This glossary gathers the words that come up again and again when you dress for a wedding as a guest, from dress codes printed on the invitation to fabrics, cuts and beauty basics for the big day. Each definition links to an article that goes into the subject in more detail.
Contents
A-line
Definition: An A-line skirt, dress or coat is fitted at the top and widens gradually toward the hem, so that its outline recalls the capital letter A.
The name comes from Christian Dior, who used it as the label of his spring 1955 collection. His successor at the house, Yves Saint Laurent, pushed the idea further in 1958 with his Trapeze line, whose dresses flared from a fitted shoulder.
On a skirt, the A-line shape is usually fitted at the upper hip with seams or darts, then opens out without pleats or slits. On a dress or a coat, the term generally describes a garment that follows the body down to the hips and then flares to the hem.
The cut is popular because it gives shape without volume: the skirt skims the hips instead of clinging to them, and the waist stays visible. It works at every length, from a knee-length day dress to a floor-length gown, and it is also a classic wedding dress style.
For petite guests, a knee-length or midi A-line keeps proportions balanced, especially in a light, fluid fabric that moves without adding bulk. A defined waist or a simple belt helps the eye read a longer leg line.
Further reading: Petite Wedding Guest Dresses: Lengths and Proportions That Work
Black tie
Definition: Black tie is a formal evening dress code: a dinner jacket, or tuxedo, with a black bow tie for men, and traditionally a floor-length evening gown for women.
The code grew out of 19th-century British and North American customs. The earliest known tailless evening jacket is dated to 1865, when the future King Edward VII ordered one from a Savile Row tailor. In the United States, the jacket took the name tuxedo from Tuxedo Park, New York, where it was seen in the 1880s.
For men, the classic outfit combines a black or midnight blue dinner jacket with satin or grosgrain lapels, matching trousers with a braid down the outer seam, a white dress shirt, a black bow tie and a black waistcoat or cummerbund. Shoes are black, in patent leather or highly polished.
For women, the traditional answer is an evening gown. Hosts today sometimes accept a very elegant cocktail dress or dressy evening trousers, and Yves Saint Laurent introduced Le Smoking, a dinner suit for women, in 1966. At a wedding, the long gown remains the safest choice.
Black tie sits just below white tie, the most formal code, and above business dress. It is traditionally an evening code, worn after six o'clock, which is why etiquette guides discourage it for daytime weddings. The softer black tie optional variant leaves guests a little more latitude.
Further reading: Black Tie Wedding Guest Dress: What to Wear and What to Skip
Chiffon
Definition: Chiffon is a light, sheer, plain-woven fabric with a soft shimmer, made from tightly twisted yarns and used above all for floaty evening and occasion wear.
The word comes from the French chiffe, meaning a cloth or rag. Chiffon is woven from crepe yarns twisted in alternating directions; once the fabric is finished, the twist makes it pucker slightly, which gives it a little give and a faintly rough hand.
The original chiffon was made of silk, an expensive fiber that takes dye beautifully. Nylon versions appeared in 1938 and polyester chiffon in 1958; the latter became the most widespread because it is durable and affordable. Silk chiffon generally needs dry cleaning.
Because it is sheer, chiffon is often used as an overlay or needs a lining underneath. It frays easily, so well-made garments use bound or French seams. It is close to georgette, but chiffon is smoother and has more luster.
For a summer wedding, a lined chiffon dress gives a dressy, flowing look with much less weight than satin. Light chiffon sleeves are also an easy way to add coverage for a church ceremony without feeling hot.
Further reading: Summer Wedding Guest Dress: Fabrics, Colors and Heat Tips
Cocktail attire
Definition: Cocktail attire is a dress code that asks for a polished, festive outfit without going all the way to evening wear: typically a knee-length or midi dress for women and a suit for men.
The code is tied to the cocktail dress, which appeared in the 1920s alongside the cocktail party, an American custom that usually began in the late afternoon. Hemlines of these dresses then fell just below the knee, while evening gowns were more often ankle-length.
In 1948, Christian Dior applied the label "cocktail dress" to his designs, which helped department stores sell garments and accessories made specifically for these early evening events. A cocktail dress could be a little black dress, a floral print or a simple short evening gown, worn with accessories.
