Learn the difference between business attire, cocktail, black tie and more dress codes before your next big event
Is smart casual the same as business casual? Is wearing one's national costume suitable for a black tie event?
Keeping up with the definition of various dress codes for social functions can be a confusing affair, especially given how quickly fashion trends evolve over time. For instance, did you know that the formal and sophisticated dark suit today was once considered sloppy and unrefined in comparison to the formal frock coats that upper class English men were expected to wear at balls and dinner parties?
When in doubt, keep in mind what the following dress codes for men and women mean to avoid under-dressing at your next function.
White Tie
Rarely used in modern times (exceptions being the Met Gala or Buckingham Palace state dinners), events with a white tie dress code will typically require men to don a black tailcoat and trousers, white shirt with a wing collar, a vest and a white bowtie, complemented with a pair of crisp white gloves and black dress shoes. Ladies should wear a full-length gown and long white gloves, with their hair up.
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