Wedding invitations love a dress code and hate explaining it. "Cocktail attire" tells you very little when you're standing in front of your wardrobe three days before. Here's what each one actually means.
Black tie
The most formal code you'll realistically be given. For women: a floor-length evening gown. A very dressy midi can work for an early-evening ceremony, but full length is the safer read. For men: a tuxedo with a bow tie.
This is the moment for your best fabrics — satin, silk, velvet, anything beaded or sequinned.
Black tie optional / formal
The couple want a formal look but aren't insisting on a tuxedo. A floor-length gown or an elegant midi both work. Men can wear a tuxedo or a dark, well-cut suit with a tie.
Cocktail attire
The most common code, and the most misread. Cocktail means knee-length to midi. Not floor-length, not a sundress. Think a tailored dress in a good fabric, dressed up with heels and jewellery. Men: a suit and tie, any colour darker than light grey.
Semi-formal / dressy casual
A step down again. A midi dress, a smart jumpsuit, or a skirt and top. Men: a suit without a tie, or trousers with a blazer.
Garden party / outdoor
Usually a daytime wedding on grass, which is the important part. Florals, lighter colours and flowing fabrics all read correctly — and block heels or wedges will save your evening. Stilettos and lawns do not get along.
Beach formal
Lighter fabrics, brighter colours, and shoes you can actually walk in. Linen suits for men. Nobody expects a three-piece in the sun.
The rules that still hold
Don't wear white
Still the one genuine rule. That includes ivory, cream, champagne and anything that photographs white. If you're squinting at it wondering whether it counts, it counts — choose something else.
Check whether the couple named a colour
Increasingly couples ask guests to avoid the bridal party's colour, or request a palette. If the invitation mentions it, follow it.
Dress for the venue, not just the code
A barn in October and a rooftop in July call for very different fabrics even under identical dress codes. Consider whether the ceremony is outdoors, whether there's a long walk between venues, and how cold it gets after sunset.
When in doubt, go slightly dressier
Being marginally overdressed at a wedding is invisible. Being underdressed is not.
What about the wedding party?
If you're a bridesmaid, the couple will usually specify colour and sometimes length, leaving silhouette up to you. If you're choosing for a whole party, picking one colour and letting everyone select their own shape is the reliable way to make a group of different heights and builds all look good.
Browse our wedding guest dresses and bridesmaid dresses — filter by colour to match whatever the invitation asked for.