Dressing the right way for an event when you don’t know the dress code

It’s no secret that men are less likely to get excited about having to dress up for any occasion. Of course, we know there are exceptions, and if you’re one of them, that’s amazing. But for everyone else, the stress that comes with finding the right outfit for an event is not pleasant, so we want to help you out. Especially if it’s an event without a clear dress code. In this article, we have some tips on how to figure out what people expect from you and how to dress accordingly. Don’t worry, we’ll try to make it easier for you, so read along and get ready to rock any outfit you need to wear.

Ask directly

The first and probably most obvious thing you can do is to directly ask the person who invited you to the event. Replying to the invitation and asking about the dress code is nothing to be afraid of, as it shows that you have an interest in showing up in the right outfit. We are aware that you might not be able to ask all the time. Sometimes it’s more complicated, or the person won’t reply to you, or the event is simply too big. In that case, what you want to do is to come up with an adaptable outfit. An adaptable outfit is something made out of more items than you probably need, but it makes it very easy for you to quickly adapt to the setting. So, you wanna put on a pair of chinos, they’re pretty versatile. After that, you take a shirt and pack a tie that works with it. And from here on, you only need a very smart sweater, like the Aran sweaters here: https://www.gaelsong.com/prod_detail_list/mens-apparel and a blazer. You take both with you. If the event is smart casual, pop your sweater on, leave the tie and blazer in the car and vice versa. 

Don’t go alone

If you don’t want to ask and you can’t take more items with you, don’t worry, there’s a very easy way to solve the dress code problem. What you want to do is take a plus one and coordinate your outfit with them. You can try assuming a dress code, or going for something smart casual, but make sure both of you are on the same page. While this won’t allow you to adapt to the right dress code, it will make sure that you’re not the only one wearing the wrong thing. It might sound silly, but the reality is that having someone to relate to is very important and it will make your night better for sure. So call a friend and drag them into this with you, and if nothing else works out, at least you can have fun together.

Consider the venue

Last but not least, you can play the guessing game. Based on the time of the event, the venue and the day of the week, you can kind of guess if the dress code is formal or casual. For example, if the event is a networking night on a friday, in a bar, you can be certain that you’re expected to dress casually. If, on the other hand, you’re going to a garden party on a saturday afternoon, the dress code might be light, but elegant. Try to search the venue and see the vibe it gives you, and dress for the venue, not for the event. That way, you can almost always know what to put on.