Did you know? There is a drastic difference between formal and informal attire

Written by Sue Green

Edited by Dakotta Hargrave

A nice formal dress.

My teacher Mr. Jekel came up to me and my friends asking what the difference between formal and informal wear was, and when to wear which. He knew what it was for men but not for women so we told him.  My friend Nicolette told him:

“The in between of formal and informal for women is no patterns on the dresses, nice fabric not too expensive but not cheap, one color, around knee length.”

Then I chimed in with “ A formal dress has all of that except it's usually a floor length dress with sparkles.”

Informal dress.

When to wear which?

In a restaurant like Stone Fire, In Hidden Valley,  informal wear is more common. While in a nicer restaurant like the Greenview, also located in Hidden Valley, Formal wear is more common. At a school dance like homecoming casual dresses for the women and nice pants and clean shirts for the men. At a school dance like a Prom decked out, floor length, sometimes sparkly dresses  for the women and suits for the men.

Actual differences:

Informal wear for women can be anything from sweatpants and a sweatshirt to a casual dress or pants and a nice shirt. An example of  a casual dress is a simple white smooth fabric, like the fabric that most dresses for young girls are made out of.  Formal wear for women can be anything from better fabric and possibly sparkly dresses to floor length, one color, and no print. Informal wear for men can range from sweats or shorts and a shirt to a pair of jeans and a little bit of a nicer shirt. Formal wear for men can range from a nice pair of jeans with no holes and a nice dress shirt to a full suit. 

A nice formal suit.

Informal menswear.