The Meaning Of Various Dress Codes

How you dress says a lot about you. It speaks to your personality, sophistication, and your sense of style. It is therefore very important to dress well and dress appropriately for different situations and events. When you are not wearing the right outfit for the specific event you are attending, it can be quite embarrassing.

We have previously touched on the appropriate attire to wear to various workplace scenarios, and so here we will give you a few more guidelines on how to pick the right outfit for other occasions – work- place attire suggestions are also included.

Formal Business
Dressing for a formal workplace or work function is not that hard, and you can easily pull it off with a good suit. A formal workplace or a work function requires the attendants to carry themselves in a dignified manner, and since time immemorial a well-fitting suit has been the epitome of formal functions. The suit should be in bold dark colours such as black, blue or navy. Fit is very important in this case, and your suit should be cut to fit you perfectly. It shouldn’t be too tight or too short, like the fashion at the moment, nor should it be over-sized.

The suit should be paired with a dress shirt in lighter colours, such as white or blue, for a clean-cut look. French cuffs on the shirt give a sophisticated yet modern look. You should wear a dark-coloured necktie for the complete formal look. Finish the look with brown or black leather shoes, and a belt in the same colour. The jacket usually has a notch lapel and two flap pockets. The trousers should have belt loops or adjuster tabs.

Smart Business
Many workplaces are beginning to embrace informal wear at the workplace and at work functions. This is when you can pull off your most fashionable looks by wearing shorter trousers and firm-fitting suits. You can also now wear your chinos and coloured shirts to the workplace. Pair these with a sports coat or a blazer for a simple yet sophisticated look. As always, even your casual clothes should be well fitted and tailored to perfection.

Since you are at the workplace or at a work function, closed leather shoes or loafers are preferred. Open-toed shoes and sandals are not welcomed at the office space, or at specific work functions, and as such, they do not make up the smart business attire. T-shirts, loud Hawaiian shirts, or clothes with cartoon characters are best left out of the office and any functions – unless of course it is themed as such – as they undermine the wearer and the workplace.

It’s also a good idea to keep a tie and suit jacket at work for any emergency client meetings where you’d like to dress to impress.

Lounge Suit
This dress code is common for business events taking place during the day and in the evening. It can also be worn for social functions with some degree of formality such as wedding receptions and lunches. For these events, you can opt for a dark suit worn over a French-cuffed white shirt with no tie.

Cocktail Attire
Cocktail attires became prominent at the beginning of the 20th century, when the wealthier and more fashionable members of the society started wearing them to social events. Cocktail attires are semi-formal in nature and allow their wearer to be free to enjoy the event. When picking an attire for a cocktail party, it’s always advisable to check with the host on how ‘casual’ the event is going to be, before you show up in your distressed denim.

Cocktail events also provide you with an opportunity to dress up and stand out. A great way to dress for a cocktail event is to go with a tailored suit, a white dress shirt, a stand-out tie, and dress shoes such as Oxfords. You can accessorise the outfit with a pocket square and fresh boutonnieres. For less formal events, you can go with jeans and a blazer. The jeans, however, should not have tears.

Smart Casual
The objective with this clothing style is to combine formal and informal wear into one impressive package. So if you think your jogging bottoms paired with a blazer qualify for smart casual, then you’re definitely wrong. You can wear your chinos with a long- sleeved shirt and closed-toed shoes. You can also wear your jeans with a well-tailored button-down shirt. The jeans should be dark and without tears for a smart look. T-shirts under a blazer are also accept- able, as long as they’re smart-looking and in good condition.

Black Tie / Formal
Of all the dress codes available, dressing for a black tie is the most rigid. Black tie attires have been worn since the 1800s, when the upper-class British men started easing away from the stuffy attires that were worn by members of the British high society. Black tie attire is very strict, and for this you can only wear a tuxedo or dinner suit, in a shawl or peak lapel. The lapel should be faced with satin or grosgrain. It should be worn with a satin bow tie that is also black.

The shirt for this dress code should be a dress shirt with stud closures and a wing collar. You should also wear a black low-cut waistcoat or cummerbund to complete the look. The trousers you wear to a black tie event should be in the same colour as the jacket, which is usually black. A satin strip on the outside seam of the leg is essential. Black and to some extent velvet are the traditional colours of a black tie event, and you’d be wise to stick to this colour code.

The more daring may wear a dark navy suit with black satin lapel, or even a velvet suit. A white suit with black lapel is NOT a good look, and it will make you look as if you are going to a high school formal. Finish the look with black socks and black, formal leather shoes.

Not knowing what to wear for different occasions can be difficult, and choosing the wrong outfit can be embarrassing. The tips and tricks throughout this guide will help you avoid any embarrassing fashion faux pas, ensuring you feel relaxed and confident at every occasion. If you need any assistance, help, advice, more information, feel free to get in touch with us. We'd love to hear from you.