Formal wear or full dress is the
Western dress code category applicable for the most formal occasions, such as
weddings,
christenings,
confirmations,
funerals,
Easter and
Christmas traditions, in addition to certain
state dinner
A state banquet is an official banquet hosted by the head of state in his or her official residence for another head of state, or sometimes head of government, and other guests. Usually as part of a state visit or diplomatic conference, it is h ...
s,
audiences
An audience is a group of people who participate in a show or encounter a work of art, literature (in which they are called "readers"), theatre, music (in which they are called "listeners"), video games (in which they are called "players"), or ...
,
balls, and
horse racing events. Formal wear is traditionally divided into formal day and evening wear, implying
morning dress
Morning dress, also known as formal day dress, is the formal Western dress code for day attire, consisting chiefly of, for men, a morning coat, waistcoat, and formal trousers, and an appropriate gown for women. Men may also wear a popular va ...
(
morning coat) before 6 p.m., and
white tie (
dress coat) after 6 p.m. Generally permitted other alternatives, though, are the most formal versions of
ceremonial dresses (including
court dresses,
diplomatic uniforms and
academic dresses),
full dress uniforms,
religious clothing
Religious clothing is clothing which is worn in accordance with religious practice, tradition or significance to a faith group. It includes clerical clothing such as cassocks, and religious habit, robes, and other vestments. Accessories include ...
,
national costumes, and most rarely
frock coat
A frock coat is a formal men's coat characterised by a knee-length skirt cut all around the base just above the knee, popular during the Victorian and Edwardian periods (1830s–1910s). It is a fitted, long-sleeved coat with a centre vent at th ...
s (which preceded morning coat as default formal day wear 1820s-1920s). In addition, formal wear is often instructed to be worn with official full size
orders and
medals.
The
protocol indicating particularly men's traditional formal wear has remained virtually unchanged since the early 20th century. Despite decline following the
counterculture of the 1960s, it remains observed in formal settings influenced by
Western culture: notably around
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
, the
Americas,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
,
Australia, as well as
Japan. For women, although fundamental customs for formal
ball gowns (and
wedding gown
A wedding dress or bridal gown is the dress worn by the bride during a wedding ceremony. The color, style and ceremonial importance of the gown can depend on the religion and culture of the wedding participants. In Western cultures and Anglo-Sa ...
s) likewise apply, changes in
fashion have been more dynamic. Traditional formal
headgear for men is the
top hat, and for women
picture hats etc. of a range of interpretations. Shoes for men are
dress shoes
A dress shoe (U.S. English) is a shoe to be worn at smart casual or more formal events. A dress shoe is typically contrasted to an athletic shoe.
Dress shoes are worn by many as their standard daily shoes, and are widely used in dance, for part ...
,
dress boots or
pumps
A pump is a device that moves fluids (liquids or gases), or sometimes slurries, by mechanical action, typically converted from electrical energy into hydraulic energy. Pumps can be classified into three major groups according to the method they ...
and for women heeled
dress pumps. In western countries, a "formal" or
white tie dress code typically means tailcoats for men and
evening dresses for women. The most formal dress for women is a full-length
ball or
evening gown
An evening gown, evening dress or gown is a long dress usually worn at formal occasions. The drop ranges from ballerina (mid-calf to just above the ankles), tea (above the ankles), to full-length. Such gowns are typically worn with evening ...
with
evening gloves. Some white tie functions also request that the women wear
long gloves past the elbow.
Formal wear being the most formal dress code, it is followed by
semi-formal wear, equivalently based around daytime
black lounge suit, and evening
black tie (''dinner suit/tuxedo''), and
evening gown
An evening gown, evening dress or gown is a long dress usually worn at formal occasions. The drop ranges from ballerina (mid-calf to just above the ankles), tea (above the ankles), to full-length. Such gowns are typically worn with evening ...
for women. The male
lounge suit and female
cocktail dress
A cocktail dress is a dress suitable at semi-formal occasions, sometimes called cocktail parties, usually in the late afternoon, and usually with accessories.
After World War I, the idea of the "working woman" became popular. After 1929, it wa ...
in turn only comes after this level, traditionally associated with
informal attire. Notably, if a level of flexibility is indicated (for example "uniform, morning coat or lounge suit", such as seen to the royal
wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was held on Saturday 19 May 2018 in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom. The groom is a member of the British royal family; the bride is American and previously worked as an ...
in 2018), the hosts tend to wear the most formal interpretation of that dress code in order to save guests the inconvenience of out-dressing.
