The obligatory form of clothing still causes us a lot of negativity: those who disagree with the rules do not hesitate to come to the ballet in jeans, in wedding dresses for graduation and in top siders to events where Black Tie is registered. Confusion is also created by people who write the dress code and relaxed rules. Let’s figure out what to wear if the invitation is White Tie, Black Tie or, for example, Smart Casual.
White tie
If the invitation is White Tie, then the ambassador will have to attend at least a ball or award, and no less than the Nobel Prize, because even at the Oscars the less solemn Black Tie is honored. It is difficult to remember a dress code corresponding to White Tie for severity and formality, probably because there is simply no such thing.
Dressing up a man seems to be a little easier to do than choosing a female toilet. The matter is in strict regulations: almost every item of the order is registered, so you can only err intentionally. A man who is going to an event where White Tie is registered must be wearing a bow tie and a tailcoat. The dress coat, in turn, must be black – other colors are not allowed. Under the coat, put on a vest on three buttons, which you need to remember two things: it should be only white and always fully buttoned. Of the obligatory accessories is the white butterfly and white handkerchief that gave the name to the dress code, the desirable watches are pocket watches, white gloves and, no matter how funny it is, a thin cane.
For women, everything is a little more difficult if only because the dress to the floor, without which it is better not to appear at the White Tie event, there are more styles than the classic men’s tailcoat. If the choice of this style is still given to a woman, then in the rest of the details, amateur actions are excluded: the hair must always be styled, the eyes and lips are painted, and the hands are closed with gloves of the maximum length, however, corresponding to the length of the sleeve of the dress. On the shoulders maybe, but not required a fur cape. It is also better not to come without jewels – they can be rented, so long as the stones are real. With you can and should take a tiny handbag.
Black tie
Black Tie is still official and solemn, but more common and simple dress code. This is the style of weddings, festive receptions or theater premieres.
In men, he always means a tuxedo – a jacket with a satin collar and lapels, strict trousers made of the same fabric as the tuxedo, and, in fact, a black bow tie with square corners. The main rule concerning the butterfly is that it should be tied, and not attached to the shirt as an icon. With shoes, everything is simple: you have to choose from classical derbies or oxfords if only they are not lacquered.
Women at such events are expected to wear all the same long evening dresses or, depending on the degree of solemnity of the event, cocktail dresses are not above the knee. Decorations are still welcome here, but now you can get by with expensive jewelry. The fur cloak can also be left at home, as are the trendy dresses from the latest collections of Japanese designers. Everything should look as noble and elegant as possible, so the only option for shoes is heeled shoes.
Cocktail
The Cocktail dress code event does not imply such rigor as White Tie and Black Tie but is also full of nuances that should not be neglected.
Instead of a tuxedo, men can wear a classic dark suit, and a monochrome bow tie can be replaced with a brighter one, or even give it up altogether, perhaps in favor of a tie. Tying up with a silk belt is no longer necessary either, the main thing is not to forget to keep the bottom button of the jacket unbuttoned, put starched snow-white cuffs from the sleeves to no more than two centimeters and put on such socks that would not show even a millimeter naked body. The fact that socks should be darker than trousers for a couple of tones and a tie should touch the buttons on the pants, it seems, need not be mentioned: these rules apply to any dress code at any event.
Cocktail dress – the most suitable option for women. Focusing on the nature of the event, you can even put on a dress much longer than the knee, but with a strict riding that compensates for this liberty. Shoes again – high heels.
Smart and Business Casual
Quite often, in invitations to corporate events or business meetings, you can see the postscript Dress Code: Smart Casual or Business Casual. In this case, the rules for how to look are somewhat blurred and depend on the time of day.
More difficult than the dress code of business meetings, perhaps, is only the choice between oxfords and a tuxedo derby. However, the liberalization of recent decades has affected the fashion for business suits. Today, there is nothing shameful if a man appears at a meeting in a jacket with a soft or even a natural line of shoulders, in loose tucked trousers. Classic shoes are obligatory (deviations are allowed only in color and degree of varnishing). Twinset – a turtleneck and a cardigan – is also quite appropriate in a pair with the same, as if rather large, but slightly narrowed down trousers. The most dangerous option is a tuxedo or a very high-quality jacket with jeans or even shorts: you can afford it if there is no doubt about your own taste and the adequacy of your partners. The most boring, but also the most win-win – a classic, moderately strict dark-colored business suit, monophonic or in an almost imperceptible strip. With a strong desire, formality can be emphasized with a tie, and not necessarily narrow, but it is better to take care of the butterfly for entertainment events. If the meeting is scheduled for the morning or afternoon, the light two-piece suit will be successful. Again, the nature of the event and the colleagues’ sense of humor make it possible to experiment with color.
For women, there are several opportunities to diversify the outfit: unusual color and unusual shoes. Clothing should not be fanciful: a classic elegant style at business meetings is preferable, but in the absence of bright details it is easy to seem boring. At negotiations with foreign partners or important business meetings can set the dress code Btr (Business Traditional). This means that you have practically no choice left: men should wear a classic monophonic or combined suit, women should wear a fitted trouser suit or sheath dress with a jacket. However, with its strictness, Btr still leaves room for imagination, unlike Bb (Business Best). Everything is very simple here: a man puts on a dark blue suit, a snow-white shirt, a tie of any shade of red, classic unvarnished shoes and does not forget about the cufflinks;
Costumed parties
Fancy-dress parties are not so rare. Most often they coincide with the anniversaries of the clubs, the arrival of unknown and still very cool groups and the release of nostalgic films about the bygone days. Moreover, the invitation can give only a vague hint of how to look, and you will have to invent an outfit on your own. Sometimes the organizers help to tune in the desired fashion with the help of the mind boards, as the Solyanka did last year, celebrating the fourth birthday of a three-day circus party. If you are afraid of death of clowns to death or are not ready to return home at night with a kilogram of makeup on your face, you can observe the dress code with the help of several characteristic details (one can be inconclusive, especially if the face control is at the entrance).
Universal rules
- If the invitation does not say anything about the satellite, that is, it does not say how many people it is distributed to, then it is better to come to a business event alone.
- The general rule for all guests and events: in autumn and winter, clothes and shoes should be darker than in spring and summer.
- In the morning and afternoon events, leather or suede women’s handbags are more appropriate, in the evening – made of brocade, silk or embroidered with beads.
- When choosing a dress always give preference to natural fabrics, avoid synthetics.
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