| Semi-Formal Semi-Formal or After Five means that tuxes are not required, nor are long dresses. Hem lengths in semi-formal attire dresses vary. Dresses can be cocktail dresses, no more than an inch above the knee, or they can extend to the ankle. An evening wedding (after 6 PM) would still dictate dark suits for him, and a cocktail dress for her. Daytime semi-formal events mean a suit for him and an appropriate short dress or dressy suit for her. Business Formal is the same as Semi-Formal for him, but for women it suggests that women opt for more tailored dressy suits and dresses (nothing too slinky or sexy). InformalInformal is often interpreted as the same as Casual but it actually calls for the same dress as Semi-Formal -- dark suits for him, short dresses for her -- especially when associated with a wedding or special event.
Cocktail Attire Cocktail Attire means short, elegant dresses for her and dark suits for him. | |  Black Tie A Black Tie invitation calls for formal attire. Men wear tuxedos, women wear cocktail, long dresses or dressy evening separates.
Formal usually means the same as Black Tie, but in some trendier cities like New York or Los Angeles, it could mean a black shirt, no tie with a tux. Women wear cocktail, long dresses or dressy evening separates. White TieA White Tie or Ultra-formal invitation requires men wear full dress tuxedos (tails), with white tie, vest, shirt. Women wear long gowns. Festive AttireFestive Attire is usually seen around the holidays, with the mood of the party being Informal or Semi-Formal. For her, it means to choose looks with a bit of sparkle or holiday bent (i.e. a beaded sweater with black pants, a red silk blouse with a black skirt). | |  Creative Black Tie Creative Black Tie leaves room for trendy interpretations of formal wear. He can go more modern with a tux -- maybe a black shirt, no tie. She wears long or short dresses or evening separates. Sometimes, themed parties call for dress codes like Prom Black Tie, Texas Black Tie or other variations of Creative Black Tie. In that situation, you can have more fun with it, choosing a dressy look with a theme (for him, it could be a tux with Skechers, and for her it could be a poofy ballgown and a fantasy hairstyle). Black Tie OptionalA Black Tie Optional or Black Tie Invited gives you the option of wearing a tuxedo or formal dress, but it should clue you into the formality of the event, meaning a dark suit and tie would be your other option. Women wear cocktail, long dresses or dressy evening separates. CasualDressy Casual calls for dressed-up versions of casual looks. For him, it could be trousers and a sportcoat, for her a dressy pants look. Jeans, shorts, T-shirts and other casual looks are not appropriate for Dressy Casual. Casual generally means anything goes. | |