Month: December 2021

This is a concept that has evaded many. Your friends invite you to a gathering and say the dress code is smart casual and you are completely lost because it is not exactly formal and it’s not even exactly casual. It is somewhere in between those two.

To quote John Green – “There are an infinite set of numbers between 0 to 1”, just like that there are infinite possibilities of what smart casual could be.

To make things clear, formal wear is suits (double-breasted, three-piece, etc) with stiff collared crisp shirts with ties and casual is a simple tee and track pants. And to flaunt our smart casual look we need to find an “in-between.” (And no it’s not just wearing a suit jacket with track pants, in case you were wondering.)

Smart Casual is a combination of 80% of you – your confidence, attitude, and “smart” personality and 20% your clothes. Now it may take some time to work on yourself, it’s a journey we hope everyone takes. But it’s very easy to work on your clothes and have them say volumes before you speak anything.

In this story, we will narrow down for you how you can nail the “smart casual” dress code. We will walk you through a few elements of smart casual that you need to keep in mind while building your look.

1. Blazers.

Blazers have the power to make or mar your smart casual look because honestly the rest of the elements are pretty straightforward. Blazers, when extremely structured, are considered formal. When it is unstructured it falls under the category of less formal.

So a blazer is a powerful tool you can use to dress up your plain tee shirts and show up to events without any hesitation. Look at different options in terms of the texture of the blazer from worsted wool to tweed, explore the range to get variety.

You can style your blazer with a shirt like this dark blue and muddy orange look by A-Cold-Wall, or you can opt for polos or tee shirts like Hermes and Tom Ford respectively.

The trousers do not have to necessarily match the blazer, you can style the look with dark jeans or different colored chinos.

2. Outerwear Jackets

Outerwear pieces like trench coats will allow you to maintain that eerie sense of neither formal nor casual. You can style long coats with your regular shirt and trousers and it will just elevate the look to a new level giving you the main character energy vibe.

Keep in mind the overall color scheme of the look while selecting a coat, style green/red coats with a black outfit to look like a member of a very fashionable mafia gang.

The thing about smart casuals is that darker colors seem much more formal than bright, vibrant colors which tend to look very youthful and playful. These dark looks by A-Cold-Wall and Raf Simon’s seem much more formal than the lighter looks by A-Cold-Wall and Acne Studios.

The length of the coat can vary from knee to mid-shin to ankles too depending on how you want to layer the outfit.

3. Polos

Let’s move inwards now, polos in themselves are a mixture of two garments – a shirt and a tee-shirt, so it would make sense to include it in your smart-casual look.

You can style them with coats, jackets, or even a matching blazer and trousers that look like this 3rd Hermes look and play around with it.

While styling it you need to bear in mind the occasion, location of the event, and people that will be attending. If it is a formal smart casual event with your colleagues and superiors a polo with a blazer and trousers/chinos makes sense.

If it is a beach party with acquaintances, a loom along the lines of knee-length shorts and an unstructured blazer with a polo can be put together. You need to evaluate the occasion well and take the call.

4. Shirts

This is where you can really bring the casual in the “smart casual” theme. Blazers may have different textures but are mostly plain, so you add in a fun element.

A colorful shirt, maybe pastel, or printed can be styled. First, make sure it’s clean, pressed and the collars stay up.

Then, look at the color story. Style lighter shirts with dark Blazers and trousers and vice versa. Like these Hermes and A-Cold-Wall looks. You can also carry on this same principle when styling polos and tee shirts.

To dress up a little more, add some bling, a good watch, and matching boots. Not slippers, not slip-on but boots.

A very frequent mistake is that smart casual is misconstrued as business smart casual. Business smart casual is when you mix and match plain, versatile pieces. Business pieces are plain so that they do not cause distraction from important matters of business dealings.

Smart Casual does not have to be plain pieces. You can dress on the theme while still looking chic and fashionable. We’ve pulled some bold references to prove our point.

From Acne Studios to Valentino to Tommy Hilfiger. These are still the same elements- a blazer, an overcoat, styled with shirts and trousers. They are only in bold colors (that work well together) and seem very fashion-forward. Feel free to incorporate “out of the box” garments into your daily wardrobe. 

You need to focus on the fit of the look. It should look well thought out and put together and flatter your body/fit you like a glove. It should not be extremely baggy, crumpled with creases, and shabby. Then it takes the “smart” out of the theme.

If you’re feeling bold, try out the hot and popular style of no undershirt suits. Just like Harry Styles performing his superhit song Watermelon Sugar high at the Grammys in just a black leather suit with no shirt.

Take a look at these Acne Studios looks to get a clearer idea.

And let’s be clear you are still on theme. The blazer is “smart” and no shirt is “casual” so you are doing no wrong. A printed suit like the snake print suit by Acne Studios becomes more appropriate for a fun party rather than a corporate gathering.

Hoodies have come a long way, from being a utilitarian garment to a fashion statement to your girlfriend’s favorite piece from your closet, it has had quite the journey.

HOW IT STARTED

Having its origins in the US back in the 1930s, the hoodie was devised by the brand Champion, mostly for workers in New York. They started attaching hoods to sweaters and that’s how hoodies came into being.

