What The Heck Is Chic? Dress Code Defined.

We've all received party invitations that include a dress code...but do you know what they all mean? The lines of these terms can sometimes seem blurred. Use these examples as a general guideline, but remember, common sense is the best guide!

Casual- Casual does not mean sweats and a t-shirt. A pair of nice jeans, cords or khakis and your favorite shirt or sweater will do the trick.

Chic-When an invitation says chic, it generally means the host/hostess is stylish, get creative and make use of trends.

Semiformal- Somewhere in between cocktail and black-tie, although some use semi formal and black tie interchangeably. I subscribe to the belief that women should wear shift dresses, tea length dresses and skirts (just below the knee) and men should wear slacks and a dinner jacket.

Formal- Formal wear usually means the same as black tie, but in trendier cities it could mean a black shirt, no tie with a tux. Men can wear grey, black or navy (unless otherwise specified as black or white tie). Women can wear cocktail, long dresses or dressy separates.

Cocktail Attire- Short, above the knee, elegant dresses for her and dark suits for him.

Black Tie- Formal attire; Men wear tuxedos, women wear long gowns.

White Tie- The most formal evening dress code in Western fashion. Men wear a dress coat, white bow tie, waistcoat and starched shirt. Women wear a ball gown.

Grown and Sexy- Should be removed from the dress code list...this doesn't mean anything and sounds silly.