What Is a Description of Semi-Formal Men's Wear?
Men's dress-code expectations can be difficult to decipher. True, "white tie" and "black tie" are pretty self-explanatory, as is "casual." It's the in-between stages such as "semi-formal" that are tricky. It's obvious from the name that semi-formal is not quite as rigorously conventional as "formal," but the name doesn't say anything about suit vs. tuxedo, Oxfords vs. flip-flops or whether or not to wear a tie. Fortunately there are etiquette rules to help you dress appropriately. Does this Spark an idea?
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Suit
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A suit is the order of the day for semi-formal attire; a tuxedo would be too much, and a sports coat with slacks is not quite formal enough. A two-piece suit is required; if three-piece suits are currently in fashion, wear the the suit with or without the matching vest, as you prefer. Some gentlemen will wear a vest in a contrasting fabric in order to personalize their look, though this is not strictly within the "rules."
Fabric
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For semi-formal wear, "novelty" suit fabrics such as seersucker or linen are not appropriate. Thin wool, good-quality polyester, gabardine or cashmere fabrics are all good choices. A man should select a color and fabric appropriate to the season of the year--for example, wearing a tan gabardine suit for a daytime summer wedding, and a black wool suit for an evening awards ceremony.
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Colors
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The color of the suit depends a bit upon the time of day. At night, a suit in a dark color such as charcoal, navy or black is proper. Dark colors are also acceptable during the day, and during the daylight hours it is equally proper to wear lighter colors such as tan or a dove gray. Shirts may be white or any other color, and they may be patterned or plain. Socks should match the color of the suit pants.
Accessories
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Wear a regular collared, long-sleeved dress shirt with the suit. A necktie---not a bow tie---is a requirement for semi-formal dress, and unlike with formal dress, it may be in any color or pattern that pleases the wearer and coordinates with the suit and shirt. Jewelry such as cuff links, shirt studs and tie tacks are optional but perfectly appropriate, as is a pocket square that matches the necktie.
Shoes
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Casual shoes like sneakers, sandals or boots are inappropriate for semi-formal dress. A man should wear dress shoes such as wingtips, Oxfords or hard leather loafers. Shoes should be polished and shined if they are hard leather, and they should be in a color that coordinates well with the suit. If you wear a belt, it should match the shoes.
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References
- Photo Credit shirt tie tux suit image by Paul Retherford from Fotolia.com
