2. Dress codes specified in the invitations

3. White tie the most formal evening wear men: white tie, wing collar and tailcoat. (This is almost never required today, except for official and diplomatic occasions and a rare private ball.) women: a long gown should be worn. wing collar ( tailcoat (

6. Black tie or formal men a tuxedo with a soft shirt a bow tie (Jackets may be white in the summer and black the rest of the year, or are available in patterns and many other colors.) women long dresses, but a short or cocktail- length dress is acceptable.

7. Tuxedo

9. Cocktail dresses

10. Semiformal men sports shirts and slacks women dresses or good slacks (Neither should wear T-shirts or jeans. In some areas, semiformal means dresses for women and suits and ties for men. If in doubt, it is perfectly acceptable for you to check with your hostess)

11. For women, semi formal dress is... Usually dressy. But far from formal. Formal dress usually means gowns; long, flowy, fluffy, frilly, lacy full ball gowns. That's not what we want here. Semi formal dress is much more fun, and much more comfortable. And there are much more choices!

12. Semi formal dress can be anything from a dressy business suit to a cocktail dress. One golden rule of the semi formal dress: The semi formal dress goes to the knees or lower, but it does not touch the ground; that would make it a formal dress.

13. 1. You can't go wrong with a dress. They are always appropriate for semi formal occasions. You'll probably want one a bit dressier than a regular daytime dress, though. Try to find one with fabrics like silk, satin, velvet, or wool crepe. crepe 2. Black is always a good choice, unless it's a wedding. You can wear black to a wedding, but it may be too gloomy unless you pick the right one, which can be tricky.

14. 3. Skirts and dress suits are OK, too. But they need to look dressy, or business-like, or else you defeat the purpose! Please please please...don't show up to your boss's Christmas party in a leather mini skirt and tank top. His wife may have you fired, if not try to drown you in the punch bowl. tank top: A sleeveless, tight-fitting, usually knit shirt with wide shoulder straps and no front opening.

15. For men, semi formal dress is: 1. A little easier to determine than women's,. Basically, guys, the same rules apply to you: No jeans and t-shirts usually (again, depending on where it is), and no tuxes. 2. Dress slacks, a jacket, blazer, or suit is typical semi formal dress for men. A tie is always nice, too. And for the still clueless guy, no sports jerseys and sneakers.