# Semi Formal **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 31, 2000, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-formal/47937 "2000-12-31T21:35:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@elite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elite)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-formal/47937/1 "2000-12-31T21:35:38Z")
I have to dress semi-formal tonight. What is considered the norm for semi-formal for a guy? I have seen everything from blazers to jeans, I need to know where to draw the line. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-formal/47937/2 "2000-12-31T21:42:33Z")
A co-worker of mine has a friend who’s getting married this weekend. As a prelude to his bachelor party, they took him paint-gun shooting–only he had to wear a white, full-body rabbit suit. Furthermore, he was expected to wear said rabbit suit to his rehearsal dinner last night. So if that counts as “formal attire,” I suppose anything will suffice, given the correct circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-formal/47937/3 "2000-12-31T21:43:53Z")
i would go with khakis or chinos for pants, not jeans. you can either go with a shirt, no tie, or a turtleneck. either a sweater or blazer. no sneakers. ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-formal/47937/4 "2000-12-31T21:47:48Z")
Semi-formal is just like business-casual. Don’t you know anything? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-formal/47937/5 "2000-12-31T22:21:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Semi-formal is just like business-casual. only after 5pm on a workday ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-formal/47937/6 "2000-12-31T22:30:43Z")
I always thought semi-formal was more like a business suit, and formal was a tuxedo, but I guess I could be wrong. Wouldn’t be the first time. ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-formal/47937/7 "2000-12-31T23:16:12Z")
Can you tell us any more about the event? It would help a lot, but I’ll give it a go anyway. First you have to take into consideration where you live, what the occasion is, and who will be attending. Since it is tonight, you probably want to be dressier than normal, because women usually like to do it up for holiday parties and you don’t want to look like a schlump next to a beautiful woman (or man). These things are generally more lax on the West Coast (disregarding LA) and Semi-formal can mean anything from “wear a tux” to “you must wear shoes and no, slippers don’t count”. If you are in the northeast go with a suit. If it’s being held in a hotel banquet room or by your employers, wear a suit. If the press will be there, wear a suit. If it’s at a friend’s home, wear a sport coat and slacks, with a light sweater or turtleneck but do not wear a tie. And don’t forget to take a hostess gift. If you are at a bar that is charging exorbitant cover just because of the holiday (depending on the trendiness quotient) you probably want to go with a casualish black suit, make it a three-button jacket and don’t wear a regular shirt and tie or shoes. Go with something with some pizazz. Finally, if you are taking a date, ask her what she’s wearing and make sure you match her. ---
**Author:** ![sk8rixtx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/858c86/32.png) [@sk8rixtx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sk8rixtx)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2001, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-formal/47937/8 "2001-01-01T01:22:33Z")
I usually wear a v-neck sweater, with my white button down underneath it, with the collar sticking out, and my khakis. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2001, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-formal/47937/9 "2001-01-01T01:38:00Z")
D@mn you are good **Sue**! That was excellent advice. The only thing that you left out is my favorite combo. It is easily adjusted to more formal with a necktie that have in your pocket: [li]Blue Blazer[/li] [li]Gray Slacks[/li] [li]Shadow Striped Shirt[/li] You have 90% of a suit in a traditional, yet broken color set that allows for great accessorizing, as in: [li]Handkerchief[/li] [li]Belt[/li] [li]Shoes[/li] [li]French Cuffed Shirt[/li] PS: I realize that this is too late, but is gives you a strong alternative that works all year around. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Ps\_and\_Qs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mr.Ps\_and\_Qs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Ps_and_Qs)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2001, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-formal/47937/10 "2001-01-01T02:23:06Z")
No shoes no shirt no service. ---
**Author:** ![StephenG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@StephenG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StephenG)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2001, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-formal/47937/11 "2001-01-01T08:36:25Z")
I think **Sue** had it down pretty well. I’ll just echo from my own experience… Here in Boston, “semi-formal” means suit and tie. I’ve seen people show up dressed in sweater and khakis, and they look underdressed. (Business casual could be sweater and khakis/dress pants, or even golf shirt (i.e., collared, with 3 buttons) with khakis/dress pants.) “Formal” means “wear a tuxedo.” I started university in Ontario, and “semi-formal” there means no jeans or t-shirts. I’m not sure if that’s because of the Ontario part of the university part. “Formal” means “wear a tie.” ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2001, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-formal/47937/12 "2001-01-01T09:46:28Z")
I attended a party a couple of nights ago that was billed as “Holiday Casual.” That, apparently, does not mean jeans and a festive sweater. _Now_ I know. “Holiday Casual” seems to mean khakis and shirts with collars for the men and something fabulously dressy for the women. Given that we live in a part of the country where “casual” is often taken to mean “wear shoes if you feel like it,” I didn’t feel too guilty for turning up in (black) jeans. (I’d always thought “semi-formal” meant “suit and tie.”) ---
**Author:** ![coming\_up\_for\_air](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@coming\_up\_for\_air](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coming_up_for_air)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2001, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/semi-formal/47937/13 "2001-01-02T04:33:19Z")
Jeans, if new, will look like you tried for any occasion.