With several outfits at your disposal, it can be very hard to find the perfect dress for every occasion. Do you wear a glam maxi dress for that charity gala, an asleep jumpsuit for your friend’s engagement party, or a little black dress for a religious ceremony?
Every occasion has a particular dressing style that suits it. For instance, while you are required to grace a job interview with pumps and a tailored suit, wearing a pair of short jeans to such an event would be deemed inappropriate. Because of this, it is important that you understand the type of outfit required for each occasion and apply the knowledge appropriately.
1. Religious ceremony
Regardless of your religion, a visit to a church is unavoidable, especially if a huge chunk of your friends, colleagues, and family members are devoted Christians. Say you have a religious ceremony coming up, how do you turn up for the event without looking awkward?
For religious ceremonies like baptisms, etc., you can wear an attractive daytime dress. It could be in petals or floral. Alternatively, you can wear a suit matched with feminine underpinning and accents. Men can consider dress pants and a collared shirt with simple footwear.
Don’t wear anything short, clingy, or revealing (for women). You could bring a light sweater, or blazers to complement your appearance. If reception is to take place after the ceremony, and there is no time to change in between, wear a cocktail dress or pants with a nice jacket to cover up in church.
2. A black-tie wedding or charity gala
Black-tie is widely regarded as one of the most formal dress codes. For men, black tie events such as weddings happen according to the depth of your business or social network. When you get an invitation to such an event (say a black-tie wedding, for instance), it is important to know the rules of the black-tie dress code.
When brainstorming on what to wear to a black-tie wedding, go for classic alternatives like a tuxedo or dinner jacket. Mind you, black-tie events don’t necessarily mean everyone is to don black, unless, of course, it is clearly stated in the reception.
Remember to always invest in quality black outfits. You want to look your best: charming, simple, modern, and clean. Nothing is worse than appearing like the odd one in the room.
3. Bridal shower or baby shower
Oh! This one can make most guys cringe. Why? Because they aren’t used to attending baby showers. So, how do you grace a baby shower, to start with? For those who aren’t conversant with what a baby shower is, here is a brief explanation.
A baby shower is basically a party thrown to celebrate the imminent birth of a new baby. Also, it is a way for friends and families to assist the parents in getting what the child needs. Having understood the purpose of a baby shower, how do you dress for one?
A baby shower isn’t an interview where you are required to look professional and dazzling at the same time. Neither is a business meeting that requires you to don casual work wear with matching formal shoes. You can decide to wear a nice polo with your favorite white chinos pants. This arrangement should successfully pass the not-too-casual yet not-too-formal outfit. Ensure that you are comfortable in whatever you are wearing in case you are called upon to participate in games.
That said, how do you dress for a bridal shower? This one shouldn’t be hard since many of us are used to attending such an event. When dressing for a bridal shower, there are three things you want to accomplish:
- You want to look good
- You don’t want to upstage the groom-to-be or bride-to-be (for ladies)
- You want to don simple shoes that make it easy for you to rush to the bathroom when the need arises.
For this particular event, go for something basic like a pair of your favorite chinos, and a nice t-shirt. Alternatively, you can consider a white casual T-shirt, denim jeans paired with a white sneaker, or something formal.
4. A holiday party or a dinner party
So your neighbor or colleague invites you for a dinner party but you’ve been trying to give him an excuse not because you wouldn’t be chanced but because you aren’t sure of what to wear. You don’t want to attend the birthday party looking weird or odd.
So, what’s the perfect outfit for a birthday or dinner party? Well, you can wear anything to these events, provided it is nice enough to fit the venue and occasion. You can go for a mixture of a casual and formal look to create a perfect middle ground.
A pair of casual jeans coupled with either a suit jacket or blazer (whichever you feel comfortable on) is ok for a dinner party. What about a birthday party? If your friend invites you to his birthday party, you don’t need to fret. Simply go with a turtleneck sweater, denim pants, and suede boots. Or you can go with something more basic like polo, denim pants and a sneaker.
5. Outdoor day or a casual wedding
Say you are invited to an outdoor wedding at a time when the weather is warm and cozy, you might want to opt for a patterned shirt in either white or blue, capped off with a light indigo jacket. To contrast the colorful top half, it’s best to go for lighter chinos in white, sand, or beige. This will create a unique and contemporary look that is worthy of a gaze. If you want to go further, you can decide to add a pocket square that matches the colors of your shirt and blazers.
Oh, we forgot to talk about shoes. You wouldn’t attend a wedding barefooted, would you? So what shoes should you wear for a casual wedding? While there are a variety of options available, it’s best you stick with something basic but stylish like flat soles (especially for events where you’ll be on a lawn or the beach)
Conclusion
All events require a specific type of dressing. Knowing what type of outfit combination to wear for various events won’t only help you steal the limelight, it will as well help you avoid unnecessary fashion blunders. Remember to always study the occasion including the place it’ll be held before selecting your outfit. Like everything else, proper preparation is key to wearing the right dress at any event.
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