As a girl interested in fashion, my number one fear is not understanding the dress code. First-world problems, am I right?
Every time I go to a friend’s themed birthday party, I turn into my nine-year-old self making sure that I’m actually wearing my pajamas on pajama day. As much as my parents laugh at me, the fear still remains.
Furthermore, there has been a lot of controversy about people on social media experiencing fashion blindness and dressing inappropriately for different occasions. I’ve seen people wear lingerie to children’s birthday parties, athleisure to the club and even see-through dresses at graduations. What the heck is going on? I would have a little more grace if it were closer to the post-pandemic years of 2021-2022, but this is getting out of hand.
However, fear not, everyone! I have three pieces of advice that will help you eliminate dress code distress.
Research! Research! Research!
Every fashion journey begins with research, regardless of what one’s occasion may be.
If you get an invitation or the host gives you a niche theme, that’s perfect, just plug it into Pinterest and you’ve already got a couple of ideas started. Perhaps instead, you were given a general dress code like business casual, semi-formal or elevated casual. Maybe you were given a color palette like jewel-tones, earth-tones, pastels or neutrals. For events like these, please don’t be afraid to take your time when researching.
Personally, I like to get a mood board to get a general idea of what I want. Maybe my mood board aligns with something I already have in my closet, or it’s finally time for me to buy that dress I’ve been wanting. Maybe I want to test my luck and shop second-hand, which is a spectacular idea!
Regardless of what route you take, planning with a mood board helps you keep an eye on the prize and focus on exactly what you want to be dress code ready.
Phone A Friend
I typically ask my friends and family what to wear to get a general idea of the event’s atmosphere. This helps me get a closer idea of what I need to wear, but depending on who gives me advice, I can use my best judgment to rely on my own resource findings.
I don’t mean to call anyone out, but the reason some people don’t have the style advice you need is that they don’t typically dress up and/or haven’t experienced a certain kind of event. Would you expect a dinosaur to know how to dress for brunch? I don’t think so. Take styling advice with a grain of salt, especially from that one friend who has no clue what they’re doing. Maybe you want to achieve two goals with one task and decide to ask that cool and stylish friend you’ve been dying to get to know what to wear?
When In Doubt, dress up not down!
You’re more than likely to be judged for dressing down than dressing up. In fact, if you’re getting judged for dressing up, it’s probably out of jealousy.
You can get kicked out of a steakhouse for wearing basketball shorts and a tank top, but not if you wear a three-piece suit! Consider some of your elevated basics like button-ups, blouses, slacks and structured woven garments when dressing up. Solid color basics are a must in any person’s closet!
If there’s one thing my mother and I always agree on, it’s that you need a few nice tops, a few nice bottoms, and maybe one or two nice dresses or suits. Keep jewelry, accessories and makeup minimal. If you want to earn some extra brownie points, iron and steam your clothes. Don’t forget to use the lint roller! When you take care of your clothes and focus on them, it shows your peers that you’re willing to go the extra mile for a fancier look.
Also, don’t forget that dress codes exist for a reason. They are implemented to show signs of respect, whether that means dressing modestly, professionally or elegantly. When you abide by the rules of a dress code, not only are you showing respect towards the people around you, but towards yourself as well. What you wear is a crucial factor in first impressions- it’s the first thing a person can judge before they get to know your character.
Any dress code can make you go out of your comfort zone, but it can make the smallest of differences, from getting fired to getting your foot in the door. Every time you have an interview, you need to dress well. Every time you meet new people, dress well. Even if it’s people you already know, still dress well! Appearance isn’t everything, but more often than not, people remember a person with a positive attitude and a good outfit than a positive person with a so-so outfit.
The more you experience dress codes, the easier they become. Who knows, you might even use dress codes as a journey to grow your own personal style.
The next time you hear one of your friends complain about a formal dress code for a special occasion, don’t be afraid to explain why it makes a special occasion so “special.”
Dress codes are like a library full of books, each one full of untapped potential and dying to be explored!