Events that require participants to dress formally in White or Black Tie style are gradually fading into oblivion.
They are being replaced by less formal parties in the Coctail style , which allow you to show some imagination and add brightness to the style, as in the photo.
In this article, we will consider in what cases such a style would be appropriate, what it means, what are the features of choosing wardrobe elements and accessories for men and women, and how the types of this dress code differ.
White Tie
If the invitation says White Tie, it means there will be at least a reception with the ambassador, a ball or an award ceremony, and no lower than the Nobel Prize, because even at the Oscars ceremony they observe the less solemn Black Tie. It is difficult to remember a dress code that matches White Tie in terms of severity and formality, probably because there is simply no such thing.
| Dressing a man seems to be a little simpler task compared to choosing a woman's toilet. The point is that there are strict regulations: almost every item of the outfit is prescribed, so you can only make a mistake on purpose. A man going to an event where White Tie is prescribed must wear a bow tie and a tailcoat. The tailcoat, in turn, must be black - other colors are not allowed. Under the tailcoat they wear a vest with three buttons, about which you need to remember two things: it must only be white and always fully buttoned. Mandatory accessories include a white bow tie and a white scarf, which gives the name to the dress code; desirable accessories include a pocket watch, white gloves and, no matter how much of a joke it may seem, a thin cane. |
| For women, everything is a little more complicated, if only because the floor-length dress, without which it is better not to appear at a White Tie event, has more styles than the classic men's tailcoat. If the choice of this style is still left to the woman, then in other details amateur performance is excluded: the hair must certainly be styled, the eyes and lips must be made up, and the hands must be covered with gloves of maximum length, which, however, corresponds to the length of the sleeve of the dress. There may be, but is not required, a fur cape on the shoulders. It’s also better not to come without jewelry - you can rent them, as long as the stones are real. You can and should take a tiny handbag with you. |
Black Tie
Black Tie is still formal and formal, but a more common and simpler dress code. This is the style of weddings, festive receptions or theater premieres.
| For men, it always means a tuxedo - a jacket with a satin collar and lapels, formal trousers made of the same fabric as the tuxedo, and, in fact, a black bow tie with right angles. The main rule regarding the bowtie is that it should be tied and not attached to the shirt like a badge. With shoes, everything is simple: you will have to choose from classic Derby or Oxford shoes, as long as they are not patent leather. |
| Women at such events are expected to wear the same long evening dresses or, depending on the degree of solemnity of the event, cocktail dresses no higher than the knee. Jewelry is still welcome here, but now you can get by with expensive jewelry. You can also leave a fur cape at home, as well as trendy dresses from the latest collections of Japanese designers. Everything should look as noble and elegant as possible, so the only shoe option is high-heeled shoes. |
Cocktail
An event with a Cocktail dress code does not imply such strictness as White Tie and Black Tie, but it is also full of nuances that should not be neglected.
| Instead of a tuxedo, men can wear a classic dark suit, and replace the monochrome bow tie with a brighter one or abandon it altogether, perhaps in favor of a tie. It is also no longer necessary to tie yourself with a silk belt, the main thing is not to forget to keep the bottom button of the jacket undone, expose the starched snow-white cuffs from the sleeves no more than two centimeters and wear socks that, if you crossed your legs over your legs or onto a table, would not show even a millimeter naked body It seems that there is no need to mention that socks should be a couple of shades darker than trousers, and that the tie should touch the button on the trousers: these rules apply to any dress code at any event. |
| A cocktail dress is the most suitable option for women. Focusing on the nature of the event, you can even wear a dress with a length much higher than the knee, but with a strict top to compensate for this freedom. The shoes are again high heels. |
Types of cocktail events
There are only three types of events of this type:
- business;
- secular;
- classic.
For each of these types of parties, a woman should have a separate set of clothes: dress, shoes, handbag and accessories.
Classic cocktail dress code
This includes meetings that start before 8 p.m. Wear a dress of any color and about knee length. Take open shoes, but they must have a heel. You can decorate your look with inexpensive jewelry or high-quality jewelry.
Dress code cocktail for a social event cocktail attire
These include celebrations associated with social pastime. For example, visiting a theater or exhibition.
Decorated elements, any style and color are allowed for the dress. High heel shoes. Gloves or a boa will look good as accessories, and gold or high-quality jewelry that looks expensive will look good as jewelry.
Cocktail dress code for business buffets and parties
These include meetings with business partners, which are usually scheduled at a restaurant.