On a wedding invitation, cocktail attire calls for dressy but not evening wear. For women, it means a dress around the knee or midi length, an elegant jumpsuit or dressy separates; for men, a suit, most often with a tie. A floor-length ball gown or a tuxedo would be too formal.
Hosts sometimes add a word that shifts the expectation, such as cocktail casual or festive cocktail. The venue, the season and the time of day also matter, so it is worth reading the whole invitation before choosing fabric and color.
Further reading: Cocktail Attire: What It Means and What to Wear
Empire waist
Definition: An empire waist is a high waistline set just below the bust, from which a long, loosely fitted skirt falls freely instead of following the hips.
The style appeared at the end of the 18th century as part of Neoclassical fashion, which revived the loose tunics of Greek and Roman antiquity. It spread across Europe around 1800; in Britain it is often called the Regency style.
The name refers to the First French Empire, the period of Napoleon's rule from 1804 to 1815, but it was only coined in early 20th-century Britain, more than a century after the style was born. Hourglass silhouettes replaced it in the 1820s, and it returned in the 1960s.
The construction is simple: a fitted bodice that stops under the bust, then a gathered or flowing skirt that skims the body. Because nothing is fitted at the natural waist or the hips, the dress leaves room to move and adapts to many body shapes.
That is why the empire waist is a favorite for maternity occasion wear: the seam sits above the bump and the skirt falls over it. In a stretch fabric or a soft jersey, it stays comfortable through a long day of ceremony, dinner and dancing.
Further reading: Maternity Wedding Guest Dress: Comfortable, Elegant Picks
Fascinator
Definition: A fascinator is a formal ornamental headpiece, worn instead of a hat and usually fixed to a clip, comb or headband, often decorated with feathers, flowers or beads.
Unlike a hat, a fascinator covers only a small part of the head and offers little protection from sun or rain. It is attached with a comb, a clip or a band, which makes it easy to wear with an updo or with hair down.
The word has an older meaning: in the mid-19th century in the United States, it named a knitted or crocheted hood tied under the chin, a sense that faded in the 1930s. The modern headpiece emerged in the late 20th century, and milliners Stephen Jones and Philip Treacy are credited with making it popular.
Fascinators are worn where hats are customary: weddings, church services and horse races such as the Grand National, the Kentucky Derby or the Melbourne Cup. Some brides even choose one instead of a veil.
Not every dress code accepts them. Since 2012, women in the Royal Enclosure at Royal Ascot must wear a hat rather than a fascinator. A larger piece that covers more of the head, halfway between the two, is sometimes called a hatinator.
Further reading: Garden Party Wedding Guest Dress: Fabrics, Colors and Shoes
Gel polish
Definition: Gel polish is a nail polish that is hardened under a curing lamp after each coat, giving a glossy finish that chips less easily than regular polish.
Gel is applied like an ordinary polish, but each layer is cured under a lamp that emits ultraviolet light. The finish can be high-gloss or matte depending on the top coat, and a gel manicure usually lasts two to three weeks.
Its main advantage before an event is chip resistance: it holds up well through a long day, travel and packing. It also tends to cost more than a classic manicure, and removal requires more care.
Dermatologists from the American Academy of Dermatology advise shielding the hands from the lamp, either with a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen of SPF 30 or more applied beforehand, or with fingerless gloves. They also suggest choosing a salon with an LED lamp, which emits less UV and cures faster, and not letting anyone push or cut the cuticles.
Gel should never be picked or peeled off. Dermatologists recommend asking for a soak-off gel and letting a professional remove it, then giving the nails a polish break of one to two weeks or more between manicures so they can recover.
Further reading: Wedding Guest Nails: Colors, Shapes and When to Book Your Manicure
Jewel tone
Definition: A jewel tone is a deep, saturated color that recalls a gemstone, such as emerald green, ruby red, sapphire blue or amethyst purple.
Dictionaries define jewel tones as colors that resemble those of gemstones, citing amethyst, emerald and ruby as examples. The exact list varies from one source to another, but the family always shares the same richness and saturation.
