Dress Code

There is no specific Chapter enforced dress code.  However, most frequently one of two suggestions are made, being “Dress to Impress” or “Cool and Casual”.  At special functions the attire may be requested to be “Formal (Black Tie Optional)”. 

For most of the year, the “Dress to Impress” suggestion refers to wearing appropriate “Dress up” attire suitable for dancing.  For the lady this generally implies an appropriate knee length or longer dress, skirt or pant with a fancy top, or a pant suit.  For the Gentlemen this generally implies dress slacks and dress/designer shirt with or without neck ornament and jackets optional. 

The “Cool and Casual” suggestion refers to those rather warm summer evening dances where a more comfortable cool attire is appropriate.  For the lady this generally implies more summer weight attire with appropriately shorter hem lengths for dresses and skirts.  For the gentlemen this implies light weight dress slacks and open neck summer weight dress shirts.  Attire such as sun dresses, shorts, culottes are not considered appropriate dance attire. 

A request for “Formal” means that the ladies will wear a full length dress or full length skirt with fancy top.  For the gentlemen it means a dark suit with dress shirt and tie.  The “Black Tie Option” suggests the ladies may choose to wear a gown and gentlemen may choose to wear a tuxedo.

Footwear

Once again there are no specific footwear requirements.  However, for dancing, consideration of proper footwear is of utmost importance for comfort and support.  It is generally recognized that footwear such as sneakers, clogs, sandals, boots, etc. are not suitable or acceptable dance footwear. 

Ladies regular dress shoes, although acceptable, may not be suitable for dancing.  They are often uncomfortable, do not enclose the foot and allow the foot to move loosely inside the shoe.  Ladies shoes designed for specifically dancing, while being visually attractive, are comfortable, light weight, flexible and provide proper support.  Whether low or high heeled, the shoe fully encloses the foot and has functioning straps that hold the shoe onto the foot eliminating any foot movement within the shoe.  The soles of dance shoes are made of thin roughed out leather sole that are non slip yet allows the foot to slide over the floor with relative freedom. 

Similarly,  men’s laced dress shoes with lightweight leather soles are acceptable.  However, once again, men’s shoes designed for dancing provide comfort and support while permitting a “good feel” of the floor.  Men’s dance shoes are also made with thin roughed out leather soles that are non slip yet allows the foot to slide over the floor with relative freedom. 

Shoes used for dancing should never be worn outside the dance hall.  Soles of street shoes can track in moisture, mud, gravel and other abrasives that can damage the finish on a very costly dance floor.  Street shoes should be changed to shoes use for dancing immediately after entering the hall.