Since the most formal versions of national costumes are typically permitted as supplementary alternatives to the uniformity of Western formal dress codes, conversely, since most cultures have at least intuitively applied some equivalent level of formality, the versatile framework of Western formal dress codes open to amalgamation of international and local customs have influenced its competitiveness as international standard. From these social conventions derive in turn also the variants worn on related occasions of varying solemnity, such as formal
political
Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that stud ...
,
diplomatic, and
academic
An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...
events, in addition to certain
parties
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature ...
including
award
An award, sometimes called a distinction, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration.
An awar ...
ceremonies, balls,
fraternal orders,
high school prom
A promenade dance, commonly called a prom, is a dance party for high school students. It may be offered in semi-formal black tie or informal suit for boys, and evening gowns for girls. This event is typically held near the end of the school y ...
s, etc.
History
Clothing norms and fashions fluctuated regionally in the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
.
More widespread conventions emerged around
royal court
A royal court, often called simply a court when the royal context is clear, is an extended royal household in a monarchy, including all those who regularly attend on a monarch, or another central figure. Hence, the word "court" may also be appl ...
s in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
in the more interconnected
Early Modern era. The
justacorps with
cravat Cravat, cravate or cravats may refer to:
* Cravat (early), forerunner neckband of the modern necktie
* Cravat, British name for what in American English is called an ascot tie
* Cravat bandage, a triangular bandage
* Cravat (horse) (1935–1954), a ...
,
breeches
Breeches ( ) are an article of clothing covering the body from the waist down, with separate coverings for each leg, usually stopping just below the knee, though in some cases reaching to the ankles. Formerly a standard item of Western men's c ...
and
tricorne hat
The tricorne or tricorn is a style of hat that was popular during the 18th century, falling out of style by 1800, though actually not called a "tricorne" until the mid-19th century. During the 18th century, hats of this general style were referr ...
was established as the first
suit (in an anarchaic sense) by the 1660s-1790s. It was sometimes distinguished by day and evening wear.
By the
Age of Revolution
The Age of Revolution is a period from the late-18th to the mid-19th centuries during which a number of significant revolutionary movements occurred in most of Europe and the Americas. The period is noted for the change from absolutist monarc ...
in the
Late Modern era, it was replaced by the previously-casual country leisure wear-associated front cutaway
dress coat around the 1790s-1810s. At the same time, breeches were gradually replaced by
pantaloons, as were tricorne hats by
bicorne hat
The bicorne or bicorn (two-cornered) is a historical form of hat widely adopted in the 1790s as an item of uniform by European and American army and naval officers. Most generals and staff officers of the Napoleonic period wore bicornes, whic ...
s and ultimately by the
top hat by the 19th century and thenceforth.
By the 1820s, the dress coat was replaced as formal day wear by the dark, closed-front knee-length
frock coat
A frock coat is a formal men's coat characterised by a knee-length skirt cut all around the base just above the knee, popular during the Victorian and Edwardian periods (1830s–1910s). It is a fitted, long-sleeved coat with a centre vent at th ...
. However, the dress coat from the transition period was maintained as formal evening wear in the form of
white tie, remaining so until this day.
By the 1840s, the first cutaway
morning coats of contemporary style emerged, which would eventually replace the frock coat as formal day wear by the 1920s.
Likewise, starting from the 1860s, fashion evolved to gradually introduce the more sportive, shorter
suit jacket
A suit jacket, also called a lounge jacket, lounge coat or suit coat, is a jacket in classic menswear that is part of a suit.
Single and double-breasted
Most single-breasted suit jackets have two or three buttons, and one or four buttons are unu ...
, likewise originating in country leisure wear. This evolved into the
semi-formal
Semi-formal wear or half dress is a grouping of dress codes indicating the sort of clothes worn to events with a level of formality between informal wear and formal wear. In the modern era, the typical interpretation for men is black tie for e ...
evening wear
black tie from the 1880s and the
informal wear
Informal wear or undress, also called business wear, corporate/office wear, tenue de ville or dress clothes, is a Western dress code for clothing defined by a business suit for men, and cocktail dress or pant suit for women. On the scale of ...
suit accepted by polite society from the 1920s.
