The multitude of evening dress options for women have made it difficult to decipher dress codes. The truth is, evening dress “codes” for women should be used as guidelines rather than hard-and-fast rules. By stating a dress code, your host is simply giving you an idea of what everyone else will be wearing to the party. Some common guidelines:
Black Tie (Formal)
Long formal evening gown, or short dressy cocktail dress
Semi-formal
Short cocktail dress; dressy skirt and top; or billowing pants and dressy top
Dressy Casual (Smart Casual, Casual Chic)
For day: jeans are appropriate with a blouse or a shirt/blazer combo. For day or evening: a top with a skirt or dressy pants; or a simple dress
Some hosts get creative with their guidelines and use “Chic” or “Sparkly” or “Festive” to describe how to dress. These “codes” are very vague and confusing so feel free to ask the host to clarify if necessary. Whatever outfit you choose, the most important thing is to feel confident in your attire so you can focus on having fun. That is the point of a party after-all!
If you would like help deciphering a dress code,
please feel free to contact me
I am happy to help!
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