"Smart trousers", "Smart you name it"......

[SPacificbound]

I have never, in my many. many, many decades on this earth, ever heard or seen the term "smart" attached to a description of any item of clothing.

 

Here on Cruise Critic I have seen this reference at least as many times as I am in years. No, actually way more then that.

 

Enlighten me please, what is "smart" clothing? :confused:

[ger_77]

I believe people are referring to fashionable items of clothing, not sloppy, or tattered. Much like "dress trousers" instead of "casual trousers".

 

Just my 2 cents worth!

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[cb at sea]

That little hat you wear when you graduate (mortarboard)....isn't that a "smarty" hat????? I would hope so, considering what it costs!

 

Nowadays, there is no "smart" anything, clotheswise.....or otherwise, that I've seen.

Edited March 18, 2014 by cb at sea

[calliopecruiser]

I have never, in my many. many, many decades on this earth, ever heard or seen the term "smart" attached to a description of any item of clothing.

 

Here on Cruise Critic I have seen this reference at least as many times as I am in years. No, actually way more then that.

 

Enlighten me please, what is "smart" clothing? :confused:

 

The terms "dress smartly" or to be "smartly dressed" have been around for a long time -- they mean to dress fashionably,or at least dressed neatly and cleanly. For instance, when you go on a job interview, you want to dress smartly to make a good impression. I don't know whether they actually mean smart as in intelligent - i.e. it would be smart to be fashionably dressed - or whether it was a slang use of the term "smart". It's not the clothes that are smart, it's the style of those clothes.

 

Then again, in this age of smartphones, I wonder if "smart pants" could have some newfangled technology interwoven in them, LOL.

[luddite]

I have never, in my many. many, many decades on this earth, ever heard or seen the term "smart" attached to a description of any item of clothing.

 

Here on Cruise Critic I have seen this reference at least as many times as I am in years. No, actually way more then that.

 

Enlighten me please, what is "smart" clothing? :confused:

 

Also known colloquially as 'Big Boy Pants'.

[Mytime2014]

chuckled because right after I read your question my son came home from work and asked how I felt about smart casual dressing....finally he's getting away from baggy shorts and sneakers all year.

 

To me its a step above "casual" but not formal - growing up it would have been "Sunday best", only for me growing up - no lady would wear slacks on Sunday or shorts at all!!! and jeans were for farm hands or garden work.

[beachbum53]

The terms "dress smartly" or to be "smartly dressed" have been around for a long time -- they mean to dress fashionably,or at least dressed neatly and cleanly. For instance, when you go on a job interview, you want to dress smartly to make a good impression. I don't know whether they actually mean smart as in intelligent - i.e. it would be smart to be fashionably dressed - or whether it was a slang use of the term "smart". It's not the clothes that are smart, it's the style of those clothes.

 

Then again, in this age of smartphones, I wonder if "smart pants" could have some newfangled technology interwoven in them, LOL.

 

Maybe it's the next new thing from Apple. Very soon, when you go to the movie theater, you'll be asked to "please silence your pants".:rolleyes::D

[Nebr.cruiser]

I think it's a very British term, one not used so much in the US, but, if you read lots of English novels, like I do, it's understandable.

 

Like many words, 'smart' can have more than one meaning; intelligent, hurts a bit, and, yes, 'nice or stylish' for example. To me, it means a step up from casual, but not really formal. Maybe what you would wear to a casual dinner or party with your boss, unless otherwise stated.

 

It took me years to figure out what a 'jumper' means in the UK! And, I can almost always tell if someone is from the UK by the word 'whilst', which is very seldom used over here.

 

I love the differences in our so-called common language. When driving in the UK, my husband and I were quite puzzled by some of the road signs; example: 'Beware of canted roadway' (or something similar). By the time we figured that one out we were a mile down the road!

Edited March 18, 2014 by Nebr.cruiser

[mtwingcpa]

As with most dress code issues, there is probably no universally recognized definition. That said, my own view is that "smart" probably means collared shirts and NO DENIM or shorts (unless otherwise specifically allowed). It is probably about the same as "country club casual."

 

Naturally, YMMV. :-)

[YubaSutter]

Mom used to call me Smarty Pants.

[calliopecruiser]

I think it's a very British term, one not used so much in the US, but, if you read lots of English novels, like I do, it's understandable.

 

Like many words, 'smart' can have more than one meaning; intelligent, hurts a bit, and, yes, 'nice or stylish' for example. To me, it means a step up from casual, but not really formal. Maybe what you would wear to a casual dinner or party with your boss, unless otherwise stated.

 

It took me years to figure out what a 'jumper' means in the UK! And, I can almost always tell if someone is from the UK by the word 'whilst', which is very seldom used over here.

 

I love the differences in our so-called common language. When driving in the UK, my husband and I were quite puzzled by some of the road signs; example: 'Beware of canted roadway' (or something similar). By the time we figured that one out we were a mile down the road!

 

It makes sense that it's British, but I didn't know it - Canadians have adopted a lot of British terms, and I do enjoy many British novels and watch British TV shows (love Sherlock!).

 

I knew what jumpers were, but the term "pants" really threw me -- "pants" are underpants, not trousers. So when John Watson asks Sherlock Holmes if he's wearing pants when Sherlock is sitting there wrapped in a bedsheet makes sense -- he could clearly see that he wasn't wearing trousers, but he couldn't see if he was wearing underwear (he wasn't).