Dress codes
The dress codes counted as formal wear are the formal dress codes of
morning dress
Morning dress, also known as formal day dress, is the formal Western dress code for day attire, consisting chiefly of, for men, a morning coat, waistcoat, and formal trousers, and an appropriate gown for women. Men may also wear a popular va ...
for daytime and
white tie for evenings. Although some consider
strollers for daytime and
black tie for the evening as formal, they are traditionally considered
semi-formal
Semi-formal wear or half dress is a grouping of dress codes indicating the sort of clothes worn to events with a level of formality between informal wear and formal wear. In the modern era, the typical interpretation for men is black tie for e ...
attires, sartorially speaking below in formality level.
The clothes dictated by these dress codes for women are
ball gowns. For many uniforms, the official clothing is unisex. Examples of this are
court dress,
academic dress, and military
full dress uniform.
Morning dress
Morning dress is the daytime formal
dress code, consisting chiefly for men of a
morning coat,
waistcoat
A waistcoat ( UK and Commonwealth, or ; colloquially called a weskit), or vest ( US and Canada), is a sleeveless upper-body garment. It is usually worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wear. ...
, and
striped trousers, and an appropriate
dress
A dress (also known as a frock or a gown) is a garment traditionally worn by women or girls consisting of a skirt with an attached bodice (or a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece garment). It consists of a top piece that co ...
for women.
White tie
The required clothing for men, in the evening, is roughly the following:
*Formal
trousers
Trousers (British English), slacks, or pants are an item of clothing worn from the waist to anywhere between the knees and the ankles, covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth extending across both legs as in robes, skirts, and ...
, uncuffed, with stripes on leg seams
*White piqué front or plain stiff-fronted
shirt with a detachable wing collar,
cuff links and
shirt studs
A shirt stud is a decorative fastener that fits onto a buttonhole on the front of a pleated shirt, or onto the starched bib of a stiff-front shirt. Such shirts have special buttonholes solely for shirt studs.
A shirt stud may be fashioned from all ...
*White
piqué bow tie
The bow tie is a type of necktie. A modern bow tie is tied using a common shoelace knot, which is also called the bow knot for that reason. It consists of a ribbon of fabric tied around the collar of a shirt in a symmetrical manner so that t ...
*White piqué
vest
A waistcoat ( UK and Commonwealth, or ; colloquially called a weskit), or vest ( US and Canada), is a sleeveless upper-body garment. It is usually worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wear. ...
(
waistcoat
A waistcoat ( UK and Commonwealth, or ; colloquially called a weskit), or vest ( US and Canada), is a sleeveless upper-body garment. It is usually worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wear. ...
)
*A (
dress coat)
evening tailcoat
*Black
patent leather
Patent leather is a type of coated leather that has a high-gloss finish. The coating process was introduced to the United States and improved by inventor Seth Boyden, of Newark, New Jersey, in 1818, with commercial manufacture beginning Septe ...
court shoes
A court shoe (British English), or pump (American English), is a shoe with a low-cut front, or vamp, with either a shoe buckle or a black bow as ostensible fastening. Deriving from the 17th and 18th century dress shoes with shoe buckles, the ...
*Accessories
Women wear a variety of dresses. See
ball gowns,
evening gown
An evening gown, evening dress or gown is a long dress usually worn at formal occasions. The drop ranges from ballerina (mid-calf to just above the ankles), tea (above the ankles), to full-length. Such gowns are typically worn with evening ...
s, and
wedding dresses. Business attire for women has a developmental history of its own and generally looks different from formal dress for social occasions.
Supplementary alternatives
Many invitations to
white tie events, like the last published edition of the British ''Lord Chamberlain's Guide to Dress at Court'', explicitly state that national costume or national dress may be substituted for white tie.
In general, each of the supplementary alternatives applies equally for both
day attire, and evening attire.
Ceremonial dress
Including
court dresses,
diplomatic uniforms, and
academic dresses.
Full dress uniform
Prior to
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
formal style of military dress, often referred to as full dress uniform, was generally restricted to the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
,
British Empire and
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is ...
; although the French,
Imperial German, Swedish and other navies had adopted their own versions of mess dress during the late nineteenth century, influenced by the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
.
In the U.S. Army,
evening mess uniform, in either blue or white, is considered the appropriate military uniform for white-tie occasions.
The blue mess and white mess uniforms are
black tie equivalents, although the
Army Service Uniform with bow tie are accepted, especially for non-commissioned officers and newly commissioned officers. For white-tie occasions, of which there are almost none in the United States outside the national capital region for U.S. Army, an officer must wear a wing-collar shirt with white tie and white vest. For black tie occasions, officers must wear a turndown collar with black tie and black cummerbund. The only outer coat prescribed for both black- and white-tie events is the army blue cape with branch colour lining.
