Smart casual

Smart casual is an ambiguously-defined dress code that is generally a neat yet informal attire. Different localities, kinds of events, contexts, or cultures can have varying interpretations of the dress code and therefore the designation of certain clothing pieces (such as jeans) as smart casual is disputed.

History

Smart casual was first mentioned in the Iowa newspaper The Davenport Democrat And Leader in May 1924:

Smart casual was commonly used in the last century and merged to form the term business casual in the 1950s, implying a more casual suit than the traditional, usual dark suit in heavy cloth.

Definitions

Australia's national dictionary, Macquarie Dictionary, defines smart casual as "well-dressed in a casual style".Oxford defines it as "neat, conventional, yet relatively informal in style, especially as worn to conform to a particular dress code".Dictionary.com's 21st Century Lexicon defines it as "of clothing, somewhat informal but neat".

Apparel

Personal judgement is required to interpret the ill-defined term smart casual based on its context, theme, people, location, weather and spirit. Italian fashion house Brioni explains smart casual is not an issue of inventory or classification but rather knowledge and good taste to understand the environment; demonstrating that smart casual during summer in Sardinia is different to smart casual during winter in Toronto. An Australian freelance fashion director remarks, "Smart Casual is the dress code most open to interpretation and the one least understood", and advises wearing fresher colors, lighter, softer materials, patterned, relaxed, thoughtful, less structured, clean and not confrontational apparel with fabrics like linen, cashmere, fine wool and cotton that are freshly laundered.

Smart Casual (album)

Smart Casual is the debut album from Kids in Glass Houses, recorded during late 2007 at Long Wave Studios with Romesh Dodangoda. The album contains songs the band have written since the release of their five-track EP "E-Pocalypse!", and also three tracks from the EP.

The lead single from the album is "Easy Tiger" and was released on 10 March 2008. It was released as a digital download, and on a limited pressing of 2000 vinyl. The music video for the single received considerable plays on music channels. "Give Me What I Want" was also released as a single on 19 May, followed by "Saturday" on 11 August.

The album entered the UK charts at and charted at number 29 on the week of its release.

The song "Girls" is used as the theme song for Totally Calum Best: The Best Is Yet To Come. The song "Raise Hell" was formerly known as "My Def Posse" and still referred to by some fans.

Track listing

All tracks written by Aled Phillips, Iain Mahanty, Joel Fisher, Andrew Shay and Philip Jenkins unless otherwise stated. All lyrics by Aled Phillips.