Dress codes have been around for a while -- they are a formality that instructs guests what to wear for the occasion. They are hard to be broken so don’t try to improvise with a new creative twist. It’s ok to add a personal touch though, but keep it to a minimum; you don’t want to be remembered as “the neon shirt guy” at your cousins’ wedding. Think of dress codes as a true gesture of gratitude to the people who invited you. Sometimes we may not feel totally comfortable with the dress-code, but if you don’t follow it, the feeling of being absolutely out of place could be even worse. The key here is rather simple: if you get noticed, either you missed the code completely or you nailed it in a memorable way.
What’s important to know is that wearing the proper attire will allow you to blend with the other guests easily resulting in a more enjoyable experience. If you need extra help, please make sure to remember these two things:
1. When in doubt, it’s always fine to directly ask your hosts -- they are the most interested in avoiding confusions.
2. If you are still in doubt, it’s always a safer bet to attend over-dressed. But for god’s sake, don’t wear a tux to a birthday party.