In this case, a dress at or below the knee is suitable for women. In this case, there should be no open back, open neckline, slits, etc. Clothing should be strict and laconic, without decoration or a hint of extravagance.
A dark dress and no expensive jewelry will look best. At the same time, if the rest of the time you constantly wear a wedding ring and earrings and a watch that are not too conspicuous, then you can leave them. The ideal shoes would be closed stiletto pumps.
Smart and Business Casual
Quite often, in invitations to corporate events or business meetings, you can see the note “Dress code: Smart Casual or Business Casual.” In this case, the rules of how to look are somewhat blurred and depend on the time of day.
| The only thing more complicated than the dress code for business meetings is, perhaps, the choice between Oxfords and Derbys for a tuxedo. However, the liberalization of recent decades has also affected the fashion for business suits. Today there is nothing wrong with a man appearing at a meeting in a jacket with soft or even natural shoulders and loose, rolled-up trousers. Classic shoes remain mandatory (deviations are allowed only in color and degree of varnish). A twinset - a turtleneck and a cardigan - is also quite appropriate when paired with the same seemingly too big, but slightly tapered trousers. The most dangerous option is a tuxedo or a very high-quality jacket with jeans or even shorts: you can allow 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 is a classic, moderately strict business suit of a dark color, plain or with almost imperceptible stripes. If you really want to, you can emphasize the formality with a tie, and not necessarily a narrow one, but it’s better to save the bow tie for entertainment events. If the meeting is scheduled for the morning or afternoon, a light two-piece suit will be successful. Again, the ability to experiment with color depends on the nature of the event and the sense of humor of your colleagues. |
| For women, there are several options to add variety to your outfit: unusual colors and unusual shoes. Clothes should not be pretentious: a classic, elegant style is preferable for business meetings, but in the absence of bright details it is easy to seem boring. |
During negotiations with foreign partners or important business meetings, a Btr (Business Traditional) dress code may be established. This means that you are left with virtually no choice: men must wear a classic monochromatic or combined suit, women - a fitted trouser suit or a sheath dress with a jacket. However, with its severity, Btr still leaves room for imagination, unlike Bb (Business Best). Everything here is extremely simple: a man puts on a dark blue suit, a snow-white shirt, a tie of any shade of red, classic non-lacquered shoes and does not forget about cufflinks; women are better off abandoning separate skirts and jackets and wearing a gray, beige or dark blue suit with stockings and shoes with 3-5 cm heels.
Hats
Cocktail is rarely used outside, and according to the rules of etiquette, men are required to remove their hats indoors.
In cool weather and when this dress code is required for an outdoor event, a man is allowed to wear a hat. Do not forget that it must be combined with the rest of the image.
In a word, dress-code cocktail is considered the most relaxed of all formal ones, while leaving room for creativity. That is why it is the most popular.
If you are required to have this dress code for an upcoming event, then just dress up in a formal dark-colored suit, match it with a monochrome shirt and put on black leather shoes. And if the event allows you to show individuality, then, for example, a red bow tie is ideal for a dark blue suit and white shirt.
Costume parties
| Costume parties in Moscow are not that uncommon. Most often they coincide with club anniversaries, the arrival of unknown but still very cool bands and the release of nostalgic films about bygone days. Moreover, the invitation may only give a vague hint of how you should look, and you will have to come up with an outfit yourself. Sometimes the organizers help you get into the right frame of mind with the help of moodboards, as Solyanka did last year, which celebrated its fourth birthday with a three-day circus party. If you are deathly afraid of clowns or are not ready to return home at night with a kilogram of makeup on your face, you can comply with the dress code with the help of several characteristic details (one may turn out to be unconvincing, especially if there is face control at the entrance). The biggest risk at such events is to use the most common interpretation of the proposed image and end up being one of hundreds of people wearing identical orange wigs. |
Dress code for women - what is it?
As a rule, if a dress code is announced for an event, girls fall into a stupor. After all, not only do you have to properly prepare for it, but also any style of clothing will not suit you. But don’t be afraid, if you know some tricks and tricks, you won’t find yourself in an awkward situation and will look your best.
What is a dress code? The literal translation is a code of clothing. For those who didn’t know, this is a certain style of clothing and accessories; most often it is required at work or at formal meetings.
When is it most often installed?
• Company requirements when applying for a job. After all, the introduction of a certain style of dress in the workplace not only has a positive effect on the company’s image, but also disciplines employees. This can be either special clothing, or a certain set of things of one color or another style.
