Wedding guest "dress code" question (from a bride-to-be)

[ChocolateReignRemix]

What do they wear to job interviews? Office dress codes have relaxed a LOT lately, but a dark suit is still the norm for interviews. My DH wears khakis and a button-down shirt (no tie) every day in his job but when he was interviewing for a position in a different department recently he still wore his suit.

 

It varies greatly by industry. A dark suit is not the norm for many job interviews in someplace like Miami.

 

Factor in that a substantial portion of the population does not work in occupations where a suit was ever needed for job interviews, and you can see why it isn't necessarily true that the majority of men own a suit.

[Liz CA]

See, I don't know what church clothes are.  I would think it was ok to wear jeans to church. 

 

Yes, to some it is.

 

[FaithManor]

It varies greatly by industry. A dark suit is not the norm for many job interviews in someplace like Miami.

 

Factor in that a substantial portion of the population does not work in occupations where a suit was ever needed for job interviews, and you can see why it isn't necessarily true that the majority of men own a suit.

Yes to this. Khakis, a button down, and no time is just fine for interviews around my area. Apart from medical jobs, most of the positions available are not office, dress up jobs, and the pay in the area is not great. Incomes are low. Employers have no expectation of men and women owning suits. Dress pants and a decent blouse or sweater is often the best dress others a woman owns. I am likely the only woman in my area who owns a cocktail dress. Teens with prom dresses are the only ones with "gowns". Dh and eldest ds own tuxes. Dh has not met another man in the last decade who owns a tux or had had occasion to rent one since their last groomsman gig. Due to economics, very few weddings in the area area include formal wear except the bride. Bridesmaids are often in black or other dark color cocktail dress, guys in black dress pants, button downs, and matching ties with grooms either wearing a suit to set them off from the bridal party or just adding a vest.

 

I am an added "weirdo"in that I have four, black performance gowns as well.

 

Dh wears suits to work because he was promoted to executive level. None of the other people he works with do. Dress pants or khakis, button down without tie is normal, with some men donning polo shirts on Fridays.

 

So this notion of some sort of standardized dress code across the nation beyond shrubs for docs nd nurses is really extinct.

[Bluegoat]

It gets SO hot down there though, if you haven't been you might not believe it. I have a vague impression that just shirts and vests is a Western thing going way back, though I might have gotten that idea from movies.

 

Also bolo ties. Because you don't need extra fabric wrapped around your neck in those conditions. Though I think those have gone out of style in favor of just no tie at all.

 

 

That is true, I wonder if the cowboy movie thing is accurate?  Or maybe they all supposedly just took of their jackets?

 

I tend to think a light linen or seersucker suit is the best option for heat, even a suit with shorts.

 

It takes a certain sort of person to carry off a bolo tie.

[Bluegoat]

This is a useless term here as a dress code.  Out West, in evangelical circles, this can mean dresses, heels, pressed shirts, ties and dress pants at a small minority of churches or it can mean kackis and polos, shorts, t-shirts and jeans at the majority of churches.

 

But I think cocktail attire is probably clearly understood across the nation.

 

I have never received a wedding invitation with anything other than "back tie optional" on it and those are rare cases.  Usually there's no dress code mentioned.

 

I think though cocktail dress is a lot dressier than what is meant by "church attire." 

 

What would be the closest level of formality, if I'm getting the right idea, would probably be business casual or business formal.  The former would be the kind of places a man might wear slacks and an open neck collared shirt, whereas in business formal he'd have a tie and jacket or  a suit.  As a woman, you might go for a "prettier" version than you'd wear to work but the level of dress would be the same.

[Murphy101]

There's definitely a culture in America in which wedding attire is insignificant. My family comes from that culture. (Particularly, baptists in Oklahoma.) There's also a culture in which wearing the wrong thing is a significant faux pas not quickly forgotten. And lots of levels in between. What's so hard to understand about that?

 

 

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That's hilarious to me bc my dh's family and their social circle is mostly Baptists in Oklahoma and they are very aware of appropriate attire for events. LOL

[Murphy101]

What do they wear to job interviews? Office dress codes have relaxed a LOT lately, but a dark suit is still the norm for interviews. My DH wears khakis and a button-down shirt (no tie) every day in his job but when he was interviewing for a position in a different department recently he still wore his suit.

 

Depends on the job and the environment of a particular employment.

 

My son is a machinist. The smart thing to do is look into the place he is going to be working. When everyone is leaving, what are they wearing? Some places it's very casual Bermuda shorts and tshirts. Some places is work pants and polo styled shirts. But even so, some interviewers send a request sheet to dress in business attire even though its shop work.

 

Generally though, I agree that the usual interview attire in this area is suit attire. But even then, it pays to be observant. When my dh interviews, he shows in suit and tie, but if he sees he is the only one in a suit and tie, he removes them. Being personable is a major part of his job though.

[Bootsie]

I think though cocktail dress is a lot dressier than what is meant by "church attire." 

 

What would be the closest level of formality, if I'm getting the right idea, would probably be business casual or business formal.  The former would be the kind of places a man might wear slacks and an open neck collared shirt, whereas in business formal he'd have a tie and jacket or  a suit.  As a woman, you might go for a "prettier" version than you'd wear to work but the level of dress would be the same.

This is what I would take business casual to mean, but I know a lot of people who interpret it as "golf attire"

 

Personally, I would not put "business" anything on an invitation to a wedding reception in that "business" has a different connotation to me than a social occasion.  This is a celebratory, social event, not a business function.  For an event that called for business attire, I would wear a tailored dress, jacketed dress, or perhaps even a business suit.  

[HTRMom]

That's hilarious to me bc my dh's family and their social circle is mostly Baptists in Oklahoma and they are very aware of appropriate attire for events. LOL

lol! My grandma insisted that my husband wear a tshirt to my grandpa's funeral rather than buy proper clothes there, because we hadn't packed for a funeral. They would do the same for a wedding - come in whatever you have! Who cares?

[Bluegoat]

This is what I would take business casual to mean, but I know a lot of people who interpret it as "golf attire"

 

Personally, I would not put "business" anything on an invitation to a wedding reception in that "business" has a different connotation to me than a social occasion.  This is a celebratory, social event, not a business function.  For an event that called for business attire, I would wear a tailored dress, jacketed dress, or perhaps even a business suit.  

 

I think it would be clear than "church attire" but the social versions would be "informal" and "semi-formal."  A nice tailored dress would work for semi-formal, or even a suit.  Golf attire seems about right for informal, since it usually means no jeans and shirt collars.

[vonfirmath]

That seems odd to me.  The point of a vest was to add extra warmth to a suit!

 

Here in Texas, vests are worn to avoid wearing the suit jacket. Its a way to look "Dressed up" without an extra layer of HOT.

 

My son wore one to my SIL's wedding in Arizona. And it was perfect. It was an outdoor wedding in OCtober -- but we were there ALL day and he never complained of being too hot or needed to take it off so remained looking "Smart" the entire time (Until they decided to get into the pool and switched to swim suits. But that was quite a bit later in the day.)

[vonfirmath]

There's definitely a culture in America in which wedding attire is insignificant. My family comes from that culture. (Particularly, baptists in Oklahoma.) There's also a culture in which wearing the wrong thing is a significant faux pas not quickly forgotten. And lots of levels in between. What's so hard to understand about that?

 

 

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Ah. I grew up Baptist in Texas. That may have contributed to not caring so much about the attire of others.