by Yve Goodwin

Created on: November 25, 2010

The Christmas season is fast approaching and party-time is almost here!  All of you ladies and gents know what I’m talking about. 

The dreaded annual office Christmas party that you’re obligated to attend; mingling with your fellow co-workers and their spouses, whom you’d rather see less of during this stressful (yet festive) time of year.  Or better yet, attending the never-ending friend and family gatherings when you’d rather be relaxing at home and watching a good movie, while sipping a cup of hot cocoa and munching on some oh-so sweet bonbons!  It’s bad enough that you have to suffer in silence, try to make the best of awkward situations, and deal with all of the pomp and circumstance at these events.  The worst part is when you look around the room and soon realize that your relaxed denims and worn out t-shirt appear to be glaringly out of place at this semi-formal affair! Dressing appropriately for parties doesn`t have to be difficult. The art of deciphering the proper dress code can be made easier by correctly identifying the type of event that you’ll be attending and then following a few basic guidelines.

At Black Tie events, women have several options to choose from.  To make it easier, consider the geographical location and the specific type of event or party.  For example in New York an elegant cocktail shift would be appropriate for a black-tie Christmas wedding or party; while in Dallas you`ll want a full length gown for a black-tie ball, and for guys the proverbial monkey suit!

A Formal/Black-Tie option usually means the same thing as black-tie; however it also means that your host wants a uniformly high standard of dress.  Ladies are free to wear a short, but formal dress instead of a gown.  For men (in a few trendier cities), they might be able to get away with wearing the version of the tux with a black shirt and no tie.

For Semi-Formal/Cocktail affairs, long dresses and tuxes are not necessary, but a cocktail dress for her and a dark suit for him are still required for a semi-formal Christmas wedding or party (after 6pm). Daytime semi-formal events and invitations that state “informal dress” aren’t as formal, however this term should not be confused with “casual dress”.  Cocktail attire is simply a short, elegant dress, or dressy separates for her and a dark suit for him.

Finally, Festive/Dressy parties are when you receive an invitation that reads “festive” (for a holiday party); think sparkly!  It’s your chance to show some personality and style.  A beaded camisole and black pants would look great, or maybe a full skirt with a cashmere sweater.  For him, dress pants, white shirt, tie and jacket.  In other words come casual, but without the jeans and t-shirts!

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