Level 2 Outfits are basically the least formal outfits you’ll allow yourself to leave the house in. For some that means jeans. For others, leggings. The point here is that you want a few outfits for things like grocery shopping, hanging out at the park with your kids, visiting a friend, and casual Fridays.

Again, you need to be realistic about how much you actually wear casual clothes. For the longest time, my closet was full of casual clothes but I never got to wear them because I wore gym clothes on the weekends and work clothes the rest of the time. Take the time to map out your week using my Canadian Capsule Planner to figure out how many outfits you realistically need.

That said, casual outfits are a great place for transition items that work in other levels. Most of my Level 2 tops are cozy enough to be Loungewear, but look nice enough with jeans for an errand run. Likewise, all of my jeans fit in my Level 2 Casual Outing category as well as Level 3 Nice (professional) clothes. I own about five pairs of the same skinny jeans in various shades and textures of black or indigo. They all belong to both groups. But let’s be real, I wear leggings most of the time. Level 2 jeans are more aspirational than practical.

I also find that accessories are really what set apart Levels 1, 2 and 3. I can throw a jean jacket and a hat on a Loungewear look and wear it out of the house. I can also take a Level 2 outfit and wear it to work with a blazer and a nice pair of flats.

Like with Athletic Wear, I highly suggest having one Level 2 Casual outfit that is work appropriate. Maybe you’re lucky enough to have casual Fridays. Maybe you go on a work trip with colleagues and don’t want to wear a suit the whole time. This is also great for a social situation where you’re meeting someone new and maybe aren’t totally sure of the dress code.

The idea here is to have a couple of outfits that let you be comfy but you aren’t embarrassed to be seen in. Imagine what you’d like to be wearing when you run into a old friend or a work colleague at the grocery store. Let that inform your choices. Even if all you’re doing is throwing on some sweats, add a jacket or accessories and make it a look. It doesn’t matter what you wear so much as it just needs to look like you tried a bit.