Event Planner

Module 05

1 | P a g e

5. Module 05- Dress Code

Table of Contents 5. Module 05- Dress Code .................................................................................................................................. 1

5.1 Deciding the dress code ........................................................................................................................... 2

2 | P a g e

5.1 Deciding the dress code

One of the crucial factors in holding a successful event is to achieve the perfect atmosphere that enables

your guests to relax, interact with one another, and enjoy the proceedings.

There is no single action you can take that will conjure up this perfect atmosphere. It takes a carefully

planned and well-managed combination of factors, skillfully coordinated to ensure your event is everything

that could be hoped for. One factor that will help the guests feel comfortable is an appropriate dress code.

While dress code may not be an issue for casual celebrations, for more formal events, it is entirely

appropriate to describe the dress code at the bottom of the invitation. If it’s a themed event, you may also

request that form of dress.

As an event planner, you should also adapt your attire to your clients’ request and vision of the event.

Appropriate dress shows respect for the business and customers. Showing up to a meeting poorly groomed

shows the other person that you do not care enough about the meeting to bother making an effort. When

you are properly dressed, there is also nothing to distract others from your message. It is extremely helpful

and considerate to mention to your guests that your event will be held outdoors. To do so appropriately,

simply mention it in the wording of your invitation. For example, prior to giving the location name and

address, include a line that states “in the garden”, “under the stars”, or “on the terrace”, as appropriate.

Guests will definitely appreciate a polite indication of the required dress code on the invitation. It will also

save you a time and questions regarding how people need be dressed.

Here is the list of formulas for indicating the desired attire.

White tie means ultra-formal. Women wear only long, formal evening gowns. Long gloves may also be

worn. A women may keep her gloves on during cocktails, when dancing, and when going through the

receiving line; they should, however, be removed during dinner. Men wear a black coat with tails and a

white pique vest over a white formal shirt with white pique bow tie and black patent leather shoes. Charity

or society balls are usually white-tie events.

3 | P a g e

Black Tie This is usually a formal event or a party suited to formal attire. Men should wear black tuxedos or

dark suits with a long armed formal shirt and a tie or bow tie. Women preferably wear floor-length elegant

gowns. However, classy cocktail dresses that fall below the knee are now acceptable as well. Women wear

hair in an elegant up do or partial up do, and should put on their best jewelry.

Creative Black Tie allows your personality to influence your formal wear. Men can go with a more modern

tuxedo—perhaps a black shirt and no tie. Women can wear long or short dresses or separates (maybe a

long lace or sequined skirt with a sleek blouse).

Formal usually means the same as black tie. If your host is especially trendy, men may wear a black shirt

and no tie with a tuxedo. Tradition, however, requires that men wear the standard tuxedo and that women

wear long cocktail dresses or dressy evening separates.

Semiformal is the trickiest of all the dress codes. Typically, it means that tuxedos are not required, nor are

long dresses. An evening event (after 6:00 pm) would still require a dark suit for men and a cocktail dress

for women. Daytime semiformal events demand a suit for him and an appropriate short dress or dressy

suit for her.

Lounge suit. Lounge suit dress codes call for a suit and tie for men (black, navy, or tan) and a glamorous

frock for women (floor length or three-quarter length). Accessories are important. For ladies, metallic

accessories are lovely; for men, a silver watch and tie (a splash of bright color to match your partner) is

ideal.

4 | P a g e

Cocktail dress code usually means semiformal short, elegant dresses, although they dresses may be of

various lengths. For men, such attire consists of a jacket, with or without a tie, and long dress pants

(trousers). Cocktail attire is often more fashion-conscious with cultured suits and shirts.

Business attire on the scale of formality, business attire is more formal than casual but less formal than

cocktail attire. Business attire for men consists of a suit (usually dark in color), including a pair of trousers

and a matching jacket. The suit is worn with a long-sleeved shirt and a tie or a polo shirt with dress pants.

Attire for women is, in its strictest interpretation, patterned after the male standard—a suit consisting of a

jacket with matching skirt or trousers, plus a blouse.

Informal may mean the same as casual; however, when the event is associated with a wedding or another

special occasion, some form of decorum should prevail. A dress for her or a nice pair of slacks and a shirt

for him are informal, but respectful.

