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Queen of Victoria

Dress for the occasion.

Dress codes decoded Silhouettes defined Sizes converted Timelines planned

An independent guide to dressing for occasions. Start with the wording on your invitation, find the dress that suits the event and you, then size it and order it in time.

Decode your invitation

Black tie optional, cocktail, festive, garden party: each dress code on an invitation asks for something specific. Pick the one on yours.

  • White tie
  • Black tie
  • Black tie optional
  • Formal
  • Cocktail
  • Semi formal
  • Festive
  • Dressy casual
  • Garden party
  • Beach formal
  • Smart casual
  • Business formal
  • Casual
  • Themed
Read the dress code guides Open the Dress Code Decoder

Dress for the occasion

Guides

What to wear

Event by event: weddings by season and venue, galas, proms, graduations and holiday parties.

Guides

Occasion dresses

Prom, homecoming, bridesmaid and evening dresses, and how to wear each color to an event.

Guides

Wedding dresses

Wedding dress styles and silhouettes, from princess and ball gown to sheath and tea length.

The illustrated glossary

Six of the terms you will meet on a label or at a fitting, each drawn and defined.

Browse the glossary

Lately on the journal

Etiquette

Can you wear black to a wedding?

Yes, at formal and evening weddings from cocktail attire up to white tie. Choose another color by day, at casual weddings, and at Hindu or Chinese weddings.

Visit the journal

  1. Dress codes

    What every dress code means

  2. Occasion dresses

    Prom, homecoming and bridesmaid dresses

  3. Wedding dresses

    Wedding dress styles, side by side

  4. Glossary

    Silhouettes, necklines and fabrics, defined

Small but useful tools

  • Dress Code Decoder

    Type the wording on your invitation and see the hem length, fabrics, colors and shoes it calls for.

  • Size Converter

    Convert a dress size between US, UK, EU, French, Italian, Australian and Japanese sizing, or start from your measurements.

  • Silhouette Finder

    Answer six questions about the event and what you want to highlight, and get three silhouettes to try.

  • Wedding Guest Color Checker

    Check a color against the season, the venue and the bridal party before you buy.

  • Outfit Timeline Planner

    Enter the event date and get the order-by, fitting and alteration dates that work back from it.

See all tools