Ever find yourself with an occasion to attend and no idea what the dress code means? What even is smart casual anyway? And what’s the difference between a suit and a tux?
We’re here to help by providing you with five popular types of trousers and fabric, and advice on when to wear them.
Jeans are a wonderfully flexible piece of clothing that will suit any casual and smart casual dress code. It all depends on what you decide to style them with.
How to Style Them
For a fully casual look, wear jeans with either a t-shirt or a jumper with a pair of casual trainers or shoes. If you’re attending a smart casual event, you can dress your jeans up with a shirt, a leather belt and smart shoes.
If you do decide to wear jeans for a smart casual event, choose a pair that are darker in colour and without any rips or artificial fading.
Where to wear: Day festivals, shopping trips, informal lunch or dinners, visiting family.
Chinos, like jeans, can be styled in so many ways. They come in so many different colours, so you might choose a darker colour for an evening style, or lighter colours for daytime or summertime.
How to Style Them
Chinos are slightly smarter than jeans and would work well as a smart casual look as well. Wear them with trainers and a T-shirt, or smart shoes and a blazer. Unlike jeans, they also go with a shirt and tie, so they’re a great option for (almost) any smart casual occasion.
They come in tonnes of shapes, from slim-fit to stretch, with or without pockets,
elasticated waists, or straight fit. You’re bound to find a style that suits you.
Where to wear: A night out or drinking session, informal lunch or dinner, the office
Corduroy is a material that has been around for centuries. It was a popular fabric for school uniforms in the early 1900s and then was used for sporting and military wear. Since then it has become a fashionable fabric that comes in all kinds of styles and colours.
How to Style Them
You can pair corduroys with some smart shoes and shirt and tie, or equally dress them down with a casual jumper or t-shirt. The only time you can’t wear your corduroy trousers is for a formal or business occasion.
Where to wear: A birthday party, family dinner or day trips.
A tuxedo is for formal evening events, and it’s inappropriate to wear one before 5pm. There isn’t much of a difference between a tuxedo and a suit except a tuxedo has satin lapels, buttons, pocket trim and a stripe down the leg of the trousers.
How to Style Them
A tuxedo will almost always be worn with a black bow tie. You should polish up your best Oxford shoes and wear with black socks (no pink stripes in sight, please). Finish the look with your best cufflinks, a dress watch and a white silk pocket square.
Where to wear: A formal dinner party, an opera, ballet or orchestra performance, anywhere with a ‘Black Tie’ dress code.
A suit is a much more informal look than a tuxedo. You can have a little bit more fun with a suit, choosing mismatching blazer and trousers, an assortment of colours, slim fit, skinny fit, different trouser lengths, different coloured ties. Your options are endless depending on where you’re going.
How to Style Them
Brown leather always goes well with a blue suit, so pair a brown leather belt and shoes with your navy blue trousers. If you’re wearing a grey or black suit, then choose a black belt and shoes.
For a more informal suit look, leave the buttons undone, but if you’re attending a wedding, it’s best to keep them buttoned.
Where to wear: Job interviews, business events, a wedding, a first date
