Partner A
Easier: Do you like shopping for clothes? Why or why not?
How do your clothes change between work and the weekend?
More challenging: How might the clothes we wear influence our confidence and the way others perceive us?
Jamesleads the live roundsSimmonds · live on simmonds.onlineB15 min · English
Clothes and fashion in English: vocabulary, dialogue and conversation questions
Editorially responsible: James Simmondspublished 24 Oct 2026AI-generated text (learn more – how we use AI on these pages)
Live rounds with a trainer and a small group. To warm up: Theo asks, you answer.
Allow the microphone – Theo asks the first question.
AI conversation partner, synthetic voice · your voice is processed live by Google Gemini, we store no audio and no transcript · max. 5 minAbout the AIWith headphones you can interrupt Theo. Without them, the microphone only listens once Theo has finished.
Clothes and fashionB1 – Practise speaking English: a conversation about clothes and fashion (level B1)Weather & seasonsA2 – Practise speaking English: a conversation about the weather and the seasons (level A2)ShoppingA2 – Practise speaking English: a conversation about shopping (level A2)Sorry, could you say that again?Give me a second to think.How do you say … in English?
Question of the day
Why do many people prefer a smart-casual look at work now?
Show the answer – Open the answer to the question of the day
Correct answer: They want to be comfortable.
You can find the answer in the English introduction.
Listen to the introduction
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Transcript
Hi, I'm Theo, and this is a two-minute conversation starter. Today: clothes and fashion. A few years ago, many offices had a strict dress code – Jump to the vocabulary entry for dress code. Men wore a suit and tie – Jump to the vocabulary entry for suit and tie, and women wore formal dresses. Now, things are changing. Many companies prefer a smart-casual look – Jump to the vocabulary entry for smart-casual look. People want to be comfortable – Jump to the vocabulary entry for be comfortable at their desks, especially since working from home became so popular. But fashion is still important to us. When we go out at the weekend, we love to put on – Jump to the vocabulary entry for put on something fashionable – Jump to the vocabulary entry for something fashionable to feel good. Clothes show the world who we are, and they can completely change our mood. So, what about you? Do you prefer dressing up, or keeping it simple?
Vocabulary
- dress code/ˈdres ˌkəʊd/
- Meaning: Rules about what clothes people should wear in a particular place.
- Example: Our new office has a very relaxed dress code.
- suit and tie/ˌsuːt ən ˈtaɪ/
- Meaning: A formal jacket and trousers worn with a shirt and a long piece of cloth around the neck.
- Example: You don't need to wear a suit and tie to the interview.
- smart-casual look/ˌsmɑːt ˈkæʒ.u.əl lʊk/
- Meaning: A style of clothing that is neat but not very formal.
- Example: A smart-casual look works well for our office lunch.
- be comfortable/biː ˈkʌm.fə.tə.bəl/
- Meaning: To feel relaxed in the clothes you are wearing.
- Example: I want to be comfortable on the long train journey.
- put on/pʊt ˈɒn/
- Meaning: To dress yourself in a piece of clothing.
- Example: It is cold outside, so you should put on a warm jacket.
- something fashionable/ˌsʌm.θɪŋ ˈfæʃ.ən.ə.bəl/
- Meaning: An item of clothing in a style that is popular now.
- Example: I need something fashionable for the awards dinner.
Dialogue
- AnnaWe have a new dress code at the office starting next week.
- MarkReally? Are they asking us to wear a suit and tie again?
- AnnaNo, the opposite! They want a smart-casual look from now on.
- MarkThat's great news. I just want to be comfortable when I'm working.
- AnnaMe too. But I still like to put on something fashionable when I meet clients.
- MarkExactly. You can still look professional without being too formal.
Questions for your conversation
Partner B
Easier: Do you have a favourite piece of clothing? Why or why not?
What do you wear to work – and what do you wear on Sunday?
More challenging: If you were the boss of a large company, what kind of dress code would you introduce, and why?
Partner A
Easier: Is it important for you to look fashionable? Why or why not?
How has your personal style changed over the last ten years?
More challenging: To what extent do you think the fashion industry encourages people to buy things they don't really need?
Useful phrases
- What are you going to wear tonight?
- I need to get dressed.
- That shirt really suits you.
- I prefer wearing comfortable clothes.
- Does this jacket fit me?
- We have a smart-casual dress code.
Topic quiz
Five quick questions check vocabulary and listening comprehension.
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Who is Theo?
Theo is an AI conversation partner for warming up, not a teacher. The voice is synthetic. In the live rounds, a trainer talks with you.
Is my conversation stored?
We store neither audio nor a transcript. During the conversation, your voice is sent to Google (Gemini) for processing. The conversation ends after no more than five minutes.
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