Do smart-casual clothes exist?

I am aware that I have not posted for a while and my busy life is partly to blame but it is mainly because I am having a minor fashion crisis. I am under the impression that smart casual clothes do not exist. I proudly walked around university in head to toe Alannah Hill and heels during my first year and was always known for being over-dressed. Whenever I went shopping, I would always buy a new "formal" dress that I may wear once, to a very casual party. I seem to have an endless supply of cutesy/girly clothes and nothing that isn't over the top. Now, I find myself struggling to figure out what to wear to university and other daytime outings. I either have formal dresses or tracksuit pants and hoodies and when I go shopping these days, that's all I find! It leaves me wondering, do nice smart-casual clothes exist?

Although I am saving for a trip to the U.S in January, I am also searching for smart casual clothes as well as trying to explore stores other than Alannah Hill. I look to other university students for inspiration but this has not helped me. Today I went on an expedition to Melbourne's CBD to find these elusive smart-casual pieces.

I wore:




Country Road Silk Boxy Shirt, Country Road Cable Knit Jumper, Cheap Monday Jeans, Topshop Leather Brogues.

I picked up a Country Road Jumper, Marcs Pants and Seed Dress


Images courtesy of countryroad.com.au, marcs.com.au and seedheritage.com.au


I still don't know whether or not these can be classified as smart casual but I guess it's a start!