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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

With Growing Up Comes Dressing Up

Shanna Southern Peterson Correspondent

With very little warning and even less preparation, something surprising has happened to the baby boomers - adulthood.

With adulthood comes certain responsibilities. Society assumes we will be civilized, mature individuals. Unfortunately, when we should have been learning which fork to use for the salad and what length of gloves to wear with a sleeveless formal, we were cruising around in dad’s Chrysler listening to Eric Clapton.

Luckily, there were individuals intuitive enough to realize we would someday need more refined social skills, and they have forged ahead to gather the knowledge we now seek.

One such person is Merrily Bjerkestrand, an etiquette consultant in Spokane, trained and certified in children’s etiquette, corporate etiquette and international protocol. According to Bjerkestrand, social functions fall into three broad categories - casual, informal and formal (each category being more formal than the previous.)

The least formal event would call for “casual attire.” This refers to dressy sportswear for men and women, similar to what you would wear to play golf at a country club. Trousers or dressy shorts, knit shirts and sweaters would all be acceptable.

If the invitation reads “appropriate,” you need to be prepared to participate in an activity such as tennis or swimming. This means you should arrive dressed in casual clothing but bring the garments for whatever event is scheduled so that you may change later.

“Informal” on an invitation means men are expected to wear a coat and tie. A sports coat is acceptable and may be either light or dark.

Women invited to an informal gathering should wear an afternoon dress or suit if the event is to take place before 6 p.m. If it is scheduled for after 6 p.m. you should choose a cocktail dress. Remember, the later the function is to begin, the darker and dressier the outfit should be.

An invitation that describes the event as “formal” may mean either black tie or white tie. It is the host’s responsibility to let the guests know how formal the event is to be.

A designation of “black tie” indicates the men are expected to wear single- or double-breasted black tuxedoes with black bow ties. Wingtips are for events before 6 p.m. After that hour, men should wear black dress shoes such as patent leather.

Women may wear long or short evening dresses to a formal event. You may also wear dressy separates such as silk slacks with a beaded jacket. If you choose to wear gloves with the ensemble, you should remove them for the receiving line and when you eat or drink.

“White tie” is the most formal of all events. Women are expected to wear their dressiest long dresses and gloves. Men should wear long black tails and white pique’ bow ties.

When you know what to expect in any given situation and are prepared for it, you communicate confidence. So relax, enjoy the evening and don’t forget to take along your Eric Clapton CD for the ride home. =, Shanna Southern Peterson is a Spokane writer and home economist. The Clothesline appears weekly. Ideas for the column may be sent to her c/o The Spokesman-Review Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210.