Are trainers now acceptable for "smart casual"?

[TheJuryIsOut]

Starting a new job soon and the dress code is smart casual (it's a museum/family attraction type place) I'm googling and a lot of the outfit inspirations include smart looking trainers, is this acceptable now in smart casual wear?

I know I could ring and ask but they're not open until Tuesday now and I don't want to sound stupid by not knowing what smart casual is.

Also any recommendations for nice but cheap smart clothes that come in short length would be amazing 😁 I'm on a very limited budget

I’d wear black trainers and see what they say.

Generally yes, especially plain ones eg black that aren’t with obvious branding. Typically smart casual clothes are dark jeans or trousers (no rips, not faded) with a blouse or shirt tucked in, dress with sleeves/thick straps and not low cut or too short/maxi length, think 2 inches above knee to 6 inches below type range ish, shorts sometimes but longer smart ones, skirts similarly to dresses, not too short, not too long (as trip hazard) and think plainer colour ways rather than bright multi coloured. However interpretation varies a lot - in the my DD’s work it’s chinos and a collared shirt which in other places is pretty smart (but if you already own these for your first day it would be a safe option, or plain black “work” trousers),

I think they are, especially if you’re going to be on your feet a lot as I imagine you might be. In the same way as, in the old days, you’d polish shoes the night before a new job, give them a wipe or brush over

Wear smart first day/week and check out what others are wearing

I’d say yes. I maybe wouldn’t go for bright white ones or colourful ones that draw attention. But a dark pair or a pair in a relatively smart colour or subtle pattern would be fine.

Absolutely not imho.

Personally I’d try shoes and see what others are wearing, I think runners take the casual bit too far, I’d say smart casual a plain top, work trousers and shoes (but I could be totally wrong!!)

I think the interpretation of smart casual will vary between workplaces, so as a PP said I’d go smarter for the first day and see what others are wearing.

smart looking lace up shoes flats, yes definitely

trainers for running in with logos, absolutely not.

Yes I'll be on my feet pretty much all day so I'm really hoping it's acceptable but I think I'll do what others have suggested and wear smart shoes for the first week and then see what others are wearing.

Totally fine in my office. But for your first couple of days maybe wear something else and get a feel for what everyone else is wearing.

Have you been in many offices or workplaces in the past 10 years? I used to wear suit jackets and heels. Would never have not worn tights at one stage. Now I frequently wear smart trainers. Fashions and expectations have very definitely changed. Many people would look ridiculously out of place in the pencil skirt and heels of 15 years ago.

Personally I'd go for shoes, first day at least.

Fine in my office, I wear Adidas, New Balance and Gola in all colours, but as a PP said, check people out on your first day and then you'll know

smart casual in my office includes trainers

Yes, same in my office, particularly if you are on your feet a lot. I wear a trouser suit with smart trainers.

As a museum worker, you need to have sensible shoes as the old buildings tend to have uneven floors and steep staircases.

I wear trainers, boots and always closed toe sandals.

I wear trousers, plain t-shirts and my museum fleece when it’s cold (all the time because the Victorians never installed hearing). And you will need pockets, because you will need a pen, walkie talkie talkie and your own phone.

Id be very surprised if Samba/Gazelle/Superga type trainers were not acceptable. They very much are in offices Ive used. Not sports running shoes though.

Hard to say
If you asked work what our policy is, they'd probably describe it as smart casual. In reality it's just actual casual

I work in two places (for the same company, so my company and a clients office) both are “smart casual”. Trainers are not ok in my companies office but are in the clients office. Personally I’d go for a smarter leather pair of shoes on the first day and go from there

I’d stick with normal shoes for the first few days and check out the lie of the land so to speak! I wear trainers to school but I always stick to either all white or all black as I think they look more professional and not ones that look like sports trainers. Skechers have started doing quite a few designs than look like actual shoes.