DECODING THE DRESS CODE

When it comes to getting dressed for a bar or bat mitzvah, times have changed! In the past, girls wore dresses and boys wore a nice button down with slacks, sometimes with a sport jacket and on the rare occasion, a suit. Today, casual attire is encouraged! If fact, girls and boys are often found wearing jeans, jerseys and even pajamas. Invitations almost always provide you with the dress code, but often times this leads to more confusion.

On one side of the spectrum is casual attire. The other is black tie. Everyone understands what these mean, but what about everything in between? At www.mitzvahlist.com, we are as confused as you! For this reason, we have enlisted the help of Andrea Solomon*, wedding and event planner, to decode the dress code. Below is a list of creative and modern dress codes and exactly what they mean:

Casual Attire or Informal: With more mitzvahs taking place at sports and amusement venues or even farms, casual attire or informal dress is becoming more commonplace. For boys, casual attire means jerseys, long shorts, jeans or other athletic wear. For girls this can mean leggings with a long shirt, a sun dress or other casual wear. Andrea stresses that it is NEVER okay to wear sweats to a bar or bat mitzvah, regardless of how casual it is.

Denim and Diamonds, Jeans and Jewels, Casual Chic, Jeans and Jerseys or Jean Chic: All of these are creative ways of saying you can wear jeans, but dress them up a bit. Boys should wear jeans with a button down in a fun color or print and can add a sport coat or jacket, but no tie. If you want to make it a little more formal, wear pants instead of jeans. Girls should wear jeans with something glamorous. Add a little oomph with glittery accessories, high shoes and a fun top. If you don't want to wear jeans, a floral shift or a pair of tailored pants with a cute top, a trendy jumpsuit or boldly printed pants. If jerseys are specified, this is a great time to show your team spirit!  

Dressy Casual, Snappy Casual, Smart Casual, Party Festive or Festive Attire: All of these creative titles mean that the party is one step above jeans. Boys wear pants or khakis with an open collar button down or sport jacket. Girls can be found wearing cute dresses or a dressy pants look, but without all the frills. If the invite says party festive, guests are encouraged to wear bright and fun colors sometimes with a little glitz. Girls often change into leggings once the party gets started. The leggings are sometimes paired with the giveaway bar or bat mitzvah shirt. T-shirts and other casual attire is not appropriate for Dressy Casual, Snappy Casual and these other variations.

Dressy Resort, Island Chic, Garden Party or Outdoor Attire: Guys should leave the serious jacket and tie at home. Chose a linen suit and pale shirt with white pants with loafers and no socks. Think what you would wear to a tropical wedding on a beach. Woman should put on a comfortable maxi dress, flowing sun dress or cute shift with some fun jewelry. A flower in your hair would also be appropriate. Make sure you wear flat shoes since your heels may sink into the grass or sand.

Luxe No Tux: This is your time to wear something creative and fashion forward. There is no need to wear a tux, but don't skimp on the fashion! Wear items with embellishments, color and texture. Boys can wear suits with or without a tie, a tuxedo jacket with jeans, or something formal, but not a tux. Girls should wear dresses with luxurious fabrics and add lots of glitz and glam.

Cocktail Attire, Semi-Formal or After Five: This means no tuxes or long dresses. Dark suits or a pair of slacks with a tie for boys.   Girls can wear shorter fun dresses, dressy pants separates or a little black dress. Make sure to dress it up with some fun accessories. You should dress like you are ready to party!

Black Tie Optional, Black Tie Preferred, Black Tie Requested or Black Tie Invited: This is one step down from Black Tie. If you have a tux wear it, but don't go out and buy something new. Boys have the option of wearing a tuxedo, but most opt for a dark suit. Girls should wear long dresses, dressy separates or other formal evening attire. You are not expected to go all out, but make sure it's formal.

Creative Black Tie or Trendy Black Tie: Andrea says that this is where you can get really creative and stand out! Boys can wear tails, a top hat, gloves or cane. If you are a little more conservative, wear a black or colored shirt under your tux or a colorful tie. Girls can wear bright formal dresses with lots of pizzazz. This is your chance to really stand out!

Black Tie: Black Tie is of course the most formal. It is unusual for bar and bat mitzvahs to be black tie, but it happens on occasion. For men this is crystal clear - they should wear a tux. If boys own a tuxedo, they can wear one, but most wear a dark suit. Girls should wear floor length evening gowns, dressy cocktail dresses, fancy pant separates or your dressiest little black dress.

While it may seem confusing, these are all creative ways of saying almost the same thing. If you are still in doubt as to what to wear, call the host or hostess for guidance. Remember it's always better to be over-dressed than underdressed.

Email us and let us know if we missed a dress code for an upcoming event at info@mitzvahlist.com. We hope you have a great mitzvah season and don't forget to register your date on www.mitzvahlist.com. 

* Andrea Solomon has spent the past 25 years planning weddings and bar and bat mitzvahs.  For more information about Andrea Solomon and her fabulous services look on her website, www.andreasolomon.com.