The ladder, top to bottom
Dress codes run from most formal to least, and each step down removes one layer of ceremony.
- White tie is the rarest code, and it means a black tailcoat with a white bow tie and waistcoat, or a full-length ball gown.
- Black tie means a tuxedo with a black bow tie, or a floor-length gown, and a very dressy knee-length dress or formal evening separates pass at most events.
- Black tie optional, also written as formal, welcomes a tuxedo but accepts a dark suit and tie, a long or dressy cocktail dress, or a formal pantsuit.
- Cocktail attire means a suit and tie, darker after six and lighter by day, or a knee-length dress, a tailored jumpsuit or dressy separates.
- Business formal means a matched suit in navy or charcoal with conservative shoes.
- Business casual drops the suit for a collared shirt, blouse or fine sweater with trousers or a skirt, and it excludes jeans until you have seen your manager wear them.
- Smart casual allows dark jeans without holes, worn with a blazer or a good sweater and leather shoes or clean, plain sneakers.
- Casual still means clean clothes that fit, and it never means gym wear.
The invented ones
Hosts like to coin their own codes. "Festive" is cocktail attire with some color or sparkle. "Beach formal" is a light suit without a tie or a long, loose dress, with sandals that can cope with sand. "Garden party" means daytime colors and block heels or flats, because thin heels sink into a lawn. When a phrase defeats you, ask the hosts what they plan to wear themselves.
When no code is given
Read the clues. An event that starts after six in the evening runs darker and more formal than one at noon. If you are still unsure, go one step up, since a tie or a jacket can come off and cannot be conjured out of nothing.
Rules that outrank the code
Fit and condition matter more than price, so clothes should be pressed, shoes should be clean and nothing should pull or sag. Do not wear white to a wedding unless you are told to. Wear dark, plain clothes to a funeral. Cover shoulders and knees in a house of worship you do not know, and check whether a head covering is expected.
Tip Try on the whole outfit, shoes included, a full week before the event. That leaves time for a tailor, a dry cleaner or a return.