[mom says]

Mom used to call me Smarty Pants.

 

Mine too! But I don't think smarty pants and smart trousers are the same thing. Or are they??:D

[Slugsta]

I would agree that 'smart' clothing (or 'to be smartly dressed') probably equates with 'Sunday best'. We Brits don't really have 'Country club casual' as part of our culture.

 

As has been said, 'pants' are worn underneath ones trousers whilst 'suspenders' are worn by ladies to hold up their stockings, not by gentlemen! 'Thongs' are also items of underwear, the things that Austalians call thongs we know as 'flip flops' :)

[navybankerteacher]

I have never, in my many. many, many decades on this earth, ever heard or seen the term "smart" attached to a description of any item of clothing.

 

Here on Cruise Critic I have seen this reference at least as many times as I am in years. No, actually way more then that.

 

Enlighten me please, what is "smart" clothing? :confused:

 

"Smart" is one of a few term frequently used on these threads with very little meaning. It is an adjective which, when used to modify an article of clothing, is meant to elevate the panache of that article. Applied, say, to mens trousers, and depending upon the user's frame of reference, it can mean anything ranging from not as heavily stained as the grossest pair in that persons wardrobe to a pair of crisp, freshly pressed tropical linen trousers.

 

The term is similar in usage to "dressy" as applied to women's slacks - which can mean anything from a pair of frayed blue jeans with just enough sequins around the thigh to distract from the hole at the knee, to a pair of elegant silk palazzo pants.

 

Since both terms have meaning only to the user, it is best to ignore them.

[sparks1093]

I have always interpreted "smart casual" as equalling business casual, so if it is something that I would/could wear to work I am well within the limits on a cruise. I miss my days in the Navy- one question "what's the uniform of the day" answers it all and you don't have to worry about things clashing:o.

[TC1957]

The term is used by companies like Royal Caribbean when suggesting types of attire.

 

The dictionary meanings of "smart casual" (yes...there are definitions) are "well-dressed in a casual style", "neat, conventional, yet relatively informal in style" and "somewhat informal but neat".

 

Most fashion experts would say it entails wearing fresher colors, lighter, softer materials, patterned, relaxed, thoughtful, less structured, clean and not confrontational apparel with fabrics like linen, cashmere, fine wool and cotton that are freshly laundered.

Edited March 18, 2014 by TC1957

[slidergirl]

Keeping with the "smartphone" phraseology, "smart pants" can nowadays also be used in the outdoors industry as pants made from the new technical fabrics. Fabrics that dry quickly, have SPF protection, breathe, stretch….

[SPacificbound]

Thank you all for the responses. :)

 

I kind of thought it must be something similar to "business casual", but it was a term I had never heard until I joined Cruise Critic.

 

I also figured it must have been a British word originally, so you have all answered my question very nicely.

 

Thank you. :D

[helpthejuggler]

"Button Down Shirt" always confused me.

 

I thought for some time it was a button down collared shirt.

Would anyone know if it you wear a Button Up Shirt instead?

 

Do button order police exist?

[beachbum53]

"Button Down Shirt" always confused me.

 

I thought for some time it was a button down collared shirt.

Would anyone know if it you wear a Button Up Shirt instead?

 

Do button order police exist?

 

It depends on whether you start from the collar and work your way down, or start from the hem and work your way up. Or, maybe just to be different, start from the middle and alternate (one up, one down, repeat).:rolleyes::D

[Mary Ellen]

According to Wiki the term 'smart casual' originated in the US, not Britain. It is also not a recent term as it has been around longer than the majority of us have been alive.

 

Smart casual was first mentioned in the Iowa newspaper The Davenport Democrat And Leader in May 1924:

"The sleeveless dress with three-quarter overblouses, in smock appearance completing it for street wear, is accorded various interpretations. It is at once practiced and gives a smart casual appearance".[1]

Smart casual was commonly used in the last century and merged to form the term business casual in the 1950s, implying a more casual suit than the traditional, usual dark suit in heavy cloth.[1]

 

 

1. ^ Jump up to: a b Martin, Gary. "Smart casual". Phrasefinder. Retrieved 29 May 2013.

 

Google can be your friend too.

Edited March 18, 2014 by Mary Ellen
Typo

[sparks1093]

It depends on whether you start from the collar and work your way down, or start from the hem and work your way up. Or, maybe just to be different, start from the middle and alternate (one up, one down, repeat).:rolleyes::D

 

I always end up with an extra button hole when I start anywhere but from the top:o (and an extra button too).

[beachbum53]

I always end up with an extra button hole when I start anywhere but from the top:o (and an extra button too).

 

Combine that with leaving your shirt tail half untucked and somebody's likely to think that you've had one too many D.O.D.'s.;):D

[Nebr.cruiser]

"Button Down Shirt" always confused me.

 

I thought for some time it was a button down collared shirt.

Would anyone know if it you wear a Button Up Shirt instead?

 

Do button order police exist?

 

I always thought that meant a shirt where the collar itself was buttoned onto the shirt, like some more casual shirts. But, we all have our own take on things. I say, button anywhich way you want, but if I buttoned from the bottom it would feel weird.

[Hlitner]

The term "smart" when it applies to dress style is certainly open to discussion. The 20 some year old guy that comes to formal dinners wearing his baseball hat probably thinks he is a smart dresser. On the other hand, others might think he is just a smart ^%$.

 

Hank