In the 70s, with the rise of hip-hop culture, designers started glamorizing hoodies in their collections, trying to make them a wardrobe staple. Well, we can say, mission accomplished

Fun fact – The term “hoodie” was only popularized in the late 1990s

Later, the hoodie was donned as a way to conceal your identity, the youth loved the hoodie for it provided them with anonymity as they committed acts they shouldn’t be doing. On the contrary, celebs were using it to hide from the paparazzi.

CONTEMPORARY TAKE

The hoodie is now regarded as a unisex garment making it extremely versatile. Multiple designers have showcased unique hoodies, there are brands that only sell hoodies and it is also a very popular “merch” garment.

From celebs to athletes to college students, everyone has embraced and accepted the hoodie as an integral part of the wardrobe.

Just a disclaimer- A hoodie can be worn in multiple ways, there is no right or wrong. All you need to do is find what suits you the best and run with it. In this story, we will guide you and let you know all the possible combinations you can try out with your hoodie.

We’ll discuss how you can style your hoodie with a –

1. Pair of shorts
2. Track pants/co-ords
3. Denim
4. Shearling jacket, and

1. Pair of shorts

This combination is pretty unusual as a hoodie is to make you warm and you wear shorts in summer, so it is a “confused about the weather” look. But it’s not about the weather, as much it is about the vibe and the aesthetic, in this new world of Instagram and TikTok that’s what matters more.

Take inspiration from Burberry, Iceberg, and Fear Of God. You can opt for neutral, earthy, and muted tones and build a cohesive, monochromatic look or go all bold and wild with unusual or neon colors.

You can also have a co-ord set of hoodies and shorts. It looks classy and relaxed, it would make a great outfit for a long road trip.

Celeb spotted –

Style icon Harry Styles was spotted wearing a neon pink hoodie by Pangaia, a loungewear brand beloved by many. He styled the knit hoodie with a yellow tote bag, which added a color blocking effect, Vuori shorts (with a 5-inch inseam allowance), and white Nike Cortez sneakers.

Perhaps not the best color if you want to hide from paparazzi, but we love seeing Harry in bold clothes even off stage.

2. Track Pants/co-ords

If there ever was a perfect airport look, it would be this. Pair your hoodie with track pants that match and boom ready to fly. It looks casual and luxe at the same time.

Style tip – Be mindful of the colors, keep a maximum of 2 colors in the whole outfit, don’t go overboard with it.

The Iceberg Spring Summer 2019 show had quite a few co-ord looks. They paired their black/red and blue/red hoodies with similar colored co-ords. Notice that the shoes and the accessories match. Another look we loved is from Pangaia, the light grey co-ord set is color-blocked with lavender accessories.

Burberry also did a similar look with their iconic striped print as the hood.

Celebs spotted –

Jay Z and Pete Davidson were spotted sporting a cool, ultra-chic streetwear style look. They styled their hoodie with track pants and hat (and a lollipop too)

3. Denim

What is better than one classic piece, well, two classic garments are styled together. Both the hoodie and denim were made for the working class in the US and have made a huge impact globally.

The denim can be your jeans or a jacket or both, even. And you don’t have to worry about the colors because literally, everything works well with denim. Feel free to mix and match your denim too, go for a light blue denim jacket and dark blue ripped jeans for an “Instagram model” look.

Celebs spotted –

Given that this combo is so iconic, it is obvious that almost every celeb has been snapped wearing it. To point out a few, Drake and Justin are known for their hoodie/denim look, but even The Weeknd stepped out with his then-girlfriend Bella Hadid in an oversized hoodie and ripped denim.

4. Shearling Jacket

Let’s be honest, this is a very obvious combination. It’s cold outside and you put on the two garments that you feel will keep you warm. Other than its functionality, this look is also uber stylish. Wanna flaunt your fashion sensibilities while looking hot? Wear a shearling jacket and hoodie.

Unlike denim, here you will have to look out for certain colors that will work well together. Opt for monochromatic combinations like the ones shown below.

Celeb spotted –

Kanye West was spotted not once but twice in this look. He has the eye and the talent to make a basic combination look new, fresh, and memorable. The dark brown shearling jacket is giving planet of the apes, early stone age man vibes. He beautifully styled it with a red velvet hoodie. The oversized shearling jacket also looks good with the white hoodie and military pants.

UNUSUAL HOODIE MATERIALS

Before we talk about the unusual, let’s see what the usual is. Cotton and merino wool hoodies are usually the most popular ones. But designers all over have taken the freedom to explore and break down boundaries.

JuunJ is one such designer, who in their 2017 Spring Summer collection showcased leather hoodies and oversized and extra-long lace-up sleeves to add an interesting element to a staple-like hoodie.

Celebs spotted-

Timothee Chalamet made heads turn and jaws drop when he arrived for the premiere of his movie The King, in this high fashion high drama hoodie by Louis Vuitton. Virgil Abloh designed this special hoodie that has thousands of sequins and Swarovski crystals all hand-sewn, truly raising the bar for men’s fashion

Talking about raising the bar for men’s fashion, we can not talk about Dan Levy. His iconic character David Rose in the superhighway show Schitt’s Creek is known worldwide for bold fashion statements, from his Helmut Lang hoodie to D.GNAK lace-up hoodie. One of the most memorable looks from that show is this Mohair Dotted Hoodie by Random Identities.

Now that you know what options are available, you can make an informed decision and make a bold fashion statement even on a casual day running