Smart-Casual Office Decoded

Smart-casual is the hardest code to read because it means something different at every company. When in doubt, err toward the dressier end of what your office actually wears.

A reliable formula: well-fitted chinos or dress pants, a collared shirt or quality knit, and clean leather shoes. Add a blazer for important meetings, drop it on regular days. This works in most offices.

Just don't treat smart-casual as barely above casual. Sneakers, untucked oversized shirts, and distressed jeans may be allowed somewhere, but they rarely project the competence and ambition that advance careers.