manners MATTER
What to
Wear and
When to
Wear it!
BY KAREN LA CORTE
A
s promised I am going to give you examples of appropriate dress for several
different occasions. I will also share eight men’s and women’s fashion faux paus.
In Emily Post’s 17th Edition of Etiquette, Peggy Post breaks it down better and
more concisely than I ever could. So here it goes:
White Tie Semiformal
Men — Back tailcoat, matching trousers
with a single stripe of satin or braid, white
pique wing-collared shirt with stiff front,
white vest, and white bow tie; white or
gray gloves; black patent shoes and
black dress socks Men — Dark, dressy business-type suit
(usually worsted wool), with or without a
matching vest, white shirt, conservative tie;
dressy leather shoes and dress socks
Women — Formal evening gown
Black Tie
Men — Black tuxedo jacket, matching trou-
sers, formal (pique or pleated-front) white
shirt, black (silk, shiny satin, or twill) bow
tie, black cummerbund to match tie; dressy
suspenders to ensure a good fit (optional);
black patent shoes and black dress socks;
no gloves. In summer or on a cruise: may
have white dinner jacket, black tuxedo
trousers, plus other black tie wardrobe
Women — Formal evening dress or short,
dressy cocktail dress
Karen La Corte is an
etiquette and manners
expert trained and certi-
fied by the Emily Post
Institute in Vermont. She
has been teaching eti-
quette and manners to
children and adults for
over thirty years. She is
also a certified image
and fashion consultant.
Karen is happy to answer
any personal etiquette or
image questions you may
have by emailing her at
[email protected]
Women — Short afternoon or cocktail
dress or long, dressy skirt and top
Festive Attire
Men — Slacks, seasonal sport coat or
blazer in color of choice, open-collar shirt,
perhaps a holiday-themed tie
Women — Short cocktail dress or long,
dressy skirt and top or dressy pants outfit
Dressy/Elegant Casual
Men — Slacks, seasonal sport coat or
blazer, open-collar shirt
Women — Street-length dress, skirt and
nice top, or dressy pants outfit
Business Casual
Black Tie Optional
Men — Either a tuxedo (see “Black Tie”
above) or dark suit with white shirt, conser-
vative tie
Women — Formal evening dress; short,
dressy cocktail dress or dressy separates
Creative Black Tie
Men — Tuxedo combined with trendy or
whimsical items, such as a black shirt or a
matching colored or patterned bow tie and
cummerbund; black patent or dressy black
leather shoes and black dress socks
Women — Formal evening gown, dressy
cocktail dress or dressy separates; any of
these, accessorized with items such as an
ostrich-feather boa, a colorful brooch, or
an elegant shawl
Men — Khakis or slacks, seasonal sport
coat or blazer, open-collar shirt
Women — Khakis or slacks, skirt, open-
collar shirt or knit shirt, sweater
Sport Casual
Men — Khakis or jeans; nice tee, polo,
or casual button-down-the-front shirt
Women — Khakis or jeans; nice tee,
polo, or casual button-down-the-front-shirt
Beach Casual
Men — Khakis or shorts (cargo or Ber-
muda), knit shirt, sport jacket optional
Women — Sundress or khakis or shorts
(cargo or Bermuda), open-collar shirt or
knit shirt, lightweight jacket or sweater
Holiday Casual
Clothing is the same as for “Business Casual” with some holiday colors or designs.
Just be careful not to overdo.
86
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
JULY/AUGUST 2017
gmhtoday.com