| Deciding on what clothes to wear to a party or | | | | color. Depending on the current fashion, custom |
| other type of formal, social gathering can be quite | | | | and so on, a woman is expected to wear a |
| difficult at times. On some less formal occasions | | | | conservative cocktail dress or a long evening |
| dress codes are not all that important. It all really | | | | gown. |
| depends on the invitation. If you were invited | | | | Lounge suit |
| verbally by someone you know quite well, picking | | | | When the invitation calls for a lounge suit, this |
| out what clothes to wear is not all that difficult. If | | | | basically means you should wear a classic suit. |
| you received some sort of formal invitation | | | | Purely dress code wise, a lounge suit is considered |
| clearly stating a formal dress code, however, | | | | informal attire, however, some of us feel pretty |
| things can get confusing. The term "Black tie" is | | | | formal and dressed up anyway. There are some |
| easy enough to understand but what about the | | | | general guidelines to consider though. You should |
| rest of the body? How do I know what clothes | | | | preferably wear a dark suit and not go crazy with |
| to wear when the invitation says "smart-casual"? | | | | the colors either on the jacket, shirt or tie. A |
| White tie | | | | white shirt is often the safest bet and a tie of |
| When the invitation says white tie you know you | | | | few colors is preferred. If your suit comes with a |
| are going to a quite formal event. This is the | | | | vest this is a plus also, it adds to the (in)formality. |
| most formal evening dress code. White tie if | | | | Smart casual |
| often worn to very up-scale weddings, the opera | | | | Smart casual is a rather loosely defined dress |
| and other types of formal dinners such as the | | | | code. It is supposed to look and feel casual but still |
| Nobel dinner held after the price ceremony. The | | | | be smart enough to meet the standards of the |
| main parts of the male clothes are the dress | | | | particular social group. Here you will have |
| coat, white bow tie and waistcoat, and starched | | | | somewhat different choices depending on what |
| shirt. Women are expected to arrive in a suitable | | | | type of social event you are going to attend. |
| dress for the occasion, such as a ball gown. | | | | Most often, however, smart casual consist of |
| Black tie | | | | dress trousers - sometimes jeans or chinos - a |
| Black tie is considered semi-formal when | | | | long-sleeve shirt with an optional tie and if it is |
| compared to its white tie counterpart, but most | | | | appropriate you can wear a jacket or sport coat. |
| of us consider black tie very formal as well. | | | | Women may choose to wear slacks, a long or |
| Invitations to weddings often carry this dress | | | | short skirt or even jeans together with a pretty |
| code. For men the major component of a black | | | | blouse or turtleneck. Keep in mind that formality is |
| tie dress code consists of a dinner jacket or | | | | highly subjective and in some places the above |
| tuxedo as it is more commonly called in North | | | | description of smart casual will be considered |
| America. Most often the dinner jacket is black, | | | | purely casual, with smart casual requiring a jacket |
| but one may also decide to go with a dark blue | | | | and tie at all times. |