Dress Codes Decoded

Over the last month we’ve looked at some of the main dress codes and directed what they actually mean. Well done if you’ve made it through all of the and thank you for taking the time to read what I have to say.

Today I’m ending the series with a summary; just a short explanation and some photo examples.

Week 1

We started with Leisure, which is probably the one we’re all most familiar with.

The main aspects of Leisure are:

Casual t-shirt, Sweatshirt, Sweatpants, Trainers

Obviously this is open to interpretation and once athleisure comes into play it’s an even wider play field but that’s the bare bones of it.

We then looked at Casual, an elevation of leisure for everyday wear.

For this the bare necessities are:

Relaxed shirt/t-shirt, Jeans, Sneakers

Again this isn’t all the dress code has to offer but it’s the basic formula. By adding a jacket or accessories you can dress it up or down whilst still retaining the day to day look.

Week 2

We started with Smart Casual and looked into the differences between this and casual. Smart Casual in a nutshell is: Confusing. It’s the dress code without straight forward guidelines. Like I said in that blog my go to smart casual look is:

Women: Floaty tops/Light jumper, Wide leg trousers, Courts

Men: Blazer, Shirt, Slacks, Tan shoe

For streetwear we talked about how rules don’t apply. It’s an amalgamation of looks. I love it because it gives free expression and unique style.

Here’s a few examples:

Week 3

We started week 3 with Cocktail. I’m sure you’ve all heard of the cocktail dress and a lot of us have a go to look for this dress code whether that be your Little Black Dress or a casual suit.

Women: Cocktail Dress, Courts, Clutch

Men: Suit, Shirt, Tie, Shoes, Oxfords

Loungesuit is similar to cocktail in most respects but it is a slightly fresher dress code and tends to be worn more during the day. Think lighter colours, floatier fabrics and a more relaxed feel.

Woman: Summer dress, Courts/Wedges, clutch

Men: Blazer, Shirt, Tie (optional), Slacks, Oxfords/Loafers (event dependant)

Week 4

Last week we looked at the most formal dress codes. Black Tie is what we see at formals and red carpet events.

Women: Floor length/Tea length dress, Heels, Clutch

Men: Tuxedo, Opera shoes, Bow tie

White Tie on the other hand is even more formal. It’s mostly seen at state dinners and Royal events. There are a few minor changes that elevate it about Black Tie.

Woman: Ballgown, Evening Gloves, Heels, Clutch, Tiaras can be worn, Hair Up

Men: Tuxedo and Tails, White Bow Tie

This is the end of our dress codes series. I hope you’ve enjoyed it and it can be of some use to you in the future. These are simply my interpretations of these dress codes and they can sometimes differ if you know the host or you know there’s some wiggle room.

As Oscar Wilde said

“You can never be overdressed or overeducated”

Stay safe everyone and thank you for reading my blog

Samantha x