How to Dress Smart Casual in the Summer (+ 16 Outfit Ideas)
I have always worked in places that called for smart casual dress—whether it be grad school (which is definitely on the more casual side if you don’t teach) or real-world job. I lucked out in that most of the clothes I wore in grad school could translate to my job! “Smart casual” is essentially my style in a nutshell, and you’ll find tons of outfit inspiration if you browse CCCH. I consider smart casual to be slightly less formal than business casual. You want to be put together but don’t need to wear slacks.
It can be tricky to dress for work in the summer because you have to dress for the heat and possibly humidity (and sometimes wind, rain, etc.) outside while inside might be cool from aggressive air conditioning. It’s tricky to dress for both environments while still looking and feeling polished. There are a few key items I reach for again and again in the summer months! (And I feel super fortunate that I don’t have a business formal dress code!)
I rounded up 16 past summer outfits that I would consider smart casual and that would work for any workplace or event that calls for a smart casual dress code. A couple of them feature shorts and are perfect for grad students! Take note of the similarities between each of the 16 outfits; there were a lot of overlapping themes and items that I picked up on while putting together this post. I shared a few tips for dressing smart casually in summer and some of those overarching themes to keep in mind below!
READ NEXT: How to Dress Smart Casual in the Winter
How to Dress Smart Casual in the Summer
Smart casual combines the elements of casual wear (think jeans, lots of color, tees, etc.) and business attire (think tailored items, button-downs, comfortable yet presentable footwear, etc.). When it comes to dressing smart casual at your office or perhaps to a wedding or other special event, think about unexpected combinations (like blazer + jeans) and juxtapositions. In the summer, it’s especially fun to play around with different colors and patterns, textures, and various types of tops (tees, billowy tops, button-downs) and bottoms (wide leg jeans and pants, midi skirts, etc.)! It’s typically too hot to wear many layers in the summer.
Here are some of the items and themes you’ll see repeated over and over again in smart casual summer outfits and especially in the outfit roundup below:
Simple outfit combinations with a statement piece (bright color, fun pants, striped midi skirt)
White denim (they’re the perfect base for all your summer outfits)
Heeled sandals (to dress up any outfit, even if you’re wearing jeans)
Lightweight layers (cardigans and blazers for the aggressive office air conditioning)
Lighter colors (I love the light and bright color palettes when it’s warm and sunny)
Monochrome and other fun color palettes (now is the time to play around with color combos, patterns, and textures)
The number one “rule” for dressing for a smart casual office or any dress code in general is you want whatever you wear to fit you. You don’t want any gapping or bulging or anything of that sort—if it you don’t feel confident, it’s not going to work! I’ve had to purchase lots of new items to fit my new pandemic body, and I love that I can feel comfortable and put-together in what I wear again.
Below, I rounded up 16 past smart casual summer outfits to serve as inspiration. You can probably make most of these with similar items in your own closet! There’s a shopping widget below each outfit with exact or similar items if you’re in the market for a particular item.
What is your favorite smart casual outfit to wear in summer? What’s your workplace dress code?
READ NEXT: How to Style a Sweater Blazer for Work
Smart Casual Summer Outfit Ideas
Wear a Statement Color
I wear a lot of simple outfits in the summer (it’s too hot for layers most of the time), and one way to make a simple outfit stand out is to wear a statement color! In this outfit, I’m letting the rusty orange linen shell doing all of the talking and keeping the rest of the outfit quiet. White jeans are a summer wardrobe workhorse because you can make any color top pop!
Go Light and Bright
This outfit features the same white jeans as the first outfit but I took it in a totally different direction. If you’re not feeling like making a statement, keep it light and bright! I wore a monochrome white base (with a fun textured top to keep it interesting) and layered a light grey sweater cardigan over it (for the aggressive office A/C). Nothing in this outfit stands out and the colors work together rather than compete.
Shades of Grey and White
Same white jeans—remember when I said they’re a summer wardrobe workhorse?! 😏 I love playing around with neutrals at any time of year. The stripes in the tee coordinate with the jeans, and the various shades of grey in the blazer and tee and black shoes tie it all together in a neat little smart casual summer outfit bow!
Tailor Your Garments
Blue jeans are a smart casual staple, but the best part about this outfit is the fact that I had gotten these jeans tailored (Madewell offers it for free if you purchase their jeans)! I purchased them in a too-long inseam because I saw the sale price and didn’t pay attention to anything else (lol), which meant I had to roll them a couple of times to fit on my short legs. Getting them tailored to my inseam made a world of difference! I HIGHLY recommend finding a tailor to make all of your clothes work for you!
