not need a big wardrobe. Five or six well-chosen items create all twelve outfits above:

• Two knits in neutral colours, for example navy and cream. Browse mens jumpers for quarter-zip, cable and crew neck shapes.
• One or two collared tops: an Oxford shirt and a long sleeve polo.
• Tailored trousers in black or grey. The men's black trousers edit has relaxed tailored and pleated fits with an easy waist.
• Dark straight-leg jeans.
• One pair of loafers and one pair of smart boots. Start with men's loafers in brown suede: they go with navy, grey, black and denim.
• One light jacket: a Harrington, an overshirt or a bomber from our lightweight jackets.

Colours and fit

Stick to a base of navy, grey, black, cream, camel and olive, then add one colour at a time. Fit matters more than price: trousers should sit on the shoe with little or no break, shirt shoulders should end where your shoulders end, and knits should skim the body rather than cling. A relaxed or wide trouser is smart casual too, as long as the fabric has drape and the top is neat.

Smart casual in a British winter

Cold, wet months change the details rather than the rules. Swap the polo for a roll neck or a quarter-zip, add a thermal layer underneath if you commute on foot, and choose suede-look boots or Chelsea boots with a grippy sole. A padded or wool-look coat in navy, black or camel keeps the outfit smart over a jumper; avoid sporty puffers with large logos if the event is formal. Scarves and leather gloves in neutral colours finish the look without adding noise.

What not to wear for smart casual

For the women's side of the same dress code, our guide to smart casual for women is coming soon to the Journal. In the meantime, if your loafers need a refresh before the next event, see how to clean suede shoes.

From Maria and Denis: when in doubt, start with a navy knit, grey trousers and brown loafers. It is the combination we recommend most often, because it suits almost every age, build and occasion.