 | PROPER ATTIRE
What to Wear to What Event
The Promenade's General Dress Code is No Jeans or T-Shirts during any Ballroom Dance. Check our Calendar for the No-T symbol on the Social Dances in which that rule would apply. For Ballroom Dances, most of the Ladies will have on a pair of dressy slacks or a skirt, short or long. A few of the Gentlemen will have on a coat or tie, but not many. We like to call it "Dressy Casual"
Special Events will have their Dress Code posted on the Event Flyer. You can use the guideline below, taken from a recent USA Dance, Inc. Publication, which will explain the various options that you may see posted on invitations and announcements to various Public and Private Special Events.
White Tie - The most formal category of dressing. For the Gentlemen it means a black tailcoat with matching trousers trimmed by a ribbon of braid or satin on the outside of each trouser leg, a white pique tie, white pique single or double-breasted vest, and a wing-collar shirt with a stiff pique front. White gloves are nice optional accessories for Gentlemen. The Ladies appear in a ball gown, which is an evening dress with a full skirt, possibly with open back and low neck line. Elbow-length gloves are also a nice addition for the Lady. To date we have never had a White Tie Event at The Promenade .... maybe one day.
Black Tie - Gentlemen in black tuxedo coat, trousers trimmed with satin ribbon along the outside of the leg, cummerbund and bow tie. The phrase "black tie" does not refer to the color of the tie. In fact colorful ties with matching cummerbunds are very popular. Ladies appear in ball gowns. We have had Private Black Tie affairs, but never one of our own. Our annual Nutcracker Ball is a Black Tie "Optional" Affair.
Black Tie Optional - Same as above, except Gentlemen have the option of wearing a regular suit with a tie (bow tie preferred), and Ladies wear a cocktail gown or dinner dress. Long to full-length skirts are preferred; short skirts are not recommended. This is the attire we require for our Annual Nutcracker Ball. All other Special Events are usually Semi-Formal.
Formal - Gentlemen in suit and tie (nowadays a sport coat is often acceptable), Ladies in a cocktail dress or evening dress.
Semi-formal - Gentlemen in dress slacks with a dress shirt and tie, jacket is optional. Other options include a vest or sweater that shows the tie. At the lower end of formality these events can be attended without a tie, e.g. with a turtleneck and jacket. Ladies in evening dress or dinner dress, but other chic outfits are also acceptable, like flowing pants, etc.
Dressy Casual - calls for dressed-up versions of casual looks. For him, it could be trousers and a sportscoat, for her, a dressy pants look or a skirt. This is The Promenade's typical Dress Code for weekend Ballroom Social Dances. Jeans, shorts, T-shirts and other casual looks are NOT appropriate for Dressy Casual.
Casual - generally means any thing goes, jeans and t-shirts included. At The Promenade this is appropriate attire for our Sunday Night West Coast Swing Dance and also for our Group Lessons during the week. |  |
