Your Style Guide To Ace Smart Casual Dresses for Women

Written by Yukti Sodha
Posted on May 7, 2021, 21:25 IST
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Smart Casual Dresses for Women Infographic

It’s time to make way for the game-changing smart casual dresses for women that are taking over! The rules to the fashion game are constantly evolving and new trends mix together to create movements that end up becoming a part of the bigger picture for a long time. “Smart casuals” is one such trend that is here to stay.

There are no definite guidelines on what must be included in your wardrobe as smart casuals while opting for this dress code, but an ideal smart casual outfit combines comfort with sophistication. It can be imagined as the in between formal business attire and casual clothing. The smart casuals dress code is transformative and can easily be adapted to different occasions.

Now, some who might have heard about the term before often tend to picturise a white shirt under a blazer with a pair of jeans. They’re totally on the right path with the code however, smart casuals are not limited to that. It is important to remember that the spectrum of this segment stretches to whatever type of clothing you wish to wear. Smart casual dresses for women are one such example.

What are smart casual dresses for women? A dress that gives you a dressier, more polished look along with comfort is ‘it’.

Got a brunch to go to? Got an informal meeting with your clients? Invited to an event? Smart casual dresses for women are the answer to all of these. They are the perfect outfit choice if you don’t wish to box yourself to a particular event when you go out. They are the best choice especially if you have multiple events at once because they can work for all without you having to change!

What else can a girl ask for? Smart casual dresses for the win!

Since summer is around the corner, this list of smart casual dresses will serve as the perfect guide on how you can dress up!

Casual Dresses For The Bold and Beautiful
Classic Chic Casual Dresses
Wrap It-Up! Smart Casual Wrap Style Outfits
Blazer Business; Workwear Inspired Smart Casual Dresses
Casual Dresses With Playful Prints
Embrace The Ruffle Casual Dresses Trend
Smart Leather Bound Dresses
Asymmetry is back! Casual Dresses For The Win
Minimalist Layering With Smart Casual Dresses
Smart #LBD For The Perfect Evening
FAQ’s

Casual Dresses For The Bold and Beautiful

If you’re out to make a statement, opting for bold monochromatic or one-colour pieces is a great option to go for. Not only does it give a minimalistic look, but it also focuses on a more sophisticated presence overall.

Style Tip: If you’re aiming for a sophisticated and chic look, either keep the monochrome going or add neutral colours in the rest of your accessories like the footwear and your bag.

Kareena Kapoor Khan

Kareena Kapoor Khan - Casual Dresses For The Bold and Beautiful
Image: @tanghavri

Looking ready to take over summer is Kareena Kapoor Khan in this stunning canary yellow dress. With the cheery colour and the flowy silhouette, this outfit is made to make you dazzle under the sun.

Classic Chic Casual Dresses

If you aren’t big on bold and bright colours, you can also go for a subtle and chic look by opting for more neutral colours. Neutral colours will give you a subdued sophistication that will make you look graceful.

Style Tip: If you want to add a little something to the neutrals, bring out a pop of colour by either carrying a different coloured bag or by switching up the accessories.

Kajol Devgn

Kajol Devgn - Classic Chic Casual Dresses
Image: @aasthasharma

Kajol’s oozes elegance in this stunning white piece. This look is perfect if you want to stand out in style without drawing too much attention to your clothes.

Wrap It-Up! Smart Casual Wrap Style Outfits

Wrap around dresses is a great way to follow the smart casual dress code. The best thing about these dresses is that they are in style almost all year round. For anyone looking to highlight their waist, this is the dress to go for.

Style Tip: To create an even and smooth silhouette, you can wear shapewear underneath your wrap dress, especially if the wrap dress hugs your body.

Ananya Panday

Ananya Panday - Wrap It-Up! Smart Casual Wrap Style Outfits
Image: @stylebyami

Ananya Panday’s look is all about comfort and style. It gives her a sleek appearance and the colour is a great choice to compliment the coming summer.

Blazer Business; Workwear Inspired Smart Casual Dresses

Blazer outfits are hot on the #trendlist right now and blazer dresses are one of the most popular choices if you want to emphasise the ‘smart’ of smart casuals. If you want to stray away from formal business attires and still experiment with style, this is the perfect choice to go for.

Style Tip:
Wear a matching smart bralette under your blazer dress in case of a slightly deeper neck so that if it peeks out, it blends with the outfit.

Yami Gautam

Yami Gautam - Blazer Business; Workwear Inspired Smart Casual Dresses
Image: @mohitrai

The black blazer dress with a few intricate details gives a powerful look to Yami’s Gautam’s overall outfit. With an outfit like this, there is barely any need for accessories since the dress does most of the talking for you.

Casual Dresses With Playful Prints

If you want a fun, playful yet stylish look, opting for printed dresses is the way to go. With the availability of an ample number of prints ranging from gorgeous animal prints to whimsical florals, it can be a great showstopper when done right.

