The term 'smart casual' can be confusing for many, but it’s actually more straightforward than you might think. This guide will help decode the smart casual dress code, outlining timeless wardrobe staples to embrace, and what to avoid, in order to strike the right balance. At its core, smart casual is about blending style and comfort in a way that feels both relaxed and refined. So, let’s demystify the dress code.
The T-shirt is to every wardrobe what salt and pepper are to a kitchen cupboard: a fundamental staple. It’s one that is often overshadowed by more standout ingredients, but which provides a consistent base that’s always in season — and forever appropriate.
A jumper is one of the most diverse pieces of clothing in the Western closet. If this garment was to be personified, there would be a version for almost every kind of person.
The jumper has a unique significance in today’s modern wardrobe. Comfortable, reliable, and endlessly wearable, its constant presence in our day-to-day lives means each jumper racks up its own sentimental history.
Consider the closet a feat of architecture. In a similar vein to a bricks and mortar structure, today, the modern wardrobe is built upon a foundation of solid staples that stand the test of time and endure all seasons. And fewer pieces encapsulate this sense of permanence quite like the roll neck jumper.
Have you ever given black or white much thought? These monotone shades are so everyday, and to an extent so austere, that it’s unlikely they conjure an emotion in the same way that colours can.
If ever there was a garment to define smart-casual style, then the polo shirt would be it. Today, it’s a seamless hybrid between a classic tee and a button-up shirt.
Of all the colours in the rainbow, blue is the hue that continually captivates us. From the palest of pastels akin to the sunny dawn sky to the inkiest shades that backdrop the starry, dark abyss, blue is earthly, and our connection to it visceral.
Mod has been a part of British youth culture for over 60 years. It has been a key influence in fashion and music ever since the first Italian slim fit suit was donned in Soho circa 1958.
Collars have been used by John Smedley ever since the men’s polo shirt, Isis was launched in the 1930s. We use six different collar designs, which are knitted at our Lea Mills factory in Derbyshire.
