A phrase dumb people use whenever they want to use the word "smart" to describe themselves.

Strictly defined, "Street Smart" describes a person with knowledge gained by experience rather than education.

In practical application, "Street Smart" is what stupid people claim to be in order to save face when their stupidity comes to light. It is effective in that regard, as it can not be disproved and places the individual in a higher regard than someone who is "Book Smart" by promoting their nebulous "Smarts" as being more practical than the well-educated individual's.

In the context of psychology, the claim of being "Street Smart" when an individual's stupidity is made apparent is vital to preserving their mental well-being. Most people have been engineered to have the fragile type of high self-esteem, which is self-esteem developed in the absence of actual merit that would warrant high self-esteem. As a part of this fragile self-esteem, the person will believe that they are smart regardless of real intelligence, and when that person's iteration of reality is threatened (i.e. their stupidity is made apparent) the psyche protects itself by assuring the individual that what they've been told all their life (that they are smart) is still true by denying this new and conflicting information (their obvious stupidity) and substituting it with an alternative reality, thus avoiding much Cognitive Dissonance (mental pain that results from beliefs not matching reality) and so averting a psychic break. To summarize in a quote, "I reject your reality and replace it with my own."

A phrase used by dumb and/or ignorant people that want to use the word 'smart' to describe themselves. These particular people tend to look down on intelligent people who actually put time and effort into learning to make their lives better. Basically used as an excuse for dumb people who don't value education and pursuing new ideas and don't understand that learning math and language skills give you a big leg up in the world.

A common trait for many people, especially males, that usually grew up either in the inner city or hardworking rural environment. Average intelligence, common sense, lack of interest in reading, ability to fix most anything without needing an instruction manual, skill at handling difficult people, and a refreshing lack of personal warmth are typical traits. People who lack street smarts usually grew up or live in the suburbs, work a white collar job, regular churchgoers, stay in their personal protective cocoon, shelter their kids, and hire people to fix their things.

Absolute nonsense idiots use to feel better about themselves, or to brag when in reality they have literally nothing going on.
Used in place of actual logic or as the idiots using this teen call it "book smarts".

something stupid people made up to make themselves feel better about themselves, aka things smart people already know

A street smart person usually grew up in a shrewd environment. He/She knows the workings of the mind inside people who are less educated, and knows how to make the correct choices while in their presence.