Religious clothing
Certain clergy wear, in place of white tie outfits, a
cassock with
ferraiolone, which is a light-weight ankle-length cape intended to be worn indoors. The colour and fabric of the ferraiolone is determined by the rank of the cleric and can be scarlet watered silk, purple silk, black silk or black wool. For outerwear, the black cape (cappa nigra), also known as a choir cape (cappa choralis), is most traditional. It is a long black woolen cloak fastened with a clasp at the neck and often has a hood. Cardinals and bishops may also wear a black plush hat or, less formally, a
biretta. In practice, the cassock and especially the ferraiolone have become much less common and no particular formal attire has appeared to replace them. The most formal alternative is a clerical waistcoat incorporating a Roman collar (a rabat) worn with a collarless French cuff shirt and a black suit, although this is closer to black-tie than white tie.
Historically, clerics in the
Church of England would wear a knee-length cassock called an apron, accompanied by a tailcoat with silk facings but no lapels, for a white tie occasion. In modern times this is rarely seen. However, if worn, the knee-length cassock is now replaced with normal dress trousers.
File:Cassock priest french african.jpg, First native Catholic parish priest from the Belgian Congo, wearing a Roman cassock with the standard 18 buttons (''Gazet van Antwerpen'', 2 September 1906)
File:Missione del Guaricano-cardinale Tarcisio Bertone.jpg, Catholic Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone
Tarcisio Pietro Evasio Bertone (born 2 December 1934) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church and a Vatican diplomat. A cardinal, he served as Archbishop of Vercelli from 1991 to 1995, as Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine o ...
wearing a tropical white cassock trimmed in cardinalatial scarlet in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
(2006)
File:BentoXVI-58-12052007.jpg, Pope Benedict XVI in white cassock (sometimes though unofficially called a ''simar
A simar, as defined in the 1913 ''Webster's Dictionary'', is "a woman's long dress or robe; also light covering; a scarf." The word is derived from French simarre, and is also written as cimar, cymar, samare, and simare. Background
''Collins Eng ...
'') with pellegrina
The pellegrina is a cape-like item of clerical dress worn by some Catholic ecclesiastics.
Description
Similar to the mozzetta but open in front, the pellegrina is a short shoulder cape reaching to the elbow. It is made of black or white ma ...
and fringed white fascia (2007)
File:Pope Franciscus & Patriarch Bartholomew I in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem (1).JPG, Pope Francis, and Patriarch Bartholomew I
Bartholomew I ( el, Βαρθολομαῖος Αʹ, , tr, I. Bartholomeos; born 29 February 1940) is
the 270th archbishop of Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch, since 2 November 1991. In accordance with his title, he is regarded as the ''pr ...
in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
(2014)
File:Justin Welby and Kim Geun-Sang at Seoul Cathedral.JPG, Justin Welby, Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, and Kim Geun-Sang, Anglican Primate of the Anglican Church of Korea (2013)
File:Rishon_LeZion_Shlomo_Amar_with_Yosef_Yehudah_Sherman.JPG, Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar
Shlomo Moshe Amar ( he, שלמה משה עמאר; ar, سليمان موسى عمار; born April 1, 1948)Gantz, Nesanel. "A Chief Rabbi of the Past and Future". '' Ami'', November 5, 2014, pp. 26-27. is the former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Isra ...
of Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
, Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
(right) with Jewish scholar Joseph J. Sherman
Joseph J. Sherman is an American marketing strategist and artist.
Early life
Sherman was born in Anaheim, California, and was raised in Riverside, California. At the age of 10 he spoke at a public hearing regarding noise pollution at Riverside ...
(left) (2014)
Cultural Wear
In Western formal state ceremonies and social functions, diplomats, foreign dignitaries, and guests of honour wear a Western formal dress if not wearing their own national dress.
Many cultures have a formal day and evening dress, for example:
* ''
Av Pak
Av Pak ( km, អាវប៉ាក់, also pronounced ''Aao Pak'') is a traditional blouse-dress worn by women in Cambodia. Its literal translation is embroidery shirt in English.The blouse shared many attributes with the Kebaya blouse-dress of ...
