●General Clothing Etiquette

It requires a good taste to establish the awareness of what is proper to wear on occasion and how to dress elegantly.The keys to having good clothing etiquette are appropriateness,good grooming and adherence to the dress code.

The entertainment usually dictates the choice of clothing: what you wear to the opera is not the same as if you were attending a U2 concert.

Day time clothes differ greatly from evening clothes.In the same way,evening clothes should only be dressed in the evening and never in the day time.Generally,wearing day time clothes through the evening is normally more acceptable,because it might be considered not convenient for you to go home and change or bring an extra change of clothes.

Another clothing etiquette we must notice is dressing according to the dress code.

Sorrowfully,it has unfortunately been growing casual in this busy society.Dressing etiquette is barely complied with,and this is especially so during weddings,theatre,traveling (such as wearing pajamas to take a flight),wearing your pajamas to the supermarket,wearing a bikini to a mall,wearing unaltered jeans which are a hazard to the wearer and the people around them.

Though you may be dressed elegantly and groomed perfectly,if your wearing is not appropriate to the occasion,your elegance is diminished.

■Common Pitfalls of Clothing and Dress

◇Wearing colorful and bright clothes to a funeral.

◇Not dressing up in Sunday best at church.

◇Wearing more than 80% black (in your outfit) to a wedding.

◇Wearing informal wear or beach wear in the city.

◇Wearing flip flops everywhere.They should only be worn at the beach or on a very hot day and not to the city!

■Bad Dress Etiquette

◇Putting on a cocktail dress when it is a formal event.

◇Not dressing up in line with the theme when it is a theme party.

◇Wearing black in the morning.

◇Wearing casual or smart casual when dress code says formal.

◇Wearing informal clothing such as jeans or sandals to a wedding.

◇Wearing white or cream to a wedding ceremony (unless it’s specifically stated).

◇Wearing clubbing clothes to a wedding.

◇Upstaging the bride.

◇Dressing rudely or exposing too much when at a wedding.

◇Not wearing the right shoes on right occasions,such as wearing boots in summer,or flip flops to dinner.

◇Not putting on evening,formal or cocktail,to the theatre.

◇Wearing high heels to a beach,to the country,mountain side.

Regardless of how important you are,or your friends are,never attempt to dazzle them by your clothing and dress trying to show them how elegant you are.This “dazzling effect” means having many diamonds dangling off your clothing and dress and wearing a more than the top amount of accessories.It may also mean hanging designer logos from your accessories to your shoes,your clothes to your bags,like a moving ad campaign for these brands.

Purify your tastes and learn how to select the best.It is always in bad taste to draw unnecessary attention to yourself.If you are changing yourself and desire to be elegant in your dress etiquette,you should go for subtle and perfectly groomed.The process of personal change should be slow.Allow yourself and personality to grow into it and soon you will have that look.With too large a change and a sudden shift,you might come across as trying too hard.