Smart Casual Capsule for men?

Taffy

My husband will be starting his long awaited new job in September, but it is a casual sales environment. That's a big change from his shirt and tie past experiences. He was a good dresser in that setting, but like most men his casual wear is CASUAL wear. Any ideas for a smart casual capsule? My thoughts so far were:

dark wash straight leg jeans
a couple different blazers

I have to admit, I have a hard time with picking out shirts for him... they are all about the same. ( Depth instead of width of styles, like Angie posted) So how do you make him not look basically the same everyday?
Also, he has a bit of a tummy, which I figured blazers were good for. Any other tips?

16 years ago

Dressing

2 replies

Latest reply was from cciele

Maya

Veteran

OK, so this post is about biz casual...but if you read it, Angie describes an outfit with jeans that sounds like the menswear equivalent of smart casual:

http://youlookfab.com/2008/04/.....l-for-men/

"Pop a bloke into sleek dark denims, a sharp button-down shirt and fabulous shoes..."

I think smart casual for men should follow along the lines of smart casual for women: dressing up dark denim. Actually it's easier for guys since they don't have to worry too much about accessories and such. But that makes the rest of the ensemble even more important to get right. A nice crisp, quality shirt, a smart and polished pair of kicks, and impeccable grooming. Maybe a nice watch and belt too. Basically, if you look at the biz casual post, just take out the khakis and put some dark jeans in their place. I actually think that looks a lot nicer. I know a polo and jeans isn't smart casual, but it could work anyway. It will really depend on how casual the work environment is. If people are coming to work in their sweats and flipflops, he might just end up feeling out of place, and a casual yet appropriate option might be a better choice.

16 years ago

cciele

Veteran

I assume you've read Angie's shirt post:
http://youlookfab.com/2007/07/.....s-for-men/

(since you mention shirt depths and widths).

Like Maya mentions for smart casual, I like to add a more "formal" ("smart") element to a casual look. So I might add a romantic top to ripped jeans, a guy could add a tailored button-down to a pair of jeans. You could get a way with several nice shirts of the same cut but different patterns (stripes, solids, etc.). I'd avoid adding a casual top to a casual bottom (e.g., Henley top with jeans).

Also look into short-sleeve button-downs, henleys, and polo shirts. Lightweight cotton sweaters with v or crew neck.

For bottoms, I think khakis would work with a more casual top. Dark jeans and cargo pants too, with nicer tops.

16 years ago

Category