Tasteful Dressing - The Importance of Occasions

Knowing what is appropriate to wear on occasion requires as much good taste as it is to dress elegantly.

Elegance is diminished and eyebrows are raised when inappropriate things are worn.

Some common areas:

- Wearing casual wear or beach wear in the city
- Not dressing up in Sunday best at church
- Wearing bright and colourful clothes to a funeral
- Wearing flipflops everywhere (They should only be worn at the beach)- Not dressing up according to the theme when it is a theme party
- Wearing jeans or sandals to a wedding
- Wearing black in the morning
- Wearing white to a wedding (unless its specifically stated)
- Upstaging the bride
- Wearing clubbing clothes to a wedding- Wearing a cocktail dress when it is a formal event
- Not wearing evening or formal cocktail to the theatre
- Wearing boots in summer
- Wearing high heels to a beach, to the country, mountain side

No matter how important you are, or your friends are, never attempt to dazzle them by showing them how elegant you are. For example, dazzling may mean having many diamonds dangling off you, carrying accessories and bags from 'elegant' brands, strutting obviously in your designer heels, drawing unnecessary attention to yourself.

Take the personal change slow. Let yourself and personality grow into it. Let it become your own. With too big a change and a sudden shift to try too hard to be elegant, it feels fake and it can be smelt a mile away.

Dressing on Occasion

Some examples where more care is given to dressing up over our regular daily activities:- A coffee
- Luncheon
- Afternoon tea
- Dinner party
- Cocktail party
- A ball
- Wedding

Day time events

In temperate climates, the most appropriate outfit for elegant social gatherings in a day is usually a dress and a matching jacket or cardigan, or a suit made of linen or matte silk.

In the day, where the sun is bright and shining, a general rule of thumb is to wear lighter clothes such as whites, beige, pastel colours. It is also more appropriate for natural make up, simple hair style, minimal jewelry. Low to medium heels make a better casual look as well. If in doubt, it is on the safe side to be more *causally and simply dressed but perfectly groomed, bright and fresh, and chic.

*Note: Casual does not mean it gives an excuse to be sloppy, without make up - the equal amount of thought should be given to be formally dressed as well casually dressed for the woman who wants to be well dressed.

For functions in the day, it makes more sense to carry a larger bag than you would do in the evening as we all get about our errands during daylight. It is not necessary to if it doesn't fit your lifestyle. The smaller the bag, the more elegant. However chic is a kind of casual elegance which we should all strive to be when we are casual.

To be continued...

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