Wear Lightweight Third Pieces
I mentioned earlier that in the summer, there’s not a whole lot of layering happening. I work in an office that can get quite chilly with the A/C, so I’m almost always wearing a lightweight blazer or cardigan if I have a tank or tee on. These versatile third pieces pull together my outfits all year round. If your third pieces don’t feel on trend anymore, pair them with trendy jeans or pants styles!
Dress Up Denim
This outfit might feel on the more casual side of smart casual depending on your office. (I wore this to my office!) Dressing up denim turns outfits into a fun juxtaposition. This smart casual outfit is a favorite of mine in particular because of the wedge sandals paired with the loose jeans. Somehow wearing jeans with a heel makes me feel so much more confident!
Opt for Statement Pants
Because you don’t wear a lot of layers in the warm summer months, it’s the perfect time to mix it up and wear a pair of statement pants! Wide leg pants are really having a moment right now, and you can find some really dramatic wide leg pants if you look for ‘em. I really love these chambray wide leg pants. They turn this basic work outfit into something much more exciting!
Ponte Pants for the Win
When you want to wear full pants to work but don’t want to wear jeans, you must wear ponte pants. The Dream Pant by Everlane is the most comfortable work pant I’ve ever worn; they seriously feel like sweatpants! And they work perfectly in smart casual workplaces. In this outfit, I’m also wearing a linen button-down that I tied at the waist to give me some definition. The slight bit of midriff is a bit of a daring look for the office but may work for some of you!
Oversized Blazer + Shorts
This smart casual outfit is for all my grad school girlies out there! I put this together as a fun first day of grad school outfit. It’s totally something I would have worn! I wore a lot of shorts to school in the summer months and even into the school year. You’re still a student, so take advantage of it while you can, haha! I really love pairing shorts with long-sleeved tops, sweaters, and blazers. An oversized blazer is on trend and works perfectly with shorts; just pick a pair of chino shorts that are a little bit longer than the hem of the blazer.
Faux Romper / Jumpsuit
Here’s another fun smart casual (monochrome) outfit idea! I’m obsessed with faux romper/jumpsuit moments, and this is one of my favorite outfits from grad school. Can you believe the top and shorts are by two different brands?! They’re both black silk, so they paired together perfectly! A romper or jumpsuit looks instantly more elevated than a regular tee-and-shorts outfit combination, but this outfit is better because it’s not one piece! I dressed it up even more by adding ankle boots and a geometric statement necklace.
The Perfect Office Dress
I don’t wear dresses all that often, but I do have one in particular that I think of every time I think of dressing smart casually: this faux wrap dress! It’s a good length for the office and features long sleeves (perfect for that office A/C I keep mentioning). The faux wrap detail conceals extra weight in the midsection, which is what I’m most insecure about. Find yourself the perfect everyday office dress and wear the heck out of it!
Play with Separates
I wear a lot of separates in the summer months, and one of my favorite smart casual summer outfit combinations is a simple, dressy top paired with a nice skirt as seen in this outfit. The flat sandals keep this outfit on the smart casual side (or even dressy casual—which sounds like an oxymoron, but it just means it’s slightly nicer than casual). Summer is a great time to play around with separates and mix fabrics and textures!
Embrace a Midi Skirt
I did not wear midi skirts until I started my full-time job after grad school. I really didn’t think they’d work for me because I’m borderline petite at 5’4” (the doctor might say I’m just under 5’4”, lol). The trick if you’re also petite is to make sure the skirt hits at a narrow part of your leg. This was the first midi skirt I purchased for myself, and it’s been a favorite ever since! I wear it all the time with wedge sandals. Midis call for a full top tuck (to keep your outfit proportional).
Pick Linen or Linen Blends
This is another variation of the blazer and midi skirt outfit above. This definitely was a summer uniform for me at one point! I love a linen or linen-blend blazer when it’s warm out. The extra layer is nice for a chilly office, but the linen is breathable and doesn’t make you feel too hot if you wear it outside. The skirt I’m wearing is also a linen blend. I would not be able to survive a summer in Boise without linen!
Bookend Your Outfit
Another summer outfit with linen! I called this one my linen “suit” because both the blazer and pants are made of linen (the pants are a linen blend like the skirt above). Even though the colors are different, the similar textures tied the whole look together. And this outfit also features bookends: the blazer and the wedge sandals are similar colors and therefore “sandwich” the pieces in between. It creates a very cohesive look that is pleasing to the eye!
Play with Color
When in doubt, play around with color! Mix and match! Go monochrome! I don’t shy away from a good monochrome moment at any time of year, but they are especially fun and interesting in the summer. Plus, if you’re nervous to wear a bold monochrome outfit like this, just top it with a blazer or other third piece and then it won’t feel so overwhelming! The beige blazer really tones the whole thing down. Just remember to have fun with your closet!