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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

About smart casual meaning no jeans?

99 replies

User543212345 · 21/05/2016 13:48

DH and I have been invited to the evening bash of a wedding tonight and the dress code is smart casual. I think this means he can't wear jeans and should wear trousers/shirt/jacket or suit/shirt but no tie. He thinks jeans/shirt/jacket are alright as he argues they're dark and therefore smart jeans.

Which one of us is being unreasonable?

OP posts:
AllPowerfulLizardPerson · 21/05/2016 13:49

I'm with you - no jeans.

MrsCampbellBlack · 21/05/2016 13:50

I agree with your husband

mum11970 · 21/05/2016 13:52

I agree with your husband. Smart jeans fine. No footsie shirts and trainers.

thatstoast · 21/05/2016 13:52

Wedding - no jeans. I can see other scenarios where jeans would be allowed under the 'smart casual' umbrella though.

KP86 · 21/05/2016 13:52

No jeans at a wedding. Or funeral.

mum11970 · 21/05/2016 13:53

Footie shirts even. Damn autocorrect.

Grilledaubergines · 21/05/2016 13:54

No jeans.

AliceInHinterland · 21/05/2016 13:55

Smart casual usually means no ripped/baggy jeans or shorts, but I think dark jeans are okay.

LemonRedwood · 21/05/2016 13:55

For a wedding, I agree with you.
If the dress code for any other event was smart casual I'd take it to mean smart jeans were OK, with smart shoes/heels maybe (heels for me, probably not my DH Grin)

MuttonCadet · 21/05/2016 13:56

I would take smart casual to include jeans (as does business casual), amazed that someone needs to include a dress code on a wedding invite.
Tbh I'd not wear jeans to a wedding anyway, regardless of what the dress code said.

Original poster
User543212345 · 21/05/2016 13:59

amazed that someone needs to include a dress code on a wedding invite

Agreed, and that's why I'm a bit thrown. If it hadn't been included it would have been a suit and no issue.

I think I err on the side of overdressed rather than underdressed and DH the other way round. It seems MN is split on the jeans/not issue too.

OP posts:
LemonRedwood · 21/05/2016 14:04

Probably better to play it safe and not wear jeans!

venusinscorpio · 21/05/2016 14:05

I think smart, darker jeans with a shirt and jacket are fine as smart casual. And i imagine other people will interpret it that way. I wouldn't wear them myself, but I like dressing up, it's the best bit!

PuppyMonkey · 21/05/2016 14:06

Smart jeans would be fine IMHO - or a nice pair of slacks. Grin

multivac · 21/05/2016 14:07

Good grief. It's a party. What do you think will happen if he turns up in smart jeans and a shirt - he'll be chucked out? A social pariah? The subject of long, outraged posts on Mumsnet?

Seriously, the dress code is purely to give people an excuse to go at bit posh if they'd like to, and warn them that they might feel underdressed if they don't.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 21/05/2016 14:08

Dark jeans will be fine.

multivac · 21/05/2016 14:09

Just reread your last, and perhaps if this is the kind of social circle where 'a suit' is the default issue for an evening party... well, maybe 'smart casual' is to give people an excuse to dress down!

Mr Multivac wouldn't dream of putting on a suit for anything other than a funeral. And then only his father's (suit and funeral).

TendonQueen · 21/05/2016 14:10

Smart casual is the least useful dress advice ever. No one knows what it means. I once had a day invite to a wedding that said 'smart casual'. WTF? What that meant in practice for men was suit and shirt but no tie. But as I said, this was daytime.

AintNobodyHereButUsKittens · 21/05/2016 14:11

Smart casual normally doesn't include jeans and business casual definitely doesn't. But as multivac says, they're not going to kick you out if he wears his cleanest, newest, darkest jeans so it's his choice.

sooperdooper · 21/05/2016 14:11

I'm with your DH, smart dark jeans but with shoes, a shirt and jacket is fine - what are they going to do anyway, not let him in? Grin

GrumpyMummy123 · 21/05/2016 14:14

It depends on the venue and the couple. I've been to a few weddings with dress advice - not a dress code as such, just 'summer casual' or 'evening dress', when it's an unusual venue or not a traditional wedding do.

As they've included it I'd take it to mean that for ladies a full on wedding outfit with fascinator isn't required, but don't turn up in your jeans! For blokes a suit is probably still appropriate, but tie could come off pretty quickly. My DH would probably wear chinos, shoes and shirt.

sooperdooper · 21/05/2016 14:14

I do invites for all kinds of work events, if we want no jeans/trainers we say so, if it was that specific I'd put smart/casual - no jeans or trainers, but just smart/casual I'd expect people to wear smart (not ripped) jeans

NightWanderer · 21/05/2016 14:15

I once had a wedding party invitation that said smart casual so i wore jeans. Everyone was in formalwear. It was so embarassing. I actually ducked out and bought a dress.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es · 21/05/2016 14:16

I'm with your DH. I'd be wearing them too, I hate wearing skirts and dresses.

EarthboundMisfit · 21/05/2016 14:16

I think it means no jeans.

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