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Formal wear orfull dress is theWestern dress code category applicable for the most formal occasions, such asweddings,christenings,confirmations,funerals,Easter andChristmas traditions, in addition to certainstate dinners,audiences,balls, andhorse racing events. When formal dress is required, generally permitted alternatives include the most formal versions ofceremonial dresses (includingcourt dresses,diplomatic uniforms andacademic dresses),full dress uniforms,religious clothing,national costumes, and most rarelyfrock coats (which preceded morning coat as default formal day wear 1820s-1920s). In addition, formal wear is often properly worn when displaying official full sizeorders andmedals.
Theprotocol specifying men's traditional formal wear has remained virtually unchanged since the early 20th century. Despite decline following thecounterculture of the 1960s, it remains observed in formal settings influenced byWestern culture: notably aroundEurope, theAmericas,South Africa,Australia, as well asJapan. For women, although fundamental customs for formalball gowns (andwedding gowns) likewise apply, changes infashion have been more dynamic. Traditional formalheadgear for men is thetop hat, and for womenpicture hats etc. of a range of interpretations. Shoes for men aredress shoes,dress boots orpumps, and for women heeleddress pumps. In western countries, a "formal" orwhite tie dress code typically means tailcoats for men andevening dresses for women. The most formal dress for women is a full-lengthball orevening gown withevening gloves. Some white tie functions also request that the women wearlong gloves past the elbow.
Formal wear being the most formal dress code, it is followed bysemi-formal wear, equivalently based around daytimeblack lounge suit, and eveningblack tie (dinner suit/tuxedo), andevening gown for women. The malelounge suit and femalecocktail dress in turn only comes after this level, traditionally associated withinformal attire. At events where a range of formality is indicated (for example "uniform, morning coat or lounge suit", as at the royalwedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018), the hosts tend to wear the most formal version indicated in order to save guests any embarrassment in out-dressing.
The most formal versions of national costumes are typically permitted as alternatives to Western formal dress codes, and the versatility of Western formal dress codes, open to amalgamation of international and local customs, have influenced its competitiveness as an international standard. From these social conventions derive in turn also the variants worn on related occasions of varying solemnity, such as formalpolitical,diplomatic, andacademic events, in addition to certainparties includingaward ceremonies, balls,fraternal orders,high schoolproms, etc.
Clothing norms and fashions fluctuated regionally in theMiddle Ages.
More widespread conventions emerged aroundroyal courts inEurope in the more interconnectedEarly Modern era. Thejustacorps withcravat,breeches andtricorne hat was established as the first propersuit by the 1660s-1790s. It was sometimes distinguished by day and evening versions.
By theAge of Revolution in theLate Modern era, around the 1790s-1810s, it was replaced by the front cutawaydress coat, which had previously been casual country leisure wear. At the same time, breeches were gradually replaced bypantaloons, as were tricorne hats bybicorne hats and ultimately by thetop 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-lengthfrock coat. However, the dress coat from the transition period was maintained as formal evening wear in the form ofwhite tie, remaining so until this day.
By the 1840s, the first cutawaymorning 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, shortersuit jacket, likewise originating in country leisure wear. This evolved into thesemi-formal evening wearblack tie from the 1880s and theinformal wearsuit accepted by polite society from the 1920s.
The dress codes counted as formal wear are the formal dress codes ofmorning dress for daytime andwhite tie for evenings. Although some considerstrollers for daytime andblack tie for the evening as formal, they are traditionally consideredsemi-formal attires, sartorially speaking below in formality level.[citation needed]
The clothes dictated by these dress codes for women areball gowns. For many uniforms, the official clothing is unisex. Examples of this arecourt dress,academic dress, and militaryfull dress uniform.
Morning dress is the daytime formaldress code, consisting chiefly for men of amorning coat,waistcoat, andstriped trousers, and an appropriatedress for women.
The required clothing for men, in the evening, is roughly the following:
Women wear a variety of dresses. Seeball gowns,evening gowns, andwedding dresses. Business attire for women has a developmental history of its own and generally looks different from formal dress for social occasions.
Many invitations towhite tie events, like the last published edition of the BritishLord Chamberlain's Guide to Dress at Court, explicitly state that national costume or national dress may be substituted for white tie.[3][4]
In general, each of the supplementary alternatives applies equally for bothday attire, and evening attire.
Includingcourt dresses,diplomatic uniforms, andacademic dresses.
Prior toWorld War II formal style of military dress, often referred to as full dress uniform, was generally restricted to theBritish,British Empire andUnited States armed forces; although the French,Imperial German, Swedish and other navies had adopted their own versions of mess dress during the late nineteenth century, influenced by theRoyal Navy.[5]
In the U.S. Army,evening mess uniform, in either blue or white, is considered the appropriate military uniform for white-tie occasions.[6][citation needed] The blue mess and white mess uniforms areblack tie equivalents, although theArmy 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.[6]
Certain clergy wear, in place of white tie outfits, acassock withferraiolone, 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, abiretta. 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 theChurch 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.
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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:
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Although ceased as a protocol-regulated required formal attire at theBritish royal court in 1936 at the order of the short-reigning KingEdward 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 certainweddings.
Thestate funeral ofWinston Churchill in 1965 included bearers of frock coats.[7]
To this day, KingTupou VI ofTonga (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,[8]Alexander McQueen's menswear in the autumn of 2017,[9] andPaul Smith's autumn 2018.[10]
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