What Does Smart Casual Look Like For Women In 2024 In DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smart casual?? Who comes up with this nonsense?

I think it's ridiculous, but I work in a field (environmental) where you can also stand out in a bad way if you are too overdressed because your clothing is supposed to be professional but also signal your ability to tun out into "the field" any minute. Oh, don't be too girly either. I prefer either full outdoor/athletic wear or nicer dresses because I'm short and finding well proportioned pants is so hard, so this drives me crazy.

I'm slowly building up a collection of short and long sleeved button up shirts that are for women but not flowered or ruffled, mainly secondhand because good prints are hard to find. Sweaters and boxy blazers are easy for winter. Haven't found pants that actually look good.

I’m 5’2 and finding pants is not fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Smart casual?? Who comes up with this nonsense?

I think it's ridiculous, but I work in a field (environmental) where you can also stand out in a bad way if you are too overdressed because your clothing is supposed to be professional but also signal your ability to tun out into "the field" any minute. Oh, don't be too girly either. I prefer either full outdoor/athletic wear or nicer dresses because I'm short and finding well proportioned pants is so hard, so this drives me crazy.

I'm slowly building up a collection of short and long sleeved button up shirts that are for women but not flowered or ruffled, mainly secondhand because good prints are hard to find. Sweaters and boxy blazers are easy for winter. Haven't found pants that actually look good.

I’m 5’2 and finding pants is not fun.

I buy theory treeca when they are on sale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just visited the Everlane website and clicked on their "cult classics." In pics the clothes look very meh and the quoted testimonials are so obnoxious. One after another, literal quotes here: "This sweater made me examine my whole life" "I got married in this tee." What is up with their marketing?

Most importantly, how difficult are returns at Everlane?

I've returned things at Everlane in Georgetown w/o a problem, there is also a ship back option from a lot of UPS stores, can't remember the name of the service but on the website.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP I think it basically just means no athletic wear, and possibly no jeans. But jeans might be okay if you pair them with more formal tops, jackets and accessories. Don’t overthink it.

OP - what I got in writing says jeans ok, no sweatpants. Sneakers ok no athletic shoes, not sure what that that one means.

Got a mix of a few pieces from Everlane, Loft, Talbots, Macy's and H&M and will see how everyone is dressed. Thanks for the advice, all! The Everlane dream pants are amazing. I'd get the dream midi but think I'm too short, only 5'5".

[Anonymous]

Loft. Jcrew. Madewell. Boden. Even nicer pants from athleta and lululemon. Covid has changed everything unless you are a lawyer in court.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP I think it basically just means no athletic wear, and possibly no jeans. But jeans might be okay if you pair them with more formal tops, jackets and accessories. Don’t overthink it.

OP - what I got in writing says jeans ok, no sweatpants. Sneakers ok no athletic shoes, not sure what that that one means.

Got a mix of a few pieces from Everlane, Loft, Talbots, Macy's and H&M and will see how everyone is dressed. Thanks for the advice, all! The Everlane dream pants are amazing. I'd get the dream midi but think I'm too short, only 5'5".

I'm guessing "sneakers ok no athletic shoes" means that it's okay to wear a nice leather sneaker like Vejas but not a running shoe like Hoka Ones.

[Anonymous]

I’m in my 40s and your size, most of my clothes are from Ann Taylor with flats from Allbirds or Rothy’s.

[Anonymous]

I have these in black for office sneakers. I swapped out the laces for black ones, otherwise they looked too much like bowling shoes to me. I have gotten compliments.

https://www.macys.com/shop/product/on-34th-womens-marinaa-low-top-sneakers-created-for-macys?ID=17995950

[Anonymous]

^They are leather and suede, kind of hard to tell with the pic. I like the gum sole instead of white.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also look at quince, evereve, and Nordstrom online. Madwell, jcrew and banana too. Also Aritzia and even some American eagle.

For the price, Aritzia has really nice quality stuff. Banana Republic too. Loft & Ann Taylor are pretty much garbage at this point.

[Anonymous]

If you're in the federal space the bar is low. Don't overspend. Fit and style is more important than brand. People dress so poorly in the federal space it's almost a relief because I don't have to try as hard. I don't miss my New York corporate sales days from this perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP I think it basically just means no athletic wear, and possibly no jeans. But jeans might be okay if you pair them with more formal tops, jackets and accessories. Don’t overthink it.

OP - what I got in writing says jeans ok, no sweatpants. Sneakers ok no athletic shoes, not sure what that that one means.

Got a mix of a few pieces from Everlane, Loft, Talbots, Macy's and H&M and will see how everyone is dressed. Thanks for the advice, all! The Everlane dream pants are amazing. I'd get the dream midi but think I'm too short, only 5'5".

Something like veja but not like Jordans

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP I think it basically just means no athletic wear, and possibly no jeans. But jeans might be okay if you pair them with more formal tops, jackets and accessories. Don’t overthink it.

OP - what I got in writing says jeans ok, no sweatpants. Sneakers ok no athletic shoes, not sure what that that one means.

Got a mix of a few pieces from Everlane, Loft, Talbots, Macy's and H&M and will see how everyone is dressed. Thanks for the advice, all! The Everlane dream pants are amazing. I'd get the dream midi but think I'm too short, only 5'5".

I'm guessing "sneakers ok no athletic shoes" means that it's okay to wear a nice leather sneaker like Vejas but not a running shoe like Hoka Ones.

Gen Z don’t care. All of them are decked out in pressed shirts, dress pants, designer dresses paired with beat up looking sneakers.