Without a doubt, you’ve come across the term ‘smart casual’ several times before. But what does it actually mean, and more importantly, how can you master the smart casual dress code?

Smart casual is a combination of dress up casual and relaxed professional. It means that you can feel comfortable and luxurious at once but finally it is really about how you feel and what the occasion is. smart casual is the dress code that is both most open to interpretation and also the one least understood.

Andrea Perrone CEO of Brioni Rome explains:

“First of all it can be interesting to understand when the expression was born and why. It evolved over the last 30 years, a period full of innovation and creativity that changed the traditional elements of classic menswear. “Smart casual” on a summer weekend in Sardinia for a cocktail at the Yacht Club is different than a “smart casual” in Toronto during the winter for an informal dinner. It is not an issue of inventory or classification: it is just the knowledge and the good taste to understand the differences in terms of place, theme, people, weather and spirit.”

Emma Adler, Resourcing Manager at Sony Music, thinks the trick is "standing out but blending in." This is best achieved, she says, by understanding your environment – are you going to be sitting on a sofa or in a fashionable cafe? Stacy O'Hagan, People and Development Executive at Jamie Oliver, would always advise checking in advance. "It's easier to be overdressed than underdressed," says Adler. "You want to look business-professional."

Personal Shopper Laura Harvey explains why smart casual attire should be freeing rather than frightening, and why a good pair of jeans goes a long way in any man's wardrobe:

“With the blurring of casual and formal wardrobe, where pieces are seamlessly mixed and matched, menswear modes of dressing have seen the opposing ends of the spectrum merge together. Smart casual really depends on the individual and what they are comfortable with. Wearing an outfit that is smart casual can be either wearing jeans or not wearing jeans, it’s all about what you want to do with it. If you don’t want to rock a tie, don’t rock a tie, do open collar with a blazer instead.”

A great smart casual look is something like a Treffort Signature Oxford – Blue Shirt, a tweed blazer, a burgundy tie, a navy jumper, and dark indigo skinny jeans. It is a multi-purpose outfit that is good for formal occasions, dates, or going for drinks with your friends.

A good pair of jeans can go a long way. A great pair of black or dark indigo wash jeans, with no stains and no washes, makes the basis of a solid smart casual look; you can wear them with a really good blazer and one of Treffort Signature Twill collection’s shirts. Or alternatively, keep the jeans and team them with a jumper, a Treffort Signature Oxford button down shirt, and a pair of converse - if you want to lean more to the casual.

Be freed by smart casual dressing - at the very worst you'll be slightly overdressed for an occasion and since when was looking a bit smarter than everyone else a bad thing?

At Treffort, you can find the perfect shirt for any mood you are in. Warm up in comfortable flannel, dress to impress in twill or loosen up in oxford and mens linen shirts. Depending on the occasion, Treffort mens designer shirt can be teamed with anything from tailored denims to smart flannels. From buttoned-up business deals to casual after-hour fun, there’s always a Treffort shirt to look great in. Our design team is here to match your versatile lifestyle. We focus on classic tailoring, innovative fabric sourcing and passionate attention to detail – just for you. Treffort smart casual: designed to fit wherever life takes you. The best shirts for men.