July 16, 2018
Appropriate Times
Casual menswear is often appropriate for any informal events, including casual Fridays at some places of work. When in doubt, select a mix between the two groups, such as a buttoned-down shirt, blazer, jeans and dark sneakers.
A "casual attire" invitation is mostly open ended, but there is still the expectation of dressing up for a social event.
Neckties are definitely not needed, but a casual jacket could still be worn.
Similarly, jeans are acceptable if the invitation says "casual," but they should be dark, fitted jeans, not plain work jeans or anything with rips and tears.
Leather shoes and collared shirts are still preferable.
The "casual" code tells you that the hosts aren't putting any stock in formality.
They want it to be a relaxed events where guests can be themselves. All well and good - but you should still look like you made an effort! It's just polite.
Understanding "Optional" Dress Codes
Occasionally dress codes will come with the word "optional" attached. This is mostly done at the higher levels of formality, i.e. "black tie optional."
What that means is that the hosts are planning on wearing the listed code, and encourage guests to do likewise if they wish. It's a way of dressing the event up without requiring that every single attendee meet a high standard that might require rental clothing or expensive purchases.
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