DRESS CODES: 5 PIECES THAT DEFINE DRESSY CASUAL

Photos by: JA PHOTOGRAPHY Edited by: TFW

Black Tie, Creative Black Tie, Festive, Business Casual, Business Formal, Cocktail, Dressy Casual, and Casual. Those are the dress codes you'll see in an invitation. There are so many, right?

But what dress codes are for? In a few words, dress codes will help you avoid wearing jeans and a t-shirt in an event where everyone is dressing Business Casual, and with that, you'll avoid embarrassment too. But in this article, we will talk about a specific one: Dressy Casual.

What is Dressy Casual? For me, it is anything you want to put on, but just not jeans and a t-shirt. In order of that, here are five pieces that define Dressy Casual.

1. 1. MIDI SKIRT

“Midi” stands for medium, so this kind of skirt is the one that's not too short and too long. It comes in different types: flared, fitted, buttoned, pleated, belted, etc. Midi skirts are my Dressy Casual go-to, and I love midi skirts more than mini skirts because you can wear them on events or every day, and they can make you look classier even with a simple white t-shirt on. You can also pair them with a sleeveless fitted top to define your body shape. If you don't have a midi skirt in your wardrobe, girl, go get one!

History facts: At the beginning of the 60s women were all about mini skirts, and in the early '70s midi skirts debuted, but many women disapproved that they even organized protests against them.

Today, midi skirts are one of the classic pieces that won't ever go out of style.

2. BARDOT BLOUSE

The Bardot Blouse is also known as the off-shoulder blouse, and it's appropriate for ladies who want to show off their collar bones because the neckline starts pretty much below the shoulder. It is suitable for a Dressy Casual look when combined with a slit fitted midi skirt and sandals heels.

History facts: The Bardot Blouse is named after Brigitte Bardot, a French actress, singer, and sex symbol of the '50s and '60s.

You may assume that the Bardot was born in the '50s, but it was actually invented in the Victorian Era, by Charles Frederick Worth, the father of haute couture.

3. BUTTON-DOWN WHITE SHIRT

Nothing is classier than a button-down blouse when it's oversized! If you want your Dressy Casual outfit to be cool and chic, go for the button-down!

Pick the oversized one, pair it with a designer belt, jewelry, and high heels, and you're done. A Perfect Dressy Casual outfit.

History facts: The button-down shirt is also known as “sexy shirt switch” for the fact that in almost every movie, when a woman comes out of the bedroom and wears the man's shirt, it implies that they slept together.

Women started wearing button-down shirts back in the '50s to symbolize sexual freedom and gender equality.

Ladies often use clothes to symbolize something, for example, in the 1800s, suffragette Elizabeth Smith Miller wore pants for the first time to win women's right to vote.

4. FITTED DRESS

If you don't want people to think that you're trying too hard but also be sexy at the same time, a fitted dress is perfect for you. Any fitted dress is sexy, and it's commonly used for Dressy Casual occasions. To stand out with a fitted dress in an event, you've got to choose the right color, and play with it. For example, if your dress is a nude pink, a shocking pink pair of heels will be perfect! Be creative on details because every stylish person works on details.

History Facts: Fitted dresses were worn by women every day in the mid-1300s. The 14th century was an era of different clothing shapes, and thanks to tailoring, clothes were more suitable for the human body.

Today, fitted dresses are also appropriate for an everyday outfit, and they are more comfortable and stretchy.

5. OVERSIZED BLAZER

I don't need to explain what an oversized blazer is, you know what I'm talking about! Who doesn't love oversized blazer? Or better, who doesn't love oversized in general?

Put on your most basic fitted dress, and pair it with a high-quality oversized blazer et oualà! You're ready to rock a Dressy Casual look.

History Facts: We all know that Coco Chanel made the greatest impact on fashion for women's empowerment. However, women were allowed to wear men's clothing in certain situations like during wars, when they had to take over men's works.

In the '50s, when wars ended, women went back to wearing dresses again, but some groups of ladies dressed in blazers and jeans as a way of protesting against the common perception of femininity.

Those are some pieces you could wear for Dressy Casual events or even daily! I think Dressy Casual is suitable for everyday outfits, in fact, most of my everyday outfits are Dressy Casual. I usually don't wear Casual unless I'm just going around the neighborhood. You know what I always say… That's how a fashionista does it!