How to Choose an Evening Dress
Decoding a modern day invitation
It's a mans world out there, ladies - if it's not enough that men enjoy the benefits of higher salaries and lower dry cleaning bills (…irony at its finest!), dress codes are primarily geared towards them too. What should be an evening we ladies look forward to, suddenly throws us into a total tailspin as we do the same research for the 10th time in 2 years to find that the definition for “Black Tie” hasn't changed since a man first put the words on an invitation in the 1900's!
Traditional dress codes can seem more like morse code to the ladies deciphering them, but these pointers on dress etiquette will hopefully become your little bible when it comes to fashionably conquering your dress code demons.
Black Tie
What: Although White Tie and Ball dress codes are even more stately than Black Tie, it is considered perhaps the most formal of North America's dress codes. Black Tie calls for a tuxedo for men and floor length gowns for women. Jewellery should be tasteful and kept to an elegant minimum.
When: Black Tie is often requested at galas, gallery openings, premier events like the opening night of the opera, evening weddings, and other uber formal events.
Formal
What: Formal is similar to Black Tie but men can replace their tuxedos with dark formal suits and ties. Women may venture to wear a shorter hemline, but generally speaking, dresses remain long.
When: Same types of events as Black Tie, but more popular for Christmas parties and charity events because so many men don't have ready access to tuxedos.
What: Dark suits for men, and dresses or evening suits for women. When choosing a suit for this type of occasion look for feminine detailing like crystal buttons, leg-baring slits, and soft elegant colours such as off-white or champagne. Hemlines on dresses are usually above floor length, but traditionally not short either (although this is left open to interpretation as a matter of convenience in today's society).
When: Classic choice for corporate events like Christmas and retirement parties.
What: Suit and tie for men. Knee-length or short dresses, and pant suits for women. The little black dress is a very popular choice in this classification.
When: Popular for weddings, cocktail parties celebrating Christmas, anniversaries, and milestone birthdays, as well as gala events held in semi-formal or informal venues.
What: As if the classics haven't given us enough headaches until now, invitations are becoming increasingly creative with their attire requests.
The pros? You can really flex your innovative fashion muscle for some fabulous personal style-statements!
The cons? If you lack creativity you are doomed! Because there are no firm definitions, like have been established for the more traditional dress codes, you will have to rely on what you know about the event and venue for your ultimate interpretation of the requested attire.
Creative Black Tie: Take the liberties this code extends and play up formal attire with high-fashion urban accessories like a killer pair of suede heels, a sparkly dress, or the purse of the moment - it's all about the details.
Festive: Popular around the Christmas season for the colourful connotations it drums up, think Holiday jewel tones dressed up with glistening gold and sparkling silver. This year, have fun with some of the hottest trends like an armful of gold bangles or a belted red dress.
Casual Chic: Your best bet is sensible layering because all too often a lot of bodies in small spaces, means you will get warm, and this look is perfect for after work parties and gatherings with friends. Although you shouldn't venture from work appropriate when it comes to an office function, you could glam up your regular office attire with a trendy velvet jacket, accented with attention-grabbing crystal jewellery.
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