Elegantly Casual

The dress code on the invitation to my son’s nursery school graduation read ‘elegantly casual.’ My husband and I groaned.

‘Elegantly casual’ is one of those vague dress codes that often had us scrambling through our wardrobes to see what fell in line with that dress requirement.

Since the graduation was being held on a Friday evening, we surmised that people would want to ‘lime’ afterwards and would prefer to be dressed comfortably in casual clothing as opposed to being all stiff and starchy in formal wear. Additionally, having to run after hyper toddlers and their peers does not augur well for sequins and stilettos.

With that in mind, my husband opted to wear khaki slacks and an openedneck long-sleeved shirt under a sports jacket. I donned black straight cut polyester pants with a fashionable black and white striped blouse made of a thin jersey material. These were adorned with red mules and a red Prada handbag. Comfortable. Casual. Elegant.

Of course other people had their own interpretation of the dress code. Some, probably in deference to the word “elegant”, showed up dressed as if attending a wedding. One gentleman in particular, only saw the word casual and was bedecked in full track and field regalia, sleeveless jersey and all.

It’s easy to understand how two such seemingly oxymoronic words can cause confusion. Elegant denotes a fashion image of clean lines, soft fabric swaying in the breeze with every step and a dignified deportment as often seen on Hollywood red carpets. Casual, on the other hand, has a range of meanings for everyone. While some women may consider a simple white cotton dress as casual, others may favour jeans, t’shirt and Birkenstock sandals. Really, it all comes down to personal style and what people feel most comfortable in when they want to feel relaxed. Placed together, elegantly casual then should be a fusion of those two concepts: informal, relaxed and chic attire.

Also termed dressy casual, this type of dress code is not used as an official term in the fashion industry but more by companies for social functions. As a result, the dress code includes almost anything except sweats, shorts and flip-flops. Some fashion pundits also tend to frown over the use of denim, especially if it’s torn, shredded, washed out or adorned with all sorts of “bling”.

Local fashion designers, who weighed in on the issue agreed that the dress code straddles between casual and formal wear. “Other than New Year's Eve, there's not much glamour in T&T. So, this is probably the most appropriate way to 'dress-up' without being too much. For women, anything but a beaded, long gown can work and for men anything but a black tuxedo is cool,” advised Peter Elias.

“For women and men, that could mean perhaps a smart look that's somewhere above casual, but a bit under semi-formal. I think the difference here would be how the wardrobe is accessorized,” said Claudia Pegus. So, instead of a Swarovski crystal necklace that could make you look overdressed, a simple black flared skirt and v-necked cap-sleeved top, could be rendered casual chic with a trendy oversized green beaded necklace and a matching wristband. Hair and make-up, advised one website, should be kept simple and subdued for this dress code.

In case you are still unsure of how to dress when confronted with the ‘elegantly casual’ demand, there are practical factors which one can use as a guide.

“I look at clothing and dressing in general as being a window to one's soul. So the exact components to create an elegantly casual look ultimately comes down to who you are, the venue, time of day and maybe some not so relevant details,” said Elias.

These are among the many factors identified by a 2004 article on Deciphering the Dress Code published in the Austin Home and Living Magazine.

The time of day, the type of event, the location and the formality of the invitation should be taken into consideration. To that, I would add the weather and the type of guests that you may expect to see. If it is an event that would include celebrities and people holding high office, then one should veer closer to the elegant side. If it is a lime with old school buddies, then a more casual approach can be taken. Of primary importance is your comfort. So dress in a way that not only toes the line but also retains some of your personality. And remember ladies, you can’t go wrong with black pants and a wicked pair of wedges in your collection. These always come in handy when in doubt!

- Laura Dowrich-Phillips