ask stylebook: dressy casual?
Ruth: I would love to know what dressy casual is. And snappy casual too!
Cathy, Style Speaks: Whenever you hear an ambiguous dress requirement like ‘dressy casual’, it’s best to aim for the in between. You don’t want to be too dressy or too casual. Avoid blue jeans and opt, instead, for something like black skinny pants or a maxi skirt. Or go for a dress that is stylish but not too over the top, for example, a solid colored jersey dress. Stick with an in between shoe as well – try a low or mid-heeled wedge rather than a flat or high heel. Do the same with other accessories: an oversized leather clutch would be a good option–in between a metallic dressy clutch and a leather tote. Use jewelry to either dress up or dress down your look to bring you back to the middle ground. A good rule for dressy casual is to stick with simple basics in your clothing and finish the look off with one or two polished accessories.
For snappy casual, I say go for color. Keep the same silhouettes and shapes that you would for dressy casual but in bold and bright colors. That jersey dress would look great in a bold print or bright green, for example. And when it comes to accessories, have fun! A printed scarf, a cool hat, or a really great shoe. Hope this helps!
