Semi-formal wear

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,^[when?] the typical interpretation for men is black tie for evening wear and black lounge suit for day wear, corresponded by either a pant suit or an evening gown for women.^[1]

Whether one would choose to wear morning or evening semi-formal has traditionally been defined by whether the event will commence before or after 6:00 p.m.

In addition, equivalent versions may be permitted such as ceremonial dresses (including court dresses, diplomatic uniforms and academic dresses), religious clothing, national costumes, and military mess dresses.

^ Boswell, Sandra (2007). Protocol Matters. Canon Press. p. 181. ISBN 9781591280255. After-five clothing is a subcategory of semiformal eveningwear. Often called the "cocktail dress", this type of dress if often made of shiny fabric and can be short, from being shorter than knee up to mid-calf, but seldom reaches to the ankle as does stricter semiformal evening wear.
- "Attire Guide: Dress Codes from Casual to White Tie - The Emily Post Institute". The Emily Post Institute. 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016.

[1] Boswell, Sandra (2007). Protocol Matters. Canon Press. p. 181. ISBN 9781591280255. After-five clothing is a subcategory of semiformal eveningwear. Often called the "cocktail dress", this type of dress if often made of shiny fabric and can be short, from being shorter than knee up to mid-calf, but seldom reaches to the ankle as does stricter semiformal evening wear.
- "Attire Guide: Dress Codes from Casual to White Tie - The Emily Post Institute". The Emily Post Institute. 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016.

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