Outfit Formality Checker
Pick a top, a bottom, shoes, and an optional outer layer. The tool maps each piece to the 7-step ladder, scores the outfit 1–7, and tells you whether the dress code holds together.
Choose at least a top, a bottom, and shoes. Outerwear is optional. Once the three core picks are made, the checker shows a 1–7 score, the dress code label, and a verdict you can act on.
How the score is calculated
Every garment in the picker is mapped to a rung on the 7-step ladder — Athletic (1), Casual (2), Smart Casual (3), Business Casual (4), Business (5), Cocktail (6), Formal (7). The score is the average rung across your three or four picks, rounded to the nearest level. The tool also tracks the spread between the highest and lowest rung. When the spread is two or more, the outfit gets a stretch warning. When the spread is three or more — or when a specific clash is present (running shoes with a blazer, dress shirt with running shoes) — it gets a mismatch.
Worked examples
- ExampleSmart Casual standard
- Oxford shirt
- Chinos
- Loafers
Score 3 · Smart Casual. In range with no outlier.
- ExampleBusiness Casual
- Oxford shirt
- Grey trousers
- Loafers
- Navy blazer
Score 4 · Business Casual. Classic four-piece formula.
- ExampleMismatch
- Dress shirt
- Jeans
- Running shoes
Mismatch · running shoes break the line of a dress shirt.
Reference ladder
The 7 rungs the checker maps against. Outfits work when all garments stay within one rung of each other.
- AthleticHoodie · joggers · trainers
- CasualTee · denim · sneakers
- Smart CasualOxford · chinos · loafers
- Business CasualBlazer · trousers · derbies
- BusinessSuit · dress shirt · oxfords
- CocktailDark suit · silk tie · leather
- Black TieTuxedo · bow tie · patent