Just Act Normal &Look Casual

It is so hard to define casual wear. When someone tells me to dress casual, I panic and freak out because the term casual is so broad. I have learned that when someone tells me to dress casual, I ask them to define it for me by asking, dressy casual or just casual. I feel that when I ask that question, I can get a better understanding as to how I should dress, this way I can avoid feeling uncomfortable and out of place for the evening. It is a terrible feeling and I know I'm not the only one who has ever felt this way about what they are wearing. By defining what type of casual wear, you can save yourself a lot of time and stress and just pick out an outfit that you feel comfortable in.

CASUAL

Casual attire is such a broad area that confuse so many people. I always dress comfortably and in clothes that I feel define me in some way. Casual could mean just throwing on a pair of jeans and a   t-shirt to go to the movies or leggings and a sweater to go to class. There really is no right or wrong, unless you go over the top, which is surprisingly easy to do. I get caught quite often making my casual outfit into a dressy one by adding unnecessary elements.

The photo is a picture of my friend, Branna, who is dressed casually.

Branna is wearing:

• Hoodie/Denim Jacket
• Ghost-busters Graphic T-Shirt
• Black/Faux Leather Leggings
• Black Low Rise Shoes

What I love about this outfit is how transitional it is. This could be an outfit that she goes out shopping in, or just going to meet for lunch with friends. Later she could change her shirt and go out to dinner and it would still be acceptable. By owning an item of clothing that is very versatile, like her leggings, she could create so many outfits with this essential item.


DRESSY CASUAL

It is always important to remember to be comfortable in the clothes that you are wearing. It is always confusing to me when someone tells me to dress casual. Many times throughout my college career, I have been told to dress casually. So to play it safe, I always just wear a dressy casual outfit just to avoid that feeling of awkwardness if I'm dressed down. You could wear a dressy casual outfit if you have a presentation for a class that does not require you to dress business professional, to work if you do not have a required uniform or even out to dinner with your friends.

In the picture, I am wearing:

• Loose Ivory Colored Shirt
• Olive Green Jeans
• Caramel Colored Booties
• Gold Jewelry 
• Teal/Green Purse

I love this outfit so much because it is so simple. Just the colors of the pieces that I paired together create the outfit without any extra pieces being added. I do love wearing different colored jeans, especially in the fall. I wore this outfit because I had a meeting at school that day. Even though it was not an important meeting, it was still important that I dressed how I wanted to be addressed. This outfit could be just another casual outfit if I would change my shoes. I could just throw on some sandals and then it would be casual.

For more information on how to dress for casual wear and/or any other type of outfits, check out the link below for additional ideas and help.

http://emilypost.com/advice/attire-guide-dress-codes-from-casual-to-white-tie/

By adding different pieces together, you can really create a lot of outfits with what you already have without going out and buying more. Colors are always fun to add to outfits too, so don't be afraid to wear more of it! I am a firm believer that simplicity equals sophistication, so please just act normal and look casual.