Textiles and Dress

Informal wear

Informal wear, business formal 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 trouser suit for women. On the scale of formality, it is considered less formal than evening gowns, dinner jackets and black lounge suits but more formal than casual wear. Informal or undress should not be confused with casual wear such as business casual or smart casual; most situations calling for "informal wear" will usually tolerate casual dress to varying extents. The suit originated as leisure wear in the late 19th century but eventually replaced the frock coat as everyday wear in the city. After World War I, the suit was established as informal daily wear. Hats, such as trilbies or bowler hats, are sometimes worn with informal wear. Informal wear is commonly worn for office use in professions such as politics, academia, law, finance and business, as well as to certain events such as job interviews in other sectors. It is a traditional dress code that aims to indicate respect to the situation and not draw attention.

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See also

• ▸Christopher Straub
• ▸Grace Church (Providence, Rhode Island)
• ▸Banat Bulgarians

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