Unlike pastels, which are light and soft, these shades are intense. They read as dressy and festive without the severity of black, which makes them useful for evening weddings and formal codes.
Jewel tones are especially flattering in fabrics with depth or sheen: velvet and satin intensify them in fall and winter, while silk or chiffon keeps them light enough for a summer evening.
Because the color already does most of the work, a jewel-toned outfit usually calls for simple accessories: gold or silver jewelry, a metallic clutch and neutral shoes are enough.
Further reading: Green Wedding Guest Dress: Sage, Emerald and Olive Styling
Linen
Definition: Linen is a natural textile made from flax fibers, prized in hot weather because it is strong, absorbent, quick-drying and cool to the touch.
Linen is spun from the bast fibers of the flax plant and is one of the oldest textiles known. It was used in ancient Egypt for everyday white clothing, and it played an important economic role in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries, notably in Ireland.
Its comfort in the heat has clear causes: linen absorbs moisture, dries faster than cotton and conducts heat well, so it feels cool against the skin. That is why it is a staple of summer suits, shirts and trousers, especially for beach weddings.
The trade-off is wrinkling: the fiber has little elasticity, so linen creases easily. Many modern linen garments are designed to be air-dried and worn without ironing, with a relaxed look.
Linen softens with washing and does not pill. It can be machine-washed, dry-cleaned or steamed, and it is easier to iron when damp. Over-drying in a tumble dryer and repeated sharp folds in the same place can weaken it.
Further reading: Beach Wedding Attire for Men: Linen, Colors and Shoes
Pocket square
Definition: A pocket square is a decorative handkerchief folded into the breast pocket of a suit jacket, used to add color or polish to an outfit.
The accessory comes from the handkerchief, a hemmed square of fabric once carried for practical use. Pocket squares became a men's fashion accessory in the 1920s and stayed popular until the 1960s, before coming back in the late 2000s.
They are usually made of silk, cotton, linen or wool. Silk gives sheen and suits evening events, while cotton and linen look crisper and more relaxed, which makes them a good match for summer and daytime weddings.
There are many folds, from discreet to showy. The presidential fold, folded flat to fit the pocket, is the simplest; the puff gives a rounded, softer look; and point folds show one, two or three triangles above the pocket.
Style guides advise against an identical tie and pocket square, which can look contrived. A better approach is to coordinate them, for example by repeating a secondary color from the tie, or from a partner's outfit, in the square. When a dress code allows you to skip the tie, a pocket square keeps the outfit looking sharp.
Further reading: Cocktail Attire for Men: Suits, Ties and Colors
Primer
Definition: A primer is a cosmetic applied before foundation or another product to create a smooth base, improve coverage and help makeup last longer on the skin.
A primer sits between skincare and makeup. Its role is to smooth the surface and help the products layered on top stay in place, with less creasing, smearing or feathering over the hours.
There are primers for each area: face primers, either hydrating for dry skin or oil-absorbing for a matte finish; eyeshadow primers, which even out the lid and keep color out of the crease; and lip, under-eye or mascara primers.
Many formulas rely on silicones such as dimethicone or cyclomethicone, while others are water-based. Some are tinted or pearlescent, and some contain a sun filter. Reading the label helps match the product to your skin type.
A primer is not compulsory. It is most useful when it answers a specific need, such as shine on the T-zone or a dry patch, and a thin layer on the areas concerned is usually enough before a wedding.
Further reading: Wedding Guest Makeup: Looks by Dress Code, Time of Day and Outfit
Shapewear
Definition: Shapewear is a family of foundation garments, worn under clothing to smooth or reshape the silhouette, such as bodysuits, control briefs, girdles and slips.
Shaping underwear has a long history. Before modern shapewear came corsets and stays, popular from the Middle Ages to the Victorian era. Elastic materials in the early 20th century made lighter garments possible, and later fabric advances made them more comfortable.
Common fabrics today are nylon and spandex, sometimes with cotton blends. The range goes from an ultra-light bodysuit that gently smooths the torso to control briefs and thigh shapers with firmer hold.
Wearing shapewear is a personal choice, never a requirement of a dress code. Some guests like the smooth line it gives under a fitted or satin dress; others prefer a cut that fits well on its own.
