?white tie,? ?black tie,? ?formal? and ?semiformal?

?Q. What does it mean when an invitation specifies a certain type of dress: Just what do ?white tie,? ?black tie,? ?formal? and ?semiformal? mean?

A. ?White tie? is the most formal evening wear?white tie, wing collar and tailcoat. This is almost never required today, except for official and diplomatic occasions and a rare private ball. For a woman, ?white tie? indicates a long gown should be worn.

?Black tie? or ?formal? is a tuxedo with a soft shirt and bow tie. Jackets may be white in the summer and black the rest of the year, or are available in patterns and many other colors. Women usually wear long dresses, but a short or cocktail-length dress is acceptable.

?Semiformal? means women wear dresses or good slacks and men wear sports shirts and slacks. Neither should wear T-sirts or jeans.?

?Elizabeth L. Post, from Emily Post on Entertaining, 1987.