photo by kevindooley

Very few people really understand what ‘dress code’ actually means. The situation gets more confusing as there seem to be more and more variations on the same thing. We at Amalfi Shirts are here to help, and have cobbled together some information to assist you determining what’s appropriate to wear, after receiving that invitation in the mail. Above all, common sense should prevail if you’re looking to dress to impress. If you work your way through our list and are still struggling we suggest you just wear a neat suit, shirt and tie combination which is sure to suffice in the majority of instances.

What does ‘black tie’ mean?

Lets start with one of the easier ones with little room for error. Black tie means black tuxedo jacket, matching black tuxedo pants, a white dinner shirt with bow tie, and formal shoes. More recently, a bow tie has been replaced by some with a black skinny tie- thanks rockstars. The decision to wear a bow tie or a regular tie may be predicated on the type of white shirt you are planning on wearing as some shirts are specifically designed for bow ties, known as wing-collared shirts.

What does ‘lounge suit’ mean?

You really need to put on a business suit here, which we define as a matching jacket and trousers. Quite often wearing a tie is optional. Handy tip: If you’re not sure if wearing a tie is required it’s always a good idea to stuff one inside your jacket pocket just in case you are the odd man out, and don’t want to stand out like the proverbial.

What does ‘white tie’ mean?

White tie steps things up a knot, and is your opportunity to pull out the black coat with tails, matching trousers, and white tie, vest, and winged- collar shirt. You don’t get the chance to do this too often so why not go all out- what about some bowling or penguin shoes?

What does ‘wedding casual’ mean?

This is one of those new age movements, which for most would be pretty similar to smart business casual. Guests just need to dress respectfully, but not necessarily fancily (basically, no jeans, runners, trackies or AC/DC t-shirts and you should be right!)

What does ‘business casual’ mean?

This may be also known as smart casual, and is the attire sitting in the middle ground between business formal wear (full suit and tie) and street wear (I’m a graphic designer man), although the standard may vary between organisations. In some workplaces you can get away with jeans and a collared shirt, however if in doubt you can’t go wrong with business pants and an open neck business shirt. Note that the interpretation of ‘acceptable’ jean condition can be questionable especially if you have some MotelyCrue diehards- too many holes is not a good thing…

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