Party Definitions
Banish pre-party jitters about attire with our quick reference to
dress codes for social events.
A Black Tie invitation calls for formal attire. Men wear tuxedos,
women wear cocktail, long dresses or dressy evening separates.
Formal usually means the same as Black Tie, but in some trendier
cities like New York or Los Angeles, it could mean a black shirt, no tie
with a tux. Women wear cocktail, long dresses or dressy evening
separates.
A White Tie or Ultra-formal invitation requires men wear full dress,
with white tie, vest, shirt. Women wear long gowns.
Black Tie Optional or Black Tie Invited gives you the option of
wearing a tuxedo or formal dress, but it should clue you into the
formality of the event, meaning a dark suit and tie would be your other
option. Women wear cocktail, long dresses or dressy evening separates.
Creative Black Tie leaves room for trendy interpretations of formal
wear. He can go more modern with a tux – maybe a black shirt, no tie.
She wears long or short dresses or evening separates.
Semi-Formal or After Five means that tuxes are not required, nor are
long dresses. An evening wedding (after 6 PM) would still dictate dark
suits for him, and a cocktail dress for her. Daytime semi-formal events
mean a suit for him and an appropriate short dress or dressy suit for
her. |