• Social events and events: evening dress code, a certain choice of color in clothing is most often established at wedding celebrations, anniversaries, and major exhibitions. Breaking it is considered bad manners.
• Parties with friends and family: New Year, themed holidays can also include a certain style, but here it will be more difficult to make the wrong choice, because unlike the previous two points, such holidays take place in a friendly atmosphere.
Universal rules
| If the invitation does not say anything about the companion, that is, it does not say how many people it applies to, then it is better to come to the business event alone. |
| A general rule for all guests and events: in autumn and winter, clothes and shoes should be darker than in spring and summer. |
| For morning and afternoon events, leather or suede women's handbags are more appropriate, for evening events - made of brocade, silk or embroidered with beads. |
| When choosing an outfit, always give preference to natural fabrics and avoid synthetics. |
Andrey Fomin Organizer of the Bal des Fleurs and other social events
I organize a huge number of events, but the most striking and significant is the Bal des Fleurs. In the invitations we write “Riviera style” - this is the dress code of the Cote d'Azur: light trousers, bright jackets. And what are called balls in Moscow are not real balls. I consider the notorious Black Tie to be the most blasphemous dress code for a Russian person, because no matter how hard my colleagues try to impose this dress code in Moscow, it is not organic there. I personally saw a real Black Tie only in Great Britain at Mikhail Gorbachev’s ball. The dress code can be anything, but, as Kirill Semyonovich Serebrennikov said about our people in tailcoats, they look like a runaway orchestra. A Russian person is not accustomed to a tie or bow tie, he is uncomfortable in it, it suffocates him. Whatever the dress code, a person does not have to look perfect: there must be something wrong. Let’s say, I saw Hugh Grant walking around in a perfect tailcoat, incredibly combed, but the bow tie hanging around his neck was untied. Rich people have a very simple option - go to Tretyakovsky Proezd and buy themselves a tailcoat, but they will most likely look more like a waiter or head waiter. The most universal dress code for most Moscow events for men is expensive jeans, Converse sneakers (Nike sneakers have become popular now, but they are more difficult) and always a jacket. I recently went to the Strelka ball and the people there looked absolutely gorgeous. I really liked the girls’ approach to choosing an outfit and was amazed at how organically many of them look vintage.
Gabriel Egiazarov Event director
The events that I direct most often solve corporate, marketing or PR problems. Naturally, most of them have a dress code. The vowel and the unspoken. Especially when these are events with the participation of the government or just an official event with high leadership. At corporate meetings, a dress code is also often set, but only if there is some kind of conceptual idea. If we are talking about official events at a high level, then invitations do not often contain a requirement: everything is clear. But when they want to emphasize that you can dress casually, they write “cocktail wear” or “smart casual.” For corporate events, the dress code is also indicated depending on the concept of the holiday: “Today is an evening of fairy tales, choose a fairy-tale look for yourself” or “A bright element of cyclamen color is welcome.” At corporate events, these items of clothing can simply be handed out to guests or rented and everyone can be dressed in advance.
At the events I work with, the audience is most often predictable, so there are no surprises in terms of appearance. Of course, there are those who might be wearing jeans or military fatigues at an official event with top officials. But more often than not, media representatives differ. Journalists are extremely dismissive of the dress code.
If the invitation does not say anything about the dress code, but we are talking about a reception, presentation or gala dinner, wear a suit, preferably not black - you can’t go wrong. I think girls don’t need any special advice: there will always be an evening dress.
If you are going to a corporate event with a certain theme, then do not be lazy and come up with some original element in clothing (but not the one that immediately comes to mind in connection with the proposed concept). If you come unprepared to a place where “everyone is in the know,” you yourself will regret that you didn’t take care of it in advance.
Casual, or everyday style
Let's start with the simplest type of dress code, which in English is called casual and implies an informal style: neat and comfortable clothes, but not what you would wear at home.
This dress code is suitable for any meetings, walks, trips to the store, bank, or parent-teacher meetings. Comfort and neatness are important here, but there are no clear rules. Women can wear a dress, blouse, skirt of a comfortable length, trousers or jeans, T-shirt, polo, turtleneck, jumper. If it's summer outside, you can wear shorts, but not a beach option. Avoid deep necklines and mini skirts. It is advisable to choose comfortable shoes: shoes or flat boots, sneakers, moccasins, sandals. Men should also give preference to clean jeans and trousers, a T-shirt and casual shirt, a turtleneck and a sweater. Sneakers and other clean shoes can be worn with or without socks.
Casual style
