Black tie, white tie, formal, semi-formal, Casual; Hitting the right note with attire can be confusing. Here are the details of how to dress appropriately for any occasion:
White Tie: The most formal
Formal attire does not mean suits and ties! It is a substantially higher dress code, requiring clothes that most men don’t own.
-Black dress coat (tailcoat) and matching tuxedo pants with a satin stripe
-White wing-collared shirt with pleats
-Shirt studs and cufflinks
-White vest & White Bowtie
-White gloves
-Black patent leather shoes
Black Tie: Semi-formal
Don’t let the diminutive phrasing fool you — semi-formal attire is still the strictest dress code most of us will wear in our lives.
-Tuxedo, most common is black but feel free to change it up with a grey, or navy
-White dress shirt, laydown or wing-tip collar
-Shirt studs and cufflinks
-Vest and tie. Can be a bowtie or long tie. Most common is a matching black set but subdued colors are acceptable. (Think conservative; navy, charcoal, dark purple)
-Black patent leather shoes.
Black Tie Optional:
-Follow all black tie rules unless you cannot get a tuxedo, then a black, 3 piece suit and conservative tie will be acceptable.
Business formal:
-Dark business suit
-Dress shirt
-Matching vest (optional)
-Long tie
-Leather dress shoes
*Always check and follow your companies dress code*
*Always check and follow your companies dress code*
Business casual: Dressy Casual
-Sport coat or blazer with slacks or khakis
-Dress shirt, casual button-down shirt, open-collar or polo shirt
-Ties are optional
-Dress shoes or loafers
*Always check and follow your companies dress code*
Casual: Laid back
A “casual attire” invitation is mostly open ended, but there is still the expectation of dressing up for a social event.
-Khakis or good jeans (clean, no holes)
-Cargo or Bermuda shorts—depending on occasion and climate
-Plain T-shirt (no slogans), polo shirt
-Casual button-down shirt and/or sweater
-Loafers or sneakers
