Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Holiday Parties and Dress Codes




This weekend I received an email from a friend about an upcoming holiday party. She hoped I could guide her to some stores where she could find an outfit that fit the following dress code written on the invitation:


Festive winter cocktail is recommended. For men, this means add a festive accent to your cocktail attire (slacks and dress shirt with tie or jacket). Women might wear a cocktail dress, a nice skirt and top or a pants outfit along with a festive winter element.

How wonderful to receive specific suggestions on what would be appropriate attire for this event. Unfortunately, most invitations come with a vague or ambiguous dress code which leaves the invitee stressed and unsure about what to wear.

A big part of being a gracious host or hostess is making your guests feel comfortable. And being properly dressed goes a long way in making a person feel at ease. So if you are sending out invitations for a holiday party this season, I implore you to include a clear dress code. Thank you.

The photo above, from the early 1980's, was taken at the annual post-Christmas breakfast my family shared with our good lifelong friends. Note my festive sweater!

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