What does "Cocktail Attire" mean?

[FalconXtreme]

LOL its a boys and girls club event. I do have an urge to wear a pink shirt though. but the black pinstripe i rarely wear..... bah decisions decisions

 

[Ivon]

Hehe, last event I went to was a breast cancer cocktail thing, hence the pink overload in my last post. Thinking about it, Feb is I believe breast cancer awareness month so I should avoid answering emails to avoid thus years fundraisers. Boys and Girls Club? Personally I'd tone it down, but I am remembering Hugh Grant in the movie About a Boy....

 

[Savile Row]

Cocktail attire means (in protocol) dark suit (i.e. navy, charcoal, etc), shirt and tie, as opposed to dinner attire which will mean black tie dress. That is the classical acception for men. For ladies it means Little black dress (or something similar).

Agree.
This is also how Debrett's and Emily Post define cocktail attire.

Ciao !

 

[TheFoo]



I have been invited to a wedding reception in mid-May and the dress is described as "cocktail attire."


What the hell does that mean?


Other specs:

Wedding: Family-only; a week prior to reception

Location: Loft space in Manhattan

Guests: 100-150 (guess)

Time: 7PM (Saturday)

Food: hors d’oeuvres stations


So what should I wear?

Wear a suit or a jacket.

 

[applky]

^ Foo I hope your advice travelled back through time four and a half years ago.

Cocktail attire isn't dispensation to dress down. It's an opportunity to dress nicely. Wear a suit with a tie, or sportcoat/trousers/tie, which is slightly less formal.

 

[KObalto]

..

 

[OlSarge]

Agree.
This is also how Debrett's and Emily Post define cocktail attire.

Ciao !

Really! I posed that question in AAAC some time last year and never got a reasonably straight answer. The above makes perfect sense and since I do have a black suit . . .

 

[le.gentleman]



Really!  I posed that question in AAAC some time last year and never got a reasonably straight answer.  The above makes perfect sense and since I do have a black suit . . . 

Ol Sarge,

I wrote an article specifically about cocktail attire for men, that you may find helpful. Since it is much more flexible than black tie, there are more options than just a black suit.

 

[NORE]



^ Foo I hope your advice travelled back through time four and a half years ago.

 

[mojserkis]

Anyone have any insight into "Summer Cocktail Attire" for a wedding? The wedding is in the afternoon at a summer camp (outside, I presume).

 

[NORE]

Anything you would wear that results in getting ********* into a tail.

enter Edmorel

 

[loarbmhs]

It means suit. And tie. Period, end of story.

And even if other attendees are dressed like they just got off the golf course, you will feel better and classier being a bit over dressed than under dressed. It's a wedding for gosh sakes!

And please no black suit ever--unless it's a tuxedo.

Black suits are strictly for a waiter or an undertaker, and have no business being worn by "civilians." They won't make you look more formal/cocktail appropriate, but they will make you look washed out, because no one except Morticia Addams looks good in a black suit.

If you have any doubt, call any Savile Row tailor, the epitome of elegance and propriety. They will argue vehemently that one should not wear a black suit, except in formal wear.

End of my rant. Have a great time!

 

[PORCAMOSRL]

I tried my best to write an a post about cocktail attire, it was difficult, but I based my findings on Italian style. Hope you enjoy and get some use out of it