Smart casual usually causes the most confusion from the dress codes. This etiquette varies across

countries and even companies. Generally, safe smart casual attire is office attire with some added

accessories to dress it up a little. A smart jacket with closed shoes or heels is recommended. If you do opt

for jeans, your denim should look somewhat dressy, fresh and sharp, with no wear or holes. A great tip for

woman: add a blazer for an extra touch of class.

5 | P a g e

Casual- Casual dress is more laid-back than any other dress code. You can wear anything from a cotton

blouse to a T-shirt. Appropriate shoes are part of this dress code: Many assume that flip-flops (thong

sandals) are suitable wear, when in fact they are not. Avoid inflammatory or otherwise offensive graphic

tees.

Nightclub chic: suggests nothing other than black and sleek.

Sophisticated resort-wear: means upscale sundress for her and subtly cultured linen trousers for him.

Theme or festive attire means that attire should match the event’s theme. Themed attire is becoming

more common, and dress codes have expanded to fit the occasion. To encourage your guests to dress in

costume, include a specific request on the invitation, such as: “Renaissance garb requested, but not

required”. Be sure to let quests know that they may still attend even if they do not dress according the

theme. Otherwise, you may alienate guests who don’t feel comfortable in costume.

In our increasingly casual society, there is a greater need for special dress codes. Here are

Common pitfalls of dressing etiquette:

Wearing casual wear to the office (unless the company has, e.g., a Casual Friday policy)

Wearing beach wear in the city

Not dressing in one’s best at church

Wearing bright or cultured clothes at a funeral

Wearing entirely black outfits at weddings

Wearing flip-flops (thong sandals) everywhere

Ignoring the specific dress code of an event.

6 | P a g e

When working abroad or with people from different cultures, or with very religious individuals, you will

need to dress carefully to avoid offending anyone. Here is a list of five countries where very strict dress

codes applies.

1. France: Ban on burqas and niqabs. In April 2011, France’s law against burqas and niqabs went into

effect. Essentially, the law is a ban on the traditional female Muslim dress, and it allows a police officer to

verbally request removal of the veil before escorting the violator to a police station for ID verification and

removal. The fine is 150 Euros for a first-time offender and 30,000 Euros for a male who forces a woman to

wear a burqa or niqab.

2. Saudi Arabia and Iran: Ban on bare skin and cross-dressing. Saudi Arabia and Iran are home to some of

the strictest social laws on the planet, many applying exclusively to women. This separation of legal

restrictions by sex seems austere by Western standards. Aside from requiring a male guardian, a woman

must also wear a niqab and an abaya in public so as to not expose bare skin. Men also have restrictions—

they are not allowed to cross dress.

3. Bhutan: Gho and kira required in public, Considered one of the happiest countries on the planet. While

it is rare to read a word on Bhutan without being reintroduced to this policy on happiness, there are also

other, less well-known measures in place to maintain Bhutanese culture. For example, all Bhutanese

citizens must adhere to a strict dress code. In public, men must wear a knee-length robe called a gho, and

women must wear a kimono known as a kira. The dress code is older than the current kingdom, and is

known as driglamnamzha.

4. North Korea: No pants (trousers) for ladies; haircuts for men. In North Korea, men are supposed to trim

their hair every 15 days. Older men are given leniency: their hair may grow long enough to cover bald

spots. Most men are allotted a maximum hair length of two inches; males fifty years and older can grow

their hair an additional 0.75 inch. Women are not permitted to wear pants (trousers), and if an infraction

occurs, the pants-wearing offender faces a stint at one of the North’s labor camps.

5. Sudan: No makeup for men; lashes for pants-wearing women. Women are punished for wearing pants

(trousers) with lashes and a hefty fine. Sudanese public decency laws are extremely strict and express the

beliefs of the predominantly Arab north. The tumultuous country is home to violent religious differences.

While women are prohibited from wearing trousers, men also have laws governing their behavior. Some

7 | P a g e

time ago, seven men were arrested and charged with public indecency for wearing makeup at a fashion

show.

Dress code

The casual code is usually used for outdoor events such as meetings and sporting events, while the

business casual code is only for the workplace.

Formal dress code applies to more serious and elegant events such as a wedding or a company

anniversary, or any event at which the organizers consider that guests should be very well dressed.

Etiquette dress code is the most elegant of all styles, used for social galas of a high standard. It might be

used for a wedding celebration with a lavish party but is also widely used for royal events or political

meetings.