If you do wear it to a wedding, test it beforehand for a full day, sitting, eating and dancing. A piece that feels fine for ten minutes in a fitting room can become uncomfortable over a long celebration.
Further reading: Plus Size Wedding Guest Dresses: Flattering Cuts and Smart Support
SPF
Definition: SPF, or sun protection factor, measures how well a sunscreen protects the skin against sunburn caused by UVB rays; a higher number means more protection against burning.
SPF compares the amount of UV exposure it takes to burn skin with and without sunscreen. According to the FDA, it mainly reflects protection against UVB, and it does not multiply the time you can safely spend in the sun.
SPF says little about UVA rays, which also damage the skin. That is the role of the broad-spectrum mention, which indicates protection against both UVA and UVB. In the European Union, a UVA logo marks products whose UVA protection reaches at least a third of the SPF.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, applied before going outdoors, since the skin takes about 15 minutes to absorb it. The FDA, for its part, advises a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 15.
The SPF on the label is measured with a generous layer, and most people apply much less, so the real protection is often lower. Both the FDA and the AAD advise reapplying at least every two hours, and more often after swimming or sweating. No sunscreen is fully waterproof.
Further reading: Skincare Before a Wedding: A Calm 7-Day Plan for Guests
updo
Definition: An updo is a hairstyle in which the hair is gathered and arranged up on the head, from a simple ponytail or bun to an elaborate style for a special occasion.
Updos range from very simple to very sculpted. The most basic is a ponytail or a bun; more elaborate versions are traditionally associated with proms and weddings.
They are held in place with hairpins and bobby pins, sometimes with elastics or combs. A decorative clip, comb or headband can be anchored into the style to finish it.
The choice often depends on the neckline: high necks and halter styles look cleaner with the hair up, while strapless and off-the-shoulder dresses work with an updo or loose waves.
Weather matters too. In heat and humidity, or in the wind at a beach or garden venue, an updo or a braid generally holds better than loose curls and keeps the hair off the neck for the whole day.
Further reading: Wedding Guest Hairstyles: Updos, Waves and Short Hair Ideas
Velvet
Definition: Velvet is a woven fabric with a dense, even cut pile that gives it a soft hand, a rich depth of color and a warm feel, long associated with luxury.
Velvet is woven on a special loom as two layers at once, joined by extra yarns; the layers are then cut apart to form the pile. This complex process made it expensive for centuries, and it was long reserved for the nobility.
Velvet was first made of silk. Today it is also produced in cotton, wool, viscose, polyester or blends, sometimes with a little spandex for stretch. Pure silk velvet is rare, and much "silk velvet" is in fact a silk blend.
There are several variants. Crushed velvet has a lustrous, irregular look created by pressing the pile in different directions; velveteen is a related fabric whose pile is cut from the weft rather than the warp.
Its depth and warmth make velvet a natural choice for fall and winter weddings, from a floor-length black tie gown to fitted sleeves or a cropped jacket. Because of the pile, it is harder to clean than flat fabrics, although modern dry cleaning makes its care much easier.
Further reading: Winter Wedding Guest Dresses: Velvet, Sleeves, Coats and Tights
White tie
Definition: White tie, also called full evening dress, is the most formal Western evening dress code: a black tailcoat and white bow tie for men, a floor-length gown for women.
Its roots go back to the late 18th century, when evening clothes became darker and plainer. Black and white became the standard colors by the 1840s, and white tie became clearly distinct from black tie in the early 20th century.
For men, the outfit includes a black tailcoat, a white shirt with a stiff front and a wing collar, a white piqué waistcoat, a white bow tie and black trousers with a braid down the outer seams. Gloves, a top hat or a white scarf are optional additions.
For women, white tie means a full-length ball or evening gown, often with long evening gloves. Fine jewelry, and in some settings a tiara, completes the look.
The code is now rare. It survives at state dinners, royal ceremonies, some balls and galas, and a few very traditional weddings. Short dresses, midis and jumpsuits have no place at a white tie event, so plan early or consider renting.
Further reading: Wedding Attire Codes Explained: From White Tie to Casual