Posh 101 | Decode The Dress Code

Sometimes decoding the dress code on an invitation can be confusing.  No one wants to be the one person under-dressed or over-dressed, so it is important to know what attire is appropriate for an event.  Just as what you wear is important, it is equally important to have place settings that reflect the formality of your event.  Unsure of what this all means?  Well, here’s how to figure it out:

Images via Pinterest casual/resort chic/semi-formal/black tie

 

From Revelry House, we bring you more descriptive definitions of what each means:

Casual: What you choose to wear here is dependent on both climate and occasion – example: we wouldn’t suggest that your guy wear cargo shorts to a wedding.  For the most part, khakis or nice jeans and a polo shirt or casual button-up is fine for men.  For gals, we suggest a sundress, maxi skirt or nice jeans (no rips!) with a plain t-shirt or casual blouse.
Resort Chic (also referred to as Garden Party or Patio Attire): In most cases, this instruction is reserved for weddings and receptions. Here, your outfit should err on the dressier side of casual (above) with a dress or skirt. Embellished sandals or wedges are perfect for the occasion. Men should wear slacks and a nice linen top with loafers. Both guys and gals should avoid jeans.
Cocktail Attire/ Semi-formal: Here, guests are invited to accessorize according to the holiday or occasion (it’s “Festive” after all).  Ladies, the rules are the same here as with semi-formal attire (discussed below), perhaps just a bit more holiday-focused.  For the gents, its’ a little less formal.  Men can wear a blazer and slacks and can even consider a holiday tie.
Black Tie (also referred to as Formal): Gals are expected to wear floor-length evening gowns or an especially embellished and fancy LBD. Guys should stick with a black tuxedo with patent leather dress shoes. On some occasions, they could also wear tuxedo pants and bowtie with a white dinner jacket.

POSH 101: The Invite

Being in the event rental business, we get to see the most beautiful events and the most beautiful invitations. With the holidays upon us and wedding season around the corner, we thought it would be nice to brush up on our invitation etiquette. Cue Susan Strauss, Owner/Creative Director/Everything of Simply LUXE, a Simply Personal company. 

You may remember Simply Personal and Simply LUXE for winning the NACE 2012 People's Choice Award earlier this Fall. (We loved their "Tree of Life" tablescape! See images here.) See what Susan has to say about invitations for your most important events. 

Images courtesy of SimplyLUXE

From Susan Strauss:

"At SimplyLUXE, we love to assist our clients with common questions regarding addressing, RSVP information, and timing on when to send invitations out for their big event. It is the first glance a guest will have of their personality, style, and event - so make a statement! The invitation should provide guests with practical information such as directions, location, parking information, and often time attire - it truly sets the tone for the event. As we often say, 'Every event deserves a great invitation!'

Gathering the guest list is often the hardest part of the planning process. When sending invitations, we suggest that the client provide her address list to us that has state names and words such as street, drive, or avenue spelled out. We like to keep abbreviations to a minimum for aesthetic and practical purposes. Normally, we have our clients write out exactly who is invited to their event, including children's or significant other's names. The more specific the better, which will clearly communicate to the guest who is invited and who is not. SimplyLUXE also offers envelope addressing using dozens of font options and colors - it's a great match especially for wedding invitations.

Wedding and large event invitations are typically sent out 8 weeks before the event to give guests enough travel and planning time. The suggested date for the RSVP return date is about two weeks before the reception venue/catering final count is due. We try to allow time for those RSVP cards that trickle in - they always do! Remember, if you are a guest to a wedding, always send back your RSVP! The bride and groom have gone through painstaking measures to ensure that YOU are on their final guest list, so please do them the honor of responding on time!

Visit SimplyLUXe at www.simply-luxe.com