'' — both traditional and modern embroidered blouse worn by women in
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...
for special occasions and traditional festivals
*''
Bandhgala
A Jodhpuri suit or Bandhgala (lit. closed neck) suit, is a formal suit from India. It originated in the Jodhpur State, and was popularized during mid 19th - mid 20th century in India. It consists of a coat and trousers, sometimes accompanied ...
'' — also called Jodhpuri suit, worn by men in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, is a traditional dress
* ''
Barong Tagalog'' — worn by men in the Philippines
*
''Bisht'' — worn by men with ''
thawb
Thawb ( ar, ثَوْب "garment"), also spelled thobe or tobe and known by various other names in different regions, is an ankle-length robe, usually with long sleeves. It is commonly worn in the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, North Afri ...
'' and
''shmagh'' or ''ghutrah'' and
''agal'' in formal and religious occasions, e.g.
Eid, in some Eastern
Arab countries like (
Saudi Arabia,
Iraq,
Kuwait,
UAE
The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...
,
Qatar,
Bahrain
Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...
and others)
*
Batik
Batik is an Indonesian technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to the whole cloth. This technique originated from the island of Java, Indonesia. Batik is made either by drawing dots and lines of the resist with a spouted tool called a ''ca ...
shirt — worn by men and women in Indonesia. Besides counting as formal wear, batik shirts are worn well into the informal level.
* ''
Bunad
''Bunad'' (, plural: ''bunader''/''bunadar'') is a Norwegian umbrella term encompassing, in its broadest sense, a range of both traditional rural clothes (mostly dating to the 18th and 19th centuries) as well as modern 20th-century folk costume ...
'' — worn as formal dress by women and men in
Norway
* ''
Changshan
(; ), also known as (), and (), is a form of , Chinese robe, which was derived from the Qing dynasty , the traditional dress of the Manchu people, which were worn by Manchu men. The was actually developed by the Han Chinese through the modi ...
'' — a long male version of the ''
qipao
''Cheongsam'' (, ), also known as the ''qipao'' () and sometimes referred to as the mandarin gown, is a Chinese dress worn by women which takes inspiration from the , the ethnic clothing of the Manchu people. The cheongsam is most often se ...
'', which originated during the
Qing dynasty. It can be of cotton for ordinary wear, or of silk for those within aristocratic families. Beneath the ''changshan'', the man generally wears a white mandarin-collar long-sleeved shirt and a pair of dark-colored long pants. Like the ''qipao'', this ''changshan'' male gown has slits on both sides (at least knee level) as well. Worn either by Chinese men in the martial arts world or as attire for weddings to match the ''qipao'' the bride wears. The ''qipao'' and ''changshan'' originated as Manchu dresses which government officials, but not ordinary civilians, were required to wear under the Qing dynasty's laws. Gradually, the general Han Chinese civilian population shifted from wearing traditional Chinese ''
hanfu
''Hanfu'' () is the traditional styles of clothing worn by the Han Chinese. There are several representative styles of ''hanfu'', such as the (an upper-body garment with a long outer skirt), the (an upper-body garment with a long underskirt ...
'' clothing to the ''qipao'' and ''changshan''.
* ''
Cheongsam
''Cheongsam'' (, ), also known as the ''qipao'' () and sometimes referred to as the mandarin gown, is a Chinese dress worn by women which takes inspiration from the , the ethnic clothing of the Manchu people. The cheongsam is most often s ...
'' — a modern female variation of the Qing dynasty silk dress, characterized by a high mandarin collar and side slits of varying lengths. It can be sleeveless, short-sleeved, elbow-length or long-sleeved, and has been adopted by most Chinese women as Chinese wear, depending on materials and occasions.
* ''
Daura-Suruwal'' — worn as formal dress by men in
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
* ''
Dashiki'' — worn by men in West African countries
* ''
Dhoti
The dhoti, also known as veshti, vetti, dhuti, mardani, chaadra, dhotar, jaiñboh, panchey, is a type of sarong, tied in a manner that outwardly resembles "loose trousers". It is a lower garment forming part of the ethnic costume for men in the ...
'' — worn by men in
Pakistan,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
,
Bangladesh, the
Maldives, and
Tamil men in
Sri Lanka
* ' — worn as formal dress by women and men in
Sweden
*
''Hátíðarbúningur'' — worn by men in
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
to formal events such as
state dinner
A state banquet is an official banquet hosted by the head of state in his or her official residence for another head of state, or sometimes head of government, and other guests. Usually as part of a state visit or diplomatic conference, it is h ...
s and weddings
* ''
Hanbok
The (; term used in South Korea), also called ()
n North Korea and China, is an umbrella term which is used to refer to traditional ethnic Korean clothes, including the traditional clothing of the (Korean Chinese), an officially recognized ...
