Party Dress Codes

A friend, family member, or a colleague has sent you an invitation for a party next week. You are really excited about attending the party and want to make sure you stand out in the crowd. The preparation, mostly for women, starts a week early with getting the dress, makeup, shoes, and accessories sorted out. But as the days start to close in, we second guess our entire wardrobe and end up thinking that we probably have nothing cute or handsome to wear for the event. Whether the event is a wedding, prom, office party, birthday, anniversary, or something else, the outfit/attire is always an issue. At times we do wonder if there are any dress codes that you should be aware of. The fact is, yes, there are dress codes and it usually keeps on enhancing itself according to occasion. So, before you go hunt for a new dress or a three-piece suit, let's go raid your closet and find out if you do have something in there that will fit the party dress codes.

Dress Codes for Parties

Now any party you go to, the invitation has surely give away on what to expect in the evening. The event is familiar to you and at times, the hosts send invitations depending on the theme of the party as well. So, you can decide the outfit and your look specifically to coordinate with the party. Take a look at the different attires depending on the social occasion .

Black Tie Party

A black tie event is a formal party where almost everyone is dressed in a suit and gown. The attire for the guests is all depended on what the hosts decide. The invitation can also mention that it can be black tie attire but the dress codes will be semi-formal. Accordingly, you can select your look for the night. In a black tie event, formal or semi-formal attire, the ensembles can be more variable. A typical black tie party can be a wedding, reception, or prom. Let's see what exactly constitute as a black tie dress codes for both men and women.

• Men
  If it is a day/evening formal party (office party/meeting), as the name suggests, the men will wear gray/black tuxedos with matching ties, white boutonnière, gray/black homburg top hat (optional), cufflinks, and studs. As for a day/evening semi-formal party (weddings, theater/art gallery opening nights), white/black tailcoat or dinner jacket respectively, matching pique vest, white/black bow tie, white silk scarf, golden cufflinks, and studs.
• Women
  For women, as a formal or semi-formal event suggests, an evening gown, long dresses, or dressy evening separates fits perfectly. Depending on how conservative the night is, the dress size will go longer or shorter. For a formal evening party (office party, weddings, anniversaries), the evening gowns need to be sparkling but not as if you are about to go dancing in the nightclub. The look needs to be clean, crisp, polished, and conventional.

White Tie Party

White tie is the biggest formal event for an evening. As these events don't happen regularly, understanding the white tie dress codes can be a bit tricky. The most common places where you can be invited for a white tie event would be balls, banquets, and opera. Here, following the accuracy of the dress codes is very essential because you don't want to upset the guest of honor(s) or the host(s). While being invited for such a grand occasion or celebration, take a look at the dress codes for men and women, as you don't want to insult anyone present.

• Men
  Depending on what time of the day your white tie event is, the attire, specifically the white tie is worn only after it has turned dark or the party is after six in the evening. For any white tie event, the men will wear a waist-length coat or jacket with two tails in its back, white cotton bow tie, wool or silk pants with stripes down the legs, white shirt with a tux front, white wing collar, an opera overcoat, silk socks, and leather shoes. The only time there's an exception to white tie dress codes is when men wear state costumes, for example kilts, Indian attire, or some other country. Also, ministers who are attending the night can also wear a traditional clerical attire for the evening.
• Women
  Although, such events don't really define what women should be wearing, the general rule for this event would consist of a full-length ball gown. According to the night and how conventional it may be, off the shoulder gowns can be acceptable. As an evening accessory, shawls and long hand gloves are accompanied which are white in color. There is something called "hunt balls", sort of like a big fundraiser, women have to wear evening gowns in black, white, silver, or gold colors only.

Lounge and Cocktail Party

The name says it all. A lounge or cocktail party is full of fun and festivity. It is not as dressy and formal like the black or white tie events. An informal social gathering where you get served with mixed drinks, refreshments, and the guest list is very intimate. You can mingle among the guests as you enjoy the refreshments which is served by a host or bartender. So, let's see how you can fit the party dress code when you're invited to a lounge or cocktail party.

• Men
  Smart casuals is what you should be looking for. A black or dark blue/charcoal colored business suit can be acceptable as well, with a stylish shirt and tie (optional). You can also include a knitwear instead of a button-down shirt.
• Women
  For a cocktail party, the setting would be at a club or lounge (birthday, anniversary, wedding), the outfit and event are named after each other. A short, elegant cocktail dress which has sequins on them. Vibrant colors with accessories, clutch purse, and shoes. The idea is to look very casual, but with lot of "bling" and style.

Remember, the theme of the party will be your first clue to proper, acceptable dress codes. Once you have that covered, you will definitely be able to dazzle everyone and be free from any/all worries about making last minute decisions.