What Does "Dressy Casual" Mean?
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<strong>What</strong> <strong>Does</strong> "<strong>Dressy</strong> Casual" <strong>Mean</strong>?<br />
<strong>Dressy</strong> casual is one of those terms often seen on invitations, but which many<br />
people are confused about — in part because not all experts agree on what type of<br />
clothing is included. This type of clothing is sometimes confused with business<br />
casual or just casual attire as well, but there are a few differences. For women,<br />
dressy casual usually includes a dress, or a blouse and skirt or dressy slacks. Men's<br />
dressy casual attire can include a sport coat, button-down shirt, and trousers.
Women's Clothing<br />
Women in nice slacks and a blouse fit the dressy casual bill, but they can also wear<br />
dresses, skirts and blouses, slacks and a pretty sweater, or less formal suits. Most<br />
office wear can be dressed up with a scarf, an attractive pin, or by taking off a<br />
jacket and wearing a skirt and blouse combo. Adding a colored silk blouse and a<br />
high heel shoe could move the outfit from office to dressy.<br />
Fabrics worn for a dressy casual event tend to be richer than business attire, but<br />
not so luxurious as to push the outfit into semi-formal or formal attire. Daytime<br />
fabrics, like brushed cotton, chiffon, and linen, can be a good choice, but the outfit<br />
should be accessorized so that it doesn't become too casual. Dress lengths tend to<br />
vary, although shorter lengths are common; the nature of the event should be<br />
considered, but knee-length or just above is usually perfectly acceptable.<br />
Shoes for women should be either semi-dressy heels or flats, and patent leather or<br />
metallics are usually a good choice to dress up an outfit. Jewelry should be wellcoordinated<br />
with the clothing; any type of metal, semi-precious stones, or wellmade<br />
costume jewelry can work well with a dressy casual outfit. Excessive and<br />
overly dramatic pieces should be avoided since they can look too showy.
Men's Clothing<br />
For men, this category of dress typically means slacks, a shirt with a collar, and a<br />
sport coat. At slightly more casual events, a button-down shirt without a jacket<br />
could be worn, although it's a good idea to bring along a jacket just in case it's<br />
needed. In most cases, a tie is also not required, but wearing one would not<br />
necessarily make a man look too formal. As with the jacket, bringing along a tie to<br />
a dressy casual event can save embarrassment if it is expected, as it is at some<br />
restaurants. Sweaters, including cardigans, pullovers, and sweater vests, also fit<br />
the dressy casual bill, and can be worn under a sport coat if the weather is cool.<br />
Shoes for men include simple loafers or other casual leather shoes, similar to those<br />
that might be worn with business attire. Some men do wear boat shoes, but this<br />
may be a little too casual, depending on the event. Trouser socks should also be<br />
worn, preferably in a color close to that of the slacks.<br />
<strong>Dressy</strong> Casual vs. Business Casual<br />
<strong>Dressy</strong> casual clothing is not all that different from what is typically described as<br />
business casual, but has a bit more informality. For men, the look is very similar,<br />
although the clothing might be more conservative for a business casual event.<br />
Women's clothing tends to be a little more dressed up; a nice top and skirt might<br />
be worn instead of a suit, for example. A woman might also wear more jewelry than<br />
she would for business casual.
<strong>What</strong> Not to Wear<br />
Possibly the safest way to dress appropriately is to avoid certain items. Even<br />
though some people might consider fancy jeans as dressy casual, others don’t, so<br />
avoiding jeans is a good idea. Other things that ought to be skipped are shorts of<br />
most kinds, t-shirts, informal short sleeve shirts, and very casual shoes like flipflops.<br />
It is also possible to be too dressy; men shouldn’t wear three piece suits or<br />
tuxes, and women should avoid cocktail dresses or formal gowns.<br />
Article Source: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-dressy-casual-mean.htm<br />
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