●Dress Code Guidelines

Although we all like to attend parties,we don’t like the stress and confusion about what to wear.In order to help you choose the right dress for your events,we have put together a guideline to make out the dress code.Read on to help ease those pre-party jitters of what to wear:

■Casual

This is as relaxed as it gets.Casual dress in general means that anything goes.

■Festive Attire

This term can typically used around holidays.You ought to keep the type and mood of the party in mind.Is it formal,informal or semi-formal?It means adding a little holiday color to his shirt for men.As for women,it means to add a bit of sparkle or holiday color,a beaded sweater with black pants or a red silk blouse with a simple black skirt would be a good example.

■Dressy Casual/Business Casual

This type of attire calls for dressed-up versions of casual clothes.Men can wear pants or khakis and a collared shirt or jacket.Women can wear a skirt or dressy pants.It is not appropriate for dressy casual event to wear jeans,T-shirts,shorts and other casual looks.

■Cocktail Attire

It means a dark suit for men.Women may choose an elegant knee-length dress or skirt.Tailored pants and a fancy blouse would also be well-accepted.

■Informal/Semi-formal/After Five

People often take that informal as the same as casual,but this is not true.In fact,informal is equivalent to semi-formal.For this type of event,it does not require tuxes and long dresses.For evening events men wear a dark suit; women can put on a cocktail dress or elegant separates.Daytime semi-formal events require men to wear a suit of a light or dark color,and women can put on a knee-length dress,dressy suit,or dressy separates.

■Business Formal

This is regarded as good office dress.Men should obey the same rules as for semi-formal events.However,women should choose dressy suits or conservative dresses.Keep away from too slinky or sexy dresses.

■Formal Dress

Formal dress is a term used to describe the formality of the clothing worn at social events such as weddings,balls and dances,and award ceremonies.It is also referred to as “formal wear” and often used as the same meaning with “black tie” by many people.Black tie,black tie preferred,black tie optional and creative black tie are four types belonging to rules of dress etiquette within the category of “formal dress”.Although the rules of formal dress generally apply to men,women can usually infer the suitable attire from the given hour and location of the function.

◆ Black Tie Optional

This type of event is still formal,but it gives you a little more flexibility in what to put on.Men can wear a tux,or choose a dark suit and tie.Women should wear cocktail dresses,long dresses,or dressy evening separates.

Black tie optional is address code of less formal attire,especially for women.Although men should still choose some variation of the classic black tuxedo,it’s women who have more choices to show themselves through their dress.Women may stray away from the conventional black cocktail or evening dress,and can choose more non-traditional colors or accessories that add a punch of style to what can become an otherwise stuffy affair.

◆ Creative Black Tie

You can get flexibility and have a little creativity in this type of event.You can choose more fashionable options of formal wear.For example,men can choose a more modern tux option like a black shirt and no tie.Women could wear a cocktail or long dress,or elegant evening separates.

Men are required to put on a tuxedo jacket but are allowed for more personal expression relating to the color of the dress shirt and print of the corresponding accessories.Perhaps men have to face one of the most confusing choices,and it easily tends to end in a disastrous faux pas.As a result,creative black tie can make a laughing stock of many men.

◆ Black Tie Preferred

You can assume that the host prefers for all party-goers to dress in more formal attire if your invitation saying “black tie preferred”.However,this still gives men some flexibility if they don’t have enough money for a traditional black tie ensemble.Though they may choose to go with formal black tie attire,a white dinner jacket or a dark,more contemporary-looking tuxedo will suffice.Non-formal suits might be too casual for some black tie occasions even,even if they are somehow acceptable in some degree.

◆ Black Tie or Formal

A formal or black tie event requires men to wear tuxedos and women to put on cocktail dresses,long dresses or dressy evening separates.

Black tie is the formal wear dress.The tuxedo is the crux of the black tie event for men.The tuxedo is composed by a short,black coat with silk lapels and matching black trousers with a ribbon of silk running down the side of each leg.Although the style of tuxedo is elective,what is compulsory is a rigid,white formal shirt paired either with a black bow tie and cummerbund,or a matching black vest and tie.Black socks and black,patent leather formal dress shoes are a must,too.It is appropriate for women to wear knee-length fancy cocktail or full-length dresses,or dressy separates.Women should also put on simple yet elegant jewelry.

◆ White Tie

The most formal event of all is white tie event which should be reflected by the attire.This type of event requires men to wear a tailcoat and a white tie,vest and shirt,and women to wear long gowns,with gloves being elective.

White tie attire is the most formal of all dress codes which is typically connected with consulate and presidential type events.Only a few people will have the chance to go to a white tie function,then it is a true honor for you to be invited to a white tie affair.

Consulting with the host or party planner is the best way if you are poor-versed in formal dress etiquette and uncertain what constitutes proper attire.Men should wear a tuxedo because it is always proper for any black tie event.Women should make their selection with regard to the type and location of the function in addition to the time of day.If you can not afford the cost of the attire,renting your tuxedo and dress from a formal attire or bridal store is better than purchasing them.