What to Wear to a Special Occasion Party

Party is unexceptionable when used to refer to a participant in a social arrangement, as in She was not named as a party in the conspiracy. It is this sense that underlies the legal use of the term, as when one speaks of the parties to a contract. The legal use has in turn led to the presence of the word in many fixed expressions, such as injured party and third party. But party is also widely used as a general substitute for person, as in Would all parties who left packages at the desk please reclaim them. This usage has been established for many centuries, but in the Victorian era it came to be associated with the language of the semieducated and it has been the subject of many later criticisms. This use of party may have been reinforced in the 20th century by its adoption by telephone operators. In other contexts, when used in earnest, it may be perceived as a superfluous variant for person. But the jocular use of the term is well established, particularly in references such as a wise old party. -- from the TheFreeDictionary.

But what's Black Tie, Formal, Dressy Casual and More? You've been invited to a special event and now you're wondering what to choose as your special occasion dresses. Here's where to find out more about what to wear to a wedding, black tie, cocktail and other special event dressing.

Black Tie
A Black Tie invitation calls for formal dress. Formal usually means the same as Black Tie, but in some trendier cities like New York or Los Angeles, it could mean a black shirt, no tie with a tux. Women wear cocktail, long dresses or dressy evening separates.

If you get tossed into playing host or hostess - don't panic! A bit of extra time spent party planning is all you'll need to have a very successful formal dinner party, and with just a little know-how you'll be feeling confident in no time.
1. First things first get your guest list together and make sure to put invitations out minimally one month ahead of time (six weeks is even better). Include the style of the party on the invitations so no one accidentally shows up in jeans. If there is any particular theme or occasion being celebrated, that should also be noted.
2. The nice part about formal parties is that you don't need a lot of decoration because the table setting is the center of attention. A few tastefully placed candles, name holders that match your theme/occasion, and some fresh flowers can be absolutely perfect!
3. Since this is a formal party, you and your guests will be seated at a dining table - that means having a centerpiece and suitable tableware. It also helps to have a chef's table so that food can be passed then moved off the main surface, giving guests more elbow room for eating and light conversation.

Semi-Formal
Semi-Formal or After Five means that tuxes are not required, nor are long dresses. Business Formal is the same as Semi-Formal for him, but for women it suggests that women opt for more tailored dressy suits and dresses. The idea is to still be business appropriate -- which means nothing too sexy or slinky -- but still dressed up. Don't buy into the belief that there are a limited number of colors that work for you; instead, be your own best stylist and hold up hues to your face to see which ones bring out your skintones, eyes and hair the best.

Informal
Informal is often interpreted as the same as Casual but it actually calls for the same dress as Semi-Formal -- dark suits for him, short dresses for her -- especially when associated with a wedding or special event. Dressy Casual calls for dressed-up versions of casual looks. For him, it could be trousers and a sportcoat, for her a dressy pants look. Jeans, shorts, T-shirts and other casual looks are not appropriate for Dressy Casual. For her, it means to choose looks with a bit of sparkle or holiday bent (i.e. a beaded sweater with black pants, a red silk blouse with a black skirt).