'' — worn by both men and women in
Korea
*
Highland dress
Highland dress is the traditional, regional dress of the Highlands and Isles of Scotland. It is often characterised by tartan (''plaid'' in North America). Specific designs of shirt, jacket, bodice and headwear may also be worn along with cla ...
with
Scottish kilt — worn as formal dress by men in
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
or of Scottish descent
* ''
Kebaya
A kebaya is an upper garment traditionally worn by women in Southeast Asia, notably in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Southern Thailand. Outside of Southeast Asia, it is worn by Javanese, Malays and Portuguese Eurasians in Austral ...
'' — worn by women in Malaysia and Indonesia
*
Mao suit
The modern Chinese tunic suit is a style of male attire originally known in China as the Zhongshan suit () after the republican leader Sun Yat-sen (Sun Zhongshan). Sun Yat-sen introduced the style shortly after the founding of the Republic of ...
, worn as diplomatic uniform and evening dress by officials of the
People's Republic of China
*
Sari — worn by women in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
,
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
,
Bangladesh,
Pakistan and
Sri Lanka
* ''
Shalwar kameez'' — worn by both men and women in
Pakistan,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and
Bangladesh
* ''
Sherwani'' worn by men in
India and Pakistan
File:Hátíðarbúningur karla.jpg, An Icelandic man wears the ''hátíðarbúningur'' formal dress on his wedding day along with a boutonnière
A boutonnière () or buttonhole (British English) is a floral decoration, typically a single flower or bud, worn on the lapel of a tuxedo or suit jacket.
While worn frequently in the past, boutonnières are now usually reserved for special oc ...
.
File:Shinto married couple.jpg, Couple married in a Shinto ceremony in Takayama, Gifu prefecture
File:Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.jpg, King Abdullah in Arab formal dress
File:The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi meeting the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Shinzo Abe, at Kuala Lumpur, in Malaysia on November 21, 2015 (1).jpg, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a ''bandhgala
A Jodhpuri suit or Bandhgala (lit. closed neck) suit, is a formal suit from India. It originated in the Jodhpur State, and was popularized during mid 19th - mid 20th century in India. It consists of a coat and trousers, sometimes accompanied ...
'' along with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe
Shinzo Abe ( ; ja, 安倍 晋三, Hepburn: , ; 21 September 1954 – 8 July 2022) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 20 ...
Frock coat
Although ceased as a protocol-regulated required formal attire at the
British royal court
The Court of St James's is the royal court for the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. All ambassadors to the United Kingdom are formally received by the court. All ambassadors from the United Kingdom are formally accredited from the court – & ...
in 1936 at the order of the short-reigning King
Edward VIII, the frock coat - embodying the background for all contemporary civil formal wear - has not altogether vanished. Yet, it is a rarity mostly confined to infrequent appearances at certain
weddings.
The
state funeral of
Winston Churchill in 1965 included bearers of frock coats.
To this day, King
Tupou VI
Tupou VI (; born 12 July 1959) is the King of Tonga. He is the younger brother and successor of the late King George Tupou V. He was officially confirmed by his brother on 27 September 2006 as the heir presumptive to the Throne of Tonga, as his ...
of
Tonga (born 1959) has been a frequent wearer of frock coats at formal occasions.
Also more recent fashion has been inspired by frock coats:
Prada's autumn editions of 2012,
Alexander McQueen
Lee Alexander McQueen CBE (17 March 1969 – 11 February 2010) was a British fashion designer and couturier. He founded his own Alexander McQueen label in 1992, and was chief designer at Givenchy from 1996 to 2001. His achievements in fashio ...
's menswear in the autumn of 2017, and
Paul Smith's autumn 2018.
Gallery
Morning dress
File:Morning dress 1901.jpg, Morning dress in 1901
File:StateLibQld 1 232967 Governor Goodwin and party walking across the Grey Street Bridge after its opening.jpg, Sir John Goodwin and Lady Goodwin together with Neil Campbell and his wife, walking over the Grey Street Bridge in morning dress
Morning dress, also known as formal day dress, is the formal Western dress code for day attire, consisting chiefly of, for men, a morning coat, waistcoat, and formal trousers, and an appropriate gown for women. Men may also wear a popular va ...