Style Tip: If you’re wearing busy prints on your outfit, the safest way to pair accessories is to go with solid colours since they can never go wrong!

Priyanka Chopra Jonas

Priyanka Chopra Jonas - Casual Dresses With Playful Prints
Image: @priyankachopra

In the mood for modest dressing? This stunning piece adorned by Priyanka shows just how to rock modesty in style. With a beautiful zebra/white tiger print, this dress can be worn for just about any occasion.

Embrace The Ruffle Casual Dresses Trend

If you want to add a bit of fun to your outfit, ruffles can do the trick! A few ruffles here and there will add to the charm of your dress while still letting it look super chic and smart.

Style Tip: If you have wider hips, choose a dress with ruffles at the bottom of the dress to ensure balance and avoid wearing ruffles along your hip area.

Janhvi Kapoor

Janhvi Kapoor - Embrace The Ruffle Casual Dresses Trend
Image: @mohitrai

Janhvi Kapoor’s royal blue dress is everything you need for a trendy, playful yet chic look while stepping out. The colour brightens the look while the design does the talking!

Smart Leather Bound Dresses

Looking for that perfect leather garment that ticks all the sartorial boxes? Then leather dresses are your answer. Dressing up in faux leather dresses will give you a sense of luxury and high fashion and will be a great look for anyone who wears it.

Style Tip: For leather dresses to flatter you, the fit needs to compliment your body well. Ill-fitted dresses might make the body look disproportionate since the material of leather is a bit rigid.

Shilpa Shetty Kundra

Shilpa Shetty Kundra - Smart Leather Bound Dresses
Image: @mohitrai

This sleek, timeless dress worn by Shilpa Shetty Kundra is a major fashion statement. The tan brown compliments her skin tone well and give her a sophisticated yet fashion forward touch.

Asymmetry is back! Casual Dresses For The Win

If you’re feeling more experimental with the style of dresses and want an edgier, fun vibe, asymmetrical dresses can be your thing! It gives your look a playful and youthful touch and suits most of the body types.

Style Tip: For it to be smart casual, make sure the asymmetry of the dress doesn’t make it too short.

Karisma Kapoor

Karisma Kapoor - Asymmetry is back! Casual Dresses For The Win
Image: @stylebyami

This asymmetrical grided blue dress donned by Karisma Kapoor brings out her radiance spectacularly. Combining the colour with the design, it is the perfect summer outfit for going out!

Minimalist Layering With Smart Casual Dresses

Another way to rock a smart casual dress is to layer it up! If you want to amp up your dress, add on layers with scarves, jackets, sweater etc. to bring out the whole outfit.

Style Tip: Make sure the layers are cohesive and don’t clash too much. For busy prints, it is recommended to either layer with similar patterns or with plain ones.

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja - Minimalist Layering With Smart Casual Dresses
Image: @rheakapoor

Sonam Kapoor shows us how to accomplish minimalistic layering with style in this simplistic yet chic white dress under a white blazer. This look is the go-to if you want to keep it minimal but add a little extra fun factor in your outfit.

Smart #LBD For The Perfect Evening

Little Black Dress? Nope. We present you with a smart casual version of LBD which is a long black dress. If you’re ever unsure about what colour to go with, a black dress is an answer. A full black outfit offers a super sophisticated look without having to do much.

Style Tip: Keep the accessories to a minimum to keep the attention on the outfit. You can carry a coloured bag if you wish to add a pop of colour.

Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone - Smart #LBD For The Perfect Evening
Image: @shaleenanathani

Take cues from Deepika Padukone on how to dress in a striking black dress and look super stylish. The dress offers a stunningly mysterious look which is sure to steal the show without barely doing much!

FAQ’s

Q. Do t-shirts also come under smart casuals?

A. Yes, t-shirts can easily be incorporated into smart casuals, but they need to be crisp and well-fitted ones instead of old washed out or baggy tees. Plain, single-coloured t-shirts would offer a smarter and more polished look.

Q. Does a specific style of dress matter when following the “smart casuals” dress code?

A. While the style of the dress doesn’t necessarily matter, it is recommended to avoid a lot of skin show through mini-dresses or low-cut ones since the dress code emphasises a touch of sophistication with some casual elements. Your outfit should portray a formal look with casual comfort.

Q. Can I wear sneakers while dressing for this particular style?

A. Yes, of course! While the dress code aims for a polished look, it also takes into account the casual comfort of the outfit. Sneakers are perfectly fine but keep in mind that if you want to lean over to the formal side, heels or formal footwear would definitely be a better option.

Q. Which style is the best to go for if I can’t choose one?

A. The easiest pick if you’re unable to choose a specific one is printed. There are so many prints these days, and you can choose the one that caters to your liking. If it is spring, florals are a good pick. You can even choose the intensity of the prints according to your choice!

Also Read: The Guide: How To Dress Right For Your Body Type
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