The Dress Up

Formal Wear & Smart Casual: Fashion's Finest

It’s easy not to consider formal wear as a fashion trend at all.

After all, most consider formal wear simply as a necessity for weddings (got one coming up? We've got a planning guide here), christenings, parties and other big events. If it isn’t being considered for a big bash, then formal wear is also just thought of for business purposes and upcoming job interviews. But to simply disregard formal wear strictly as a necessity for these events and formalities would be a shame because there are so many more occasions that dressing in style can be called for.

It may seem easy to consider formal wear as an obligation to certain events, but it is also easy to forget that the art of sporting a tux or a luxurious dress is the very height of fashion. Formal clothing has never left fashion. In fact, it has proved itself to be the most durable, long-lasting form of fashionable clothing.

The red carpet (Noah Jupe spotted wearing a Paisley of London suit) never ceases to show off the glamorous suits and dresses that superstars like Bryan Cranston, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss and David Beckham recently did, and the knock-on effect of events like these is that we all want to dust off our formal gear and make the best excuse to flaunt it in public.

A suit or dress shouldn’t be collecting dust in the wardrobe, waiting to be worn once or twice a year. More and more people are starting to make excuses to bring out their formal gear for parties and the kind of events that don’t necessarily require it, and they’re right to.

Wearing formal wear to more casual events can do much more for your look than a baggy cardigan and an ironic t-shirt. The trick to wearing formal wear at casual events is experimentation. Wearing a full tuxedo or suit doesn’t necessarily have to be the only way to go formal.

Mixing a suit jacket with a crisp shirt and a nicely cut pair of jeans can work wonders, bringing the formal look down to a more casual and relaxed tone. Completing the look with a nice pair of loafers can really finish off a casual yet confident look.

Casual meets formal is staple concept that stands the test of time. Everyone wants to look the part, show off their wardrobe at its most dapper, and there is absolutely no reason why they shouldn’t.

The same theory applies with kids. Boys these days want to look like their heroes, and superheroes such as Iron Man and Batman always know how to wear a good suit when they aren’t fighting the bad guys.

Likewise, girls will usually want an opportunity to put on a dress and feel like a princess. And why shouldn’t they? Putting on a nice outfit makes anyone feel good and look good. It’s about time we all dusted off our finest formal gear and made our excuses.