The Best Places to Dress Up in an Increasingly Casual World

Few of us who love dressing up frequently might realise that there are fewer and fewer places to dress up that welcome formal attire these days. The world is getting more casual, beginning with offices but spreading out more widely. 

While this can be nice at the time, it also means that the more superior dresses in your closet may be yearning to get out more. If this is something you’ve been feeling lately, or even for the last decade, trust us – we know what you’re dealing. 

And which is why we’ve done some thinking about the best places to dress up where you can still regularly get away with more formal attire, leaving the obvious places you can wear formal dresses to like a date night.

Cruises

Most cruises have at least one formal dinner night per trip; longer cruises might have two or three. Granted, this can make packing a little difficult, because many people don’t have several evening gowns just lying around waiting to be worn. 

But a little shopping is well worth the effort when an opportunity hands itself to showcase your formal fashion sense. You can meet other travellers (and sometimes the captain and crew), and enjoy a little extra glitz and glam amid a trip that’s likely to be reasonably casual otherwise.

Of course, if you want to dress up a little more often on your cruise, you can always pack some sundresses for the excursions in your ports-of-call. Others may be in shorts and tank tops, but a sundress is a perfect mix between dressed up and casual and can help you feel stylish as you explore a fun new place. Plus, you’ll likely have the ideal excuse to try out a fashionable new hat, a pair of sunglasses, or other accessories.

Casinos

The very word “casino” may make most people think of a website rather than a physical venue, these days. And digital casinos have indeed carved out a significant amount of business for themselves. 

Through huge game varieties and no-deposit gaming options for those who don’t feel comfortable gambling online, they’ve expanded their appeal around the globe. 

But, these digital casinos hasn’t harmed the physical ones as much as few assumed it would once. However, such vibrant, fun-filled venues are still thriving at significant holiday destinations, particularly in big cities.

And rest assured, you can yet have a blast dressing up to hang out at these casinos.

Do you admire the fashion of George Clooney in Oceans 11, or Daniel Craig, Even Green in Casino Royale? Then you recognize the value of dressing up in formals at high-end casinos.

Weddings

Weddings may seem obvious as one the places you can wear formal dresses to, but here too we see more and more casual attire. Some people will even dare to wear denim to a wedding these days! But for anyone who loves dressing up, most weddings can still be very formal affairs.

A little black dress or similar cocktail dress will seldom be out of place, even if you do happen to be in a crowd that’s dressing a bit more thoroughly.

And you don’t have to dress it down at all, which is to say there are no concerns about keeping the outfit casual with the right flat shoes, etc. You can wear your tallest heels, carry your prettiest matching clutch bag, rock some statement jewellery, and still fit right in, in the best of ways.

Horse Races

Formal but fun fashion is nearly imperative if you attend a major horse racing event, like the Kentucky Derby or the Royal Ascot. 

Kentucky Derby is legendary for its attendees’ grand, elegant sundresses and hats. While the Royal Ascot emphasizes style to the point that it has dress codes for specific areas, even the British royals show up looking their best.

Just make sure you think about all the grass you’ll be walking through, and choose your heels accordingly (stilettos sink into the turf with every step). Walk carefully, and try something with a slightly thicker heel to keep you upright.

Otherwise, have fun with your look! Horse races can embrace the formal (some more than others), but they also invite a certain eccentricity of style. 

These are not just places to dress up with fun, gorgeous dresses (or try out nice pantsuits), but to try something you wouldn’t try anywhere else, like your boldest accessories.

Most of the above aren’t exactly everyday opportunities. But if you’ve been feeling an absolute absence of formal occasions in your life, each these best places to dress up gives you a perfect excuse to dress your absolute best.

Looking for a fashion stylist to help you style for your next visit to the best places to dress up? Our website features many such fashion designers. Click here and find the ones near you!