Page 12 - aruba-today-20221227

a12 people & arts
Tuesday 27 december 2022
Parties are back, but how to dress? A

holiday guide

By LEANNE ITALIE
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — The sea-
son's triple-virus threat not-
withstanding, parties are
back, and they've brought
with them the potential for
some dress code chaos.
White tie, black tie, black
tie creative/festive, semi-
formal: It might take some
extra re-entry energy to
figure out these pre-pan-
demic guidelines in an ex-
hausted world more used
to sweats and sneakers.
Invitations sometimes don't Blake Lively, left, and Ryan Reynolds attend The Metropolitan
specify attire, leaving it until Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala on Monday, May
the RSVP phase or expect- 2, 2022, in New York.
ing guests to infer based on Associated Press
experience or an event's sions to ever wear it," Post Not any cummerbund will
description. That was per- said. "That's one most peo- do. Make sure it matches
haps easier pre-pandem- ple get stressed about, but bow tie and lapel fab-
ic, but many people are it's a category that's pretty rics. Footwear is the same
ready to take on the chal- well-defined." By well-de- as white tie. White dinner
lenge, shed their cozy, fined, she means: trousers jackets are acceptable in
casual duds and dress up with a satin or braid stripe; the summer or warm cli-
once again. plain-front, wing-collar, mates. Gowns are floor
"The stories I'm hearing from French cuff shirts; stiff white length here, too, but can
people is that they're hap- pique vests; cuff links or be more casual than white
py for an opportunity to studs; black or white brac- tie in materials and struc-
get out of the sweatpants," es; black socks; and black ture. A very formal cocktail
said Lizzie Post, Emily Post's patent-leather pumps or dress might do if the hem-
great-great-granddaugh- lace-up Oxfords. Studs for line is at or below the knee.
ter and co-author of a re- buttons or covered buttons Black tie is far more famil-
juvenated new edition of are options. iar to many than white tie,
"Emily Post's Etiquette" to Chesterfield coats, which Post said.
mark the book's centen- are formal, dark-colored BLACK TIE/CREATIVE/FES-
nial. and knee-length with vel- TIVE
With help from the Posts, vet collars, are suitable as Attire is the same as black
a rundown from the most outerwear for cold weath- tie but with colors or em-
formal to the least formal er, as opposed to one's bellishment added for a bit
attire: down parka. more dazzle.
WHITE TIE Gowns are floor length, or For dresses and two-piece
This, the most formal tra- possibly VERY formal two- outfits, there's some wiggle
ditional attire, involves a piece outfits, with optional room to experiment with
white bow tie, black jacket gloves of varying lengths. A color, texture and acces-
with tails, matching trousers dress-pant combo is rare. sories, Post said.
and white vests for eve- BLACK TIE "It's sometimes worn to
ning. Swap in a morning It's the next most formal at- celebrate a particular
coat for day. tire, and means tuxedos in holiday or something like
Think royal events, ultra- black or midnight blue. Col- that. If I was invited to a
galas or super formal wed- lars can be wing or regular festive, black-tie Christmas
dings. in white. Bow ties are black. event, I'm searching for a
"I think the thing that peo- So are braces or suspend- bow tie and cummerbund
ple are most unsure about ers. Vests are optional, but that have Santa Claus or
is formal attire because forget the cummerbund if reindeer or something on
most of us have few occa- a vest is worn. them," Post added.
Be sensitive to other peo-
ple's cultures and holidays,
she added.
SEMIFORMAL
Expect suits, jackets and
ties with slacks, dress tops,
dress pants, and maxi-
length hems that are
long but not full-on formal
gowns. Tea-length, knee-
length or two-piece outfits
fit here.q