Smart Casual is the holy grail of men’s fashion.  Presentable, yet a comfortable way of dressing.  It’s effortlessness makes it oh so sexy, but so many get it so wrong and look like they have been dragged through GAP backwards.

Good smart casual is all about mixing tailored pieces with more relaxed items.  This is usually managed by wearing one thing with a defined collar, whether that be tailored coat or jacket, or simply a shirt.  This outfit by Next is a perfect example of smart casual and is made up of the following:

Black Moleskin Single Breasted Jacket £75

Grey Cotton V-Neck With Mock Shirt £28

Grey Vintage Jeans £32

And should be finished off with a pair of Panel Lace-Up’s £35

This look is not thrown together and all the elements complement each other perfectly.  The slightest bit of scruffiness could unbalance the whole outfit.  If the jumper was removed and a tie added to the shirt then the outfit would become too smart to be casual.

Bad smart casual is when a man mixes inappropiate items in a manner where he couldn’t care less.  Wearing trainers with your work shirt, tie and trousers topped off with a North Face jacket is not what this look is about…