Raise your hand if you or someone you know has ever been victimised by a confusing dress code. Mean Girls references aside, attending an event with a specific dress code can often feel like deciphering a secret formula. Group chats inevitably become flooded with questions from friends asking what everyone is wearing, while images of potential outfits float back and forth awaiting collective approval.

While dress codes on either end of the spectrum can be relatively straightforward (casual and black-tie spring to mind) it is the ones that sit somewhere in-between that are often a little harder to understand. And what makes it even more confusing is that the same dress code can mean entirely different things depending on the type of event you are attending. For example, a smart-casual dress code for a birthday celebration might warrant dark wash jeans, but for the same dress code at a wedding, jeans would not be appropriate.

That’s why today we’re here to decipher smart casual once and for all. The key to the dress code is to make sure your look feels polished and elevated without being formal (sorry, ripped jeans, but you’re not invited to this event).

Below you will find seven formulas that can be called upon when a smart-casual dress code is on the agenda. As always, adding a pair of heels to any of the looks below will make the outfit feel the most dressy, though if you’re attending an event where boots could be appropriate, feel free to finish your look with those.

What is smart casual? 7 foolproof outfits to conquer the confusing dress code