Western Dress Code
In the European tradition, casual is the dress code which emphasizes comfort and personal expression over presentation and uniformity. It includes a very wide variety of costume, rnCasual wear is typically the dress code in which new forms of gender expression are attempted before being accepted into semi-casual or semi-formal situations. rnrnThe term casual describes a wide variety of clothing, ranging from smart casual to active attire.rnrnSmart CasualrnrnTypical events: Business purposes, church events, everyday wearrnrnSmart casual usually consists of a blazer or a sports jacket a collared shirt, and dress trousers. A necktie is increasingly optional. Although suits technically fall into the informal category, so are casual enough to be considered smart casual instead. Smart casual footwear includes shoes and loafers, but not sneakers (trainers), or men's sandals. rnrnBusiness CasualrnrnTypical events: Business purposes, church events,rnrnBusiness Casual is among the most fluid and varied of dress codes,rnGenerally speaking, ties are not worn with business casual. Most codes require that a collared shirt be worn,Dress pants or cotton twills such as chinos (khakis) are acceptable, but jeans often are not. Sports jackets are optional. Again, while loafers and other casual shoes are acceptable, sneakers and men's sandals are not. Business casual is now acceptable in some business situations and industries, but not all.rnrnBusiness casual means dressing professionally, looking relaxed yet neat and pulled together.rnrnFor women: A reasonable length skirt (not mini-skirt) or full-length pants of a non-jeans material combined with a sleeved top (such as a dress shirt, polo, or sweater set) is considered acceptable. An informal dress with sleeves and appropriate skirt length is also acceptable.rnrnFor men: A combination of collared shirt (such as a dress shirt or polo shirt), cotton trousers (such as khakis), or tennis shirt with a belt, and shoes (such as loafers) with socks is generally acceptablernrnUnacceptable for either gender: sleeveless shirts, gym clothes, rumpled or ripped clothing, (micro) miniskirts, underwear as outerwear, bizarre hair color or styles, inappropriately revealing attire such as bare midriffs, and flip-flops.
