Cracking the Dress Code

破解男士派对着装密码

When Truman Capote sent out invitations for his Black &White ball in 1966, he left nothing to chance. The writer gave his guests specific instructions: Gentlemen: Black Tie, black mask. Ladies: black or white dress, white mask, fan. Almost 50 years later, the converging line between party dress codes can cause a type of panic last seen in New York society after Capote's invitations were delivered.

19xx年，当杜鲁门?卡波特(Truman Capote)发出“黑白舞会”(Black &White ball)邀请时，他没给客人们留下发挥的余地。邀请函上给了客人很具体的指示：男士着“黑领结礼服”(Black Tie)，戴黑色面具，女士着黑色或白色连衣裙，戴白色面具并携带扇子。邀请发出后在纽约社交界引起了恐慌，而近50年后，各种派对着装要求之间越来越模糊的界限可能会再度造成这种恐慌。

Before a recent dinner party in London, I called to check the dress code. As an American, I took the Italian hostess's simple reply of "Jackets, no tie" to mean the evening would be a casual affair, akin to a barbecue at the local country club, perhaps. "Oh, you are very wrong, " my British husband replied. "When Europeans say 'Jackets, No Tie, ' it means you really have to dress up." Sure enough, the women wore vertiginous Louboutins and diaphanous chiffon dresses (despite the cold) and the men, impeccably cut blue blazers with velvet slippers that bore their family crests.

最近在参加伦敦举行的一次晚宴前，我打电话跟主办人确认着装要求。作为一个美国人，我把那位意大利女主人“穿西装不打领带”(Jackets, no tie)的简单回答当成了“晚宴是普通聚会”的意思，猜想大概是类似于在当地乡村俱乐部的烧烤吧。我的英国丈夫回答说：“噢，那你大错特错了。欧洲人说’穿西装不打领带’的意思是需要精心打扮。”果然，女士们都穿着令人眼花缭乱的鲁布托(Louboutin)高跟鞋和精致的雪纺裙（尽管很冷），男士们则穿着完美剪裁的蓝色西装以及带家族徽章的丝绒鞋。

Dress codes were invented to give clear sartorial direction, but these days, it can be anyone's guess. Good for rule breakers, not so much for the rest of us. Men, in particular, can have a tough time. "Men hate having to break from the norm, " says Emma Willis, who started her eponymous bespoke shirt label in 1987 and has spent the past 26 years holding many a client's hand as they

navigate the Dos and Don'ts of parties. "There was even an incident of a man being thrown out of a club because he wore a tie. No wonder everyone is nervous."

着装要求的发明是为了给出明确的穿着指导，但如今却越来越模棱两可。对喜欢追求新颍的人来说没问题，但对其他人来说就不好了。特别是男士，他们会觉得比较困难。同名定制衬衫品牌创始人艾玛?威利斯(Emma Willis)说：“男士不喜欢被逼着打破常规。”她在19xx年创立了自己的品牌，26年来一直手把手地指导许多客户了解参加派对的着装宜忌。她说：“有一次一位男士甚至因为系了领带而被扔出了俱乐部。难怪大家都紧张兮兮的。”

Hosts, conscious of their guests' quandary, are finding creative ways to take fear out of the equation. "I was once sent an invitation to a party in California that actually included two sketches of possible outfits, " says Julian Vogel, director of fashion and beauty PR firm Modus Publicity. "I was so relieved." 已意识到客人窘境的派对主人们正在寻找有创意的方法让人们不再害怕。时尚美容公关公司Modus Publicity总监朱利安?沃格尔(Julian Vogel)说：“有一次我被邀请参加加州的一个派对，邀请函上竟然包括两套着装的草图。当时我就松了口气。用我们的着装破解秘籍吧。

The most laid back of the social-circuit rules, Jacket No Tie is code for "show off your beautifully tailored wardrobe."

作为社交界最轻松的着装规范，“穿西装不打领带”的意思是“展示出你剪裁考究的行头”。

"For me, this means a proper collared shirt, or even smart polo shirt, trousers and a navy single- or double-breasted blazer—mine are made by the Roman tailor Caraceni or Anderson &Sheppard, " says Italian businessman Massimo Carello, who also sports slippers from G.J. Cleverley. "Jacket No Tie allows men coming directly from work to remove their tie and unbutton their shirts without feeling out of place."

意大利人商人马西莫?卡雷罗(Massimo Carello)说：“对我来说，这意味着领口适宜的衬衫，甚至是时尚的polo衫，长裤以及海军蓝单排扣或双排扣西装──我的衣服是由罗马裁缝店卡勒塞尼(Caraceni)或伦敦裁缝店安德森与谢泼德(Anderson &Sheppard)制作的。”他还会从G.J. Cleverley买休闲鞋。他说：“‘穿西装不打领带’可以让下班的男士直接去参加派对，而在拿掉领带和解开衬衫扣子后也不会觉得不自在。”

For Frenchman Edouard de Boisgelin, an investor and entrepreneur in London, Jacket No