There is much more to our dressing than we might imagine. Our dressing says a great deal about who we are and influences all kinds of impressions. People make snap judgments about us from the clothes we wear. They draw conclusions about our personality from the way we look. So if you think “opinions” don’t matter, “impressions” might do which is why “dressing” most certainly matters.
Dressing is an art obviously, the art of knowing how to carry ourselves during various occasions we partake in. The occasions dictate how we should dress to suit the mood of the events. Dressing for any occasion is about paying respect to the occasion and the people around you. Here below we present to you an easy guide to dress codes for every occasion.
A wedding
A wedding usually is a black-tie or a white-tie event unless the bride and the groom have decided to theme it to some movie they love.
Women should always keep in mind to steer clear of the white dresses in weddings as the color white is just for the bride. Put on the best gowns you have. It is floor-length gowns for weddings but the etiquette rules are softening, knee-length dress is equally fine. Accessorize according to the mood of the event.
For men, it’s always a tuxedo. Dark suit never does wrong in such formal events with dark party shoes. Choose the colors suitable for the time and the season.
A cocktail party
A cocktail party is largely an informal social gathering where you dress almost-formally; so the dress code for a cocktail party is “dressy-casual” i.e. semi-formal.
Tuxedos for men and evening dresses for women are the dress to sport in these parties. Black color has the evening vibe of the cocktail parties but also any dark color would do as long as you keep it inconspicuous.
Men’s cocktail attire accommodates suit, coat and tie while women’s attire is a knee-length dress with some frill. It’s acceptable if your dress is a little above your knee but you should always keep in mind that there’s a thin line between being sexy and being vulgar.
A dinner party
Suit up in your cocktail attire if it is a formal dinner party. It is always wiser to ask the host for advice. You don’t want to offend your host at their own table, do you? So, don’t overdress. Also you risk offending your dinner companions if you underdress.
It always pays off taking out a little time to make a call to your host before you show up at their doorsteps. If it’s a festive event, dress up like you are there to celebrate, little glitz and color won’t hurt.
A business dinner or a company party
Don’t dress up an outfit that is too provocative during business dinner party. You want to be taken seriously when it comes to job promotions and dressing provocatively on any of the company occasions would not play to your benefit. The dress code is “smart-casual” i.e. casual but work appropriate. When it is about work, you should always keep it professional.
Style gurus suggest that women can wear dress pants, a casual dress or a skirt with a nice blouse to a company party. Men are advised to stick to khakis or dress pants with a collared shirt and loafers. Look sharp, look professional. That’s the mantra.
An interview
A job interview is one of the most important days of ones’ life. You’ve got to make a good first impression which, for the most part, decides that you remain or you leave. A suit is the standard attire for an interview.
Your attire should reflect that you are disciplined and committed, so look polished. If you are at loss, making a call to the HR executives to inquire about the attire is perfectly acceptable. It shows your respect for the company and interest in the job.
A tailored suit still tends to be the standard for most corporate companies. Ladies would better avoid accessorizing too much with jangly jewelries, it’s distracting. A watch would suffice and serve well, for both men and women, it shows you value time. Don’t presume that they won’t notice, after all, you are literally asking them to judge you.
A Baptism, a Bar Mitzvah, or Some Other Religious Ceremony
Chose an outfit that is appropriate for a religious facility. Religious events tend to be more conservative thus, it is better to double-check its conventions before you choose an offending apparel.
Women are suggested to wear a skirt that is below the knee, cardigans or nice khakis with no shoulder or back visible. Stay away from low-cut or clingy outfits as they can be offending in such places.
However, on celebrations like a baptism, it is important not to wear anything that is too serious, go with the colors of the festivity. Men can wear a proper formal suit.
A funeral
The color black is the safest choice if you are dressing up for a funeral but it is not mandatory. Solemnity of the event can be conveyed with other dark neutrals like navy, charcoal or forest green.
For women, a pantsuit or a knee-length dress is deemed appropriate for the occasion. Opt for quiet jewelries like pearls. Men can put on a dark suit if that doesn’t look anything near festive.
A Night at the Theater, the Ballet, or the Opera
There were days when a night at a theatre, ballet or opera meant dressing up to the best to flaunt large. Men were suited on their best tuxedos, women put on their best ball gowns with gloves and scarfs to complement their men.
However, it is not that way anymore and if you dress like that, you will probably be overdressed for the occasion. Casual outfits, jeans and t-shirts are common sights these days. That doesn’t mean you can’t dress up for a classy night out. Throw on your cocktail attire or opt for a pair of jeans and t-shirt as you please.
A First Date
First date is all about leaving a good impression. The secret here is to be yourself and dress casually as you’d always do. If you are trying too hard, that for sure won’t go unnoticed which might play against you. This applies to both the guys and the girls.
Men should wear jeans and shirts with necessary accessories that would sum up their personality. Women, usually, need not do much to impress guys but having said that, don’t look too ragged and laid-back. Stylists suggest to dress up with a nice pair of skinny jeans and a sweater or shirt to look casual yet trendy.
Family Get-Together, Barbecue or Birthday Party
This is family, go laid-back with your choices and get comfortable. The code is casual. Anything goes. The stylists say, “If you are a woman, wear a sundress, a skirt or pants with a pretty top to a casual event. If you are not a woman, wear khakis with button-down, a sweater, or a polo shirt.”
The simplest code to dressing is to dress largely according to your physique, time and season to keep alive the elegancy and comfort at the same time.
Featured photo credit: David Lezcano via unsplash.com