, top hats and spats (1931)
File:Skogskyrkogarden 1940.jpg, Torsten Nothin, Gunnar Asplund, Crown Prince Gustav Adolf, Prince Eugen and Yngve Larsson
Gustaf Richard ''Yngve'' Larsson (; December 13, 1881 – December 16, 1977) was a Swedish political scientist, Municipal commissioner (''Borgarråd''), and Member of Parliament. He was an important force in the urban development of Stockholm du ...
at the inauguration of Skogskyrkogården
Skogskyrkogården (; ) is a cemetery located in the Gamla Enskede district south of central Stockholm, Sweden. Its design, by Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz, reflects the development of architecture from Nordic Classicism to mature function ...
, Stockholm, Sweden (1940)
File:TrumanKing1947Two.jpg, Former U.S. President Harry Truman
Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...
with William Lyon Mackenzie King (1947)
File:1929wedding.jpg, Men in morning dress and women in wedding gown
A wedding dress or bridal gown is the dress worn by the bride during a wedding ceremony. The color, style and ceremonial importance of the gown can depend on the religion and culture of the wedding participants. In Western cultures and Anglo-Sa ...
s at a wedding (1929)
File:Toni Frissell, John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier on their wedding day, 1953.jpg, John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
and Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy
Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A pop ...
, in morning dress and wedding gown
A wedding dress or bridal gown is the dress worn by the bride during a wedding ceremony. The color, style and ceremonial importance of the gown can depend on the religion and culture of the wedding participants. In Western cultures and Anglo-Sa ...
, outdoors (1953)
White tie
File:Beauchamp7.JPG, Caricature of William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp
William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp, (20 February 1872 – 14 November 1938), styled Viscount Elmley until 1891, was a British Liberal Party (UK), Liberal politician. He was Governor of New South Wales between 1899 and 1901, a member of the Libera ...
in '' Vanity Fair'' (1899)
File:Atatürk in white tie.jpg, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in evening white tie formal wear (1925)
File:Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip sit on thrones before a full Parliament.jpg, Queen Elizabeth II (in ball gown) and Prince Philip
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from E ...
( full dress uniform) before the formal (''full dress'') opening of the Parliament of Canada (1957), surrounded by participators of varying degrees of formal attire (morning dress
Morning dress, also known as formal day dress, is the formal Western dress code for day attire, consisting chiefly of, for men, a morning coat, waistcoat, and formal trousers, and an appropriate gown for women. Men may also wear a popular va ...
, white tie etc.), presumably in accordance with their functions or time of arrival and departure
File:Ford and Emperor1975.jpg, President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
Gerald Ford, First Lady Betty Ford
Elizabeth Anne Ford (; formerly Warren; April 8, 1918 – July 8, 2011) was the first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977, as the wife of President Gerald Ford. As first lady, she was active in social policy and set a precedent as a p ...
, Japanese Emperor Hirohito
Emperor , commonly known in English-speaking countries by his personal name , was the 124th emperor of Japan, ruling from 25 December 1926 until his death in 1989. Hirohito and his wife, Empress Kōjun, had two sons and five daughters; he was ...
and Empress Nagako (the men in white tie) during a state dinner (1975)
File:King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima on the inauguration 2013.jpg, King Willem-Alexander
Willem-Alexander (; Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand; born ) is King of the Netherlands, having acceded to the throne following his mother's abdication in 2013.
Willem-Alexander was born in Utrecht as the oldest child of Princess Beatr ...
and Queen Maxima walking to the Nieuwe Kerk on his inauguration day
The inauguration of the president of the United States is a ceremony to mark the commencement of a new four-year term of the president of the United States. During this ceremony, between 73 to 79 days after the presidential election, the pres ...
(30 April 2013)
See also
*
Ceremonial dress
*
Morning dress
Morning dress, also known as formal day dress, is the formal Western dress code for day attire, consisting chiefly of, for men, a morning coat, waistcoat, and formal trousers, and an appropriate gown for women. Men may also wear a popular va ...
*
White tie
*
Western dress codes
*
Suit
*
Informal wear
Informal wear or undress, also called business wear, corporate/office wear, tenue de ville or dress clothes, is a Western dress code for clothing defined by a business suit for men, and cocktail dress or pant suit for women. On the scale of ...
*
semi-formal wear
*
casual wear
References
External links
*
{{Clothing