What the dress code actually means

Fifty-eight per cent of guests say dress codes have become more specific than ever, and about a third are not sure what theirs means. These are the answers.

Every dress code we sell into is decoded here — what it means, what works, what to avoid, and the one detail people get wrong. No dress is recommended that does not answer the question.

By dress code

• What black-tie optional actually means
• Cocktail, decoded
• Wedding guest, by formality
• Rehearsal dinner
• Holiday party
• Graduation

The questions we get asked

• Can you wear black to a wedding?
• Outdoor September: what the ground does to your shoes