What To Wear To A Smart Casual Wedding Mens?

Casual wedding attire offers more freedom to express oneself and experiment with different styles. Smart casual attire is a slightly elevated version of casual attire that combines elements of both formal and casual wear to create a sophisticated yet relaxed look. Key considerations for casual men’s attire include a well-fitted dress shirt, a blazer or sports coat, lightweight fabrics like navy, cream, or white linens, and floral dresses for women.

Business casual attire typically includes jeans, tank tops, and flip-flops, while khakis, button-ups, chinos, and blazers are in. Casual wedding attire allows men to dress down and choose outfits for various venues and styles. For dressy casual wedding attire, options like chinos or dress pants can be used, along with leather shoes, dressy trousers, or khaki pants.

For casual weddings, avoid wearing overly casual shirts like t-shirts, tank tops, graphic tees, and other overly casual shirts. Instead, opt for a button-down shirt, solid-colored shirt, or something with a subtle pattern. Short-sleeved shirts are great for summer weddings, while long pants are suitable for summer events.

Loafers, like chinos, are the standard option for most casual wedding outfits. Anchor your outfit with a shirt, tie, and dress pants, with accessories such as belts, tie bars, or silk pocket squares. A plain navy, dark-blue, or grey two-piece in a slim-fit is a great investment for a casual wedding.

What is not allowed in smart casual dress code?

What Should I Avoid When Dressing Smart Casual? Loud prints and patterns. Even though its casual, its not loud. Smart also means put together without making a big statement.

When I was a recruiter for big tech in their explosion years, I saw a lot of candidates and a lot of styles of dress. The one that worked in that world has extended into many other arenas, and that’s smart casual. Smart casual has actually been around for a century or so: it was first coined in 1924. But it rose to popularity along with the rise of Silicon Valley (hello turtlenecks and black jeans) and then the Zoom era. Since then, it’s become one of the most standard ways to dress in today’s workplace, and you could say its trajectory reflects our changing attitudes towards how we work.

A pre-pandemic Randstad survey of a thousand full-time employees found that a full third (33 percent) would quit their jobs rather than have to adhere to a formal dress code. Since then, many companies have relaxed their attire requirements substantially. A February 2023 survey by Adzuna of over 1 million job ads in the UK found that 79.9% of ads citing a specific dress code mention relaxed attire. Organizations are not necessarily getting into the particulars: 5.2 percent specified “smart casual” and 2.8 percent specified “business casual.” But that may be more that job descriptions don’t want to get into the sartorial weeds.

Meanwhile, you’ve got to get dressed, and when it comes to hitting it right, smart casual may be the move. (“What is smart casual” is an incredibly popular search query.) So here are some answers to typical questions on smart casual attire:

Can you wear a suit to a smart casual wedding?

What to wear at a casual wedding: Shelve the suit unless youre at the wedding party. Opt for a smart-casual blazer for added sophistication, but you can add some pops of color now. You cant go wrong with a smart chinos and a crisp shirt.

Are you frantically typing, “what should I wear to a wedding” on Google as we speak? For many men, a friend’s wedding (or their own) is the very first time they have to consider ‘real’ men’s clothing. Maybe that band t-shirt and ratty pair of Levi’s have been perfect for you to date. Or perhaps you have a working wardrobe, but it’s mostly a few shirts and those pants you bought quickly at the mall. That’s not going to cut it for a wedding! So how do you even start to track down the right look? What do men wear to weddings? Luckily for you, the expert team from Oliver Wicks is here to rescue you.

Today we’ll be looking at all things wedding, no matter the dress code. We will walk you through it all, from beach wedding attire for men to interpreting black tie. You’ll learn how to make what you pick look great, even if you are new to suits. We’ll look at accessorizing and how to walk the balance between respectful attire and showing up at the wedding party. And we’ll even give you some hints on color and style! Ready to get going? Let’s dive in.

• Fit Matters (and Flatters)
• Know your Colors
• Your Limits

What should a man wear to a wedding as a guest?

BLACK TIE OPTIONAL ATTIRE FOR MEN. What It Means: The black tie in “Black Tie Optional” isnt entirely optional. Basically, wedding guests are off the hook if they absolutely cannot wear a tuxedo. A dark suit and tie would be acceptable black tie optional wedding attire for men, but wear a tux if you can. Prefer to dress it down? Try a black satin necktie or a black and white bow tie in a pattern. You can even mix it up with a midnight blue tuxedo rather than black.

What to Wear: Black Tux or Midnight Blue Tuxedo, Black and White Satin Bow Tie or Necktie, White Tux Shirt or Dress Shirt, Cufflinks, Pocket Square, and Black Patent Leather Shoes.

CREATIVE BLACK TIE MENS ATTIRE. What It Means: Creative Black Tie keeps the wedding vibe somewhat formal, but the rules are flexible. A tux is still the way to go, but you can branch out a little, too. Dinner jacket looks—a contrasting jacket with black tux pants—are a great choice, and both neckties and bow ties are welcome in patterns or low-key colors. You could also wear a colorful suit for this dress code.

What is smart casual dress code for men?

Clothing that should come to mind when hearing smart casual dress code are polos, sport jackets, short or long sleeves collared button-downs, fun patterned dress shirts, casual dress pants, chinos, dark wash jeans, and sensible yet professional foot-wear. A great example of pairing formal attire with casual attire would be wearing a sport jacket paired with dark wash jeans and a fun dress shirt pattern. Likewise, wearing a collared polo with dress pants would also be a great look.

An important aspect when getting ready for an event requiring a smart casual dress code is to understand what type of event it is as it can be easy to overdress or underdress by pairing the wrong pieces together. If its a work happy hour where you will be doing important networking, stay away from going too casual – a sport jacket with a pattern dress shirt would be perfect. This is a perfect opportunity to wear a fun dress shirt that stands out and is memberable by colleagues and business professionals.

Mens outfits that would not be smart casual is a polo shirt with jeans or wearing too many bright, flashy colors. Do be careful if wearing jeans to a smart casual dress code event – they should be well-fitting with your correct inseam length and dark-wash with no distress. A great smart casual outfit that is more on the casual side – for example a holiday party at TopGolf – would be a polo paired with chinos or dress pants.

Is a suit jacket smart casual?

To achieve a smart casual outfit, pair your single-breasted suit jacket with a collared shirt. You can opt for a plain shirt with a solid color, or choose a shirt with a pattern or print to achieve a more stylish look. A button-up collared shirt is an important part of a smart casual outfit.

Suit jackets arent limited to formal outfits; you can include them in other types of outfits, such as smart casual outfits.

Smart casual outfits fall somewhere between strictly formal and strictly casual outfits. They are more formal and polished than casual outfits. Smart casual outfits, however, arent classified as formal outfits. They fall somewhere in the middle between these dress codes. Regardless, you can incorporate a suit jacket into a smart casual outfit by following a few basic fashion tips.

Stick With a Single-Breasted Suit Jacket. If youre going to wear it in a smart casual outfit, you should choose a single-breasted suit jacket. Nearly all suit jackets fall under one or two categories: single breasted and double breasted. Single-breasted suit jackets have a single column of buttons on the front, whereas double-breasted suit jackets have two button columns.

Is a suit too formal for smart casual?

So what is ‘smart casual for men? People have been trying to answer that question ever since the blazer was invented. Basically, there is no official smart casual uniform, and thats what makes it such a confusing dress code. A lot of things can be smart casual: slim-fit jeans, dress chinos, knit blazers, suiting separates, knits and vests, button-up shirts, even sneakers (if done right). The best unofficial definition is: anything smarter than a tracksuit, but less formal than a suit. As you can guess, that covers quite a bit. So, here are some quick ideas for a smart casual outfit.

For spring and summer smart casual outfits, swap the jeans for dress chinos in Tan, Khaki or Navy. Bring in some boldness with colour and patterned shirts, pocket squares and checked blazers. For shoes, summer smart casual means you can swap the traditional Oxfords and try something more fun, like sockless tassel loafers, suede Derbies or burnished monk straps. For spring, try this combo of white pants, a navy linen shirt and blue checked blazer. Spring and summer mean fewer layers, so show off your style with your accessories—we suggest a pair of quality sunglasses or a vintage dress watch.

A blazer is an easy go-to for a smart casual attire, so investing in a well-tailored blazer is key. Especially in summer, when overcoats arent practical. The trick with blazers is to think of them, not as some invisible part of your outfit (like a suit jacket), but more like a statement piece. Try vibrant block colours, different fabrics, patterns, checks and textures. For ‘smart casual this season, try our lightweight Navy houndstooth jacket with white chinos, white sneakers and a cream zip polo.

What is the difference between dressy casual and smart casual?

And then women can also pair up their crew neck t-shirts. With trousers. Like you might have seen in one of my previous videos. So you you can use your t-shirts.

Are jeans OK for smart casual men?

Can I get away with wearing jeans?. Generally speaking, denim in a dark wash is best for smart casual. The cut should sit between loose and slim, and fit neatly on the waist and hip. Even still, denim is divisive, and on the more flexible end of the smart casual dress code. If in doubt, go for a pair chinos or tailored trousers instead.

What about a polo shirt?. Sure, but tread carefully. A classic Airtex polo shirt has an inherently sporty feel so be sure to keep everything else in your outfit in the smarter realms. If you really want to wear a polo but dont want to risk raising any eyebrows, invest in a decent knitted polo instead. These are one of the hottest menswear pieces right now, so youll look like you actually know what youre doing.

Another option, if you really dont want to wear a dress shirt, is to opt for a collarless shirt like the one that your grandad used to wear. Its smart, its casual, and its smart casual.

Are jeans OK for smart casual?

Can I get away with wearing jeans?. Generally speaking, denim in a dark wash is best for smart casual. The cut should sit between loose and slim, and fit neatly on the waist and hip. Even still, denim is divisive, and on the more flexible end of the smart casual dress code. If in doubt, go for a pair chinos or tailored trousers instead.

What about a polo shirt?. Sure, but tread carefully. A classic Airtex polo shirt has an inherently sporty feel so be sure to keep everything else in your outfit in the smarter realms. If you really want to wear a polo but dont want to risk raising any eyebrows, invest in a decent knitted polo instead. These are one of the hottest menswear pieces right now, so youll look like you actually know what youre doing.

Another option, if you really dont want to wear a dress shirt, is to opt for a collarless shirt like the one that your grandad used to wear. Its smart, its casual, and its smart casual.

Should men always wear a suit to a wedding?

Never doubt the navy suit. A suit is always a foolproof option for a wedding. Since the groom is usually wearing a tuxedo or a black suit, youll want to stray away from these super-formal styles. (Let him shine!) Instead, a classic dark navy suit—either single- or double-breasted—will always look elegant and appropriate. Pair it with a white button-up shirt, and black or brown dress shoes. If the wedding venue is outdoors, consider a suit in a lighter fabric (like linen or cotton) to offset the darker colorway. Yes, it will be slightly toasty under the sun: Suck it up, the days not about you.

Go light and bright. If youre worried that a navy suit will be too heavy on the special day, there are lighter, airier suiting options. A breezy seersucker suit will always be a timeless option for a wedding, especially if its by the water. An olive or sage green is another contender. A tan or khaki suit, in linen or cotton, is also an excellent option—just make sure the neutral tone is complementary to your skin tone. All of these can be paired with a crisp white button-up shirt: a wedding must.

Favourbrook Sidmouth Ebury slim-fit herringbone linen suit jacket.

What is smart casual dress code for wedding?

Smart casual: For the ladies, a summery midi/maxi dress or top and skirt combo are appropriate for a smart casual affair, with a more relaxed shoe style like wedges or even dressy flats.

For the guys, a suit is definitely not required. A button-up shirt paired with chinos is suitable attire for a smart casual wedding, and dress shoes can be swapped for a more casual alternative like boat shoes or loafers.

For a black-tie, lounge, semi-formal or cocktail wedding, shorts are definitely not well-suited. However, you might find a rare exception for a super casual summer wedding that has clearly been marked as informal – like a small gathering taking place outdoors or by the beach. Wed say opt for lightweight pants instead if youre worried about the weather, or send a quick text to the couple to confirm. If you do get the green light, go for a tailored or formal pair of shorts that you can dress up with your shirt and footwear choices.

This one is a definite no! Even for a casual wedding, opt for chinos or relaxed dress pants as opposed to jeans. Weddings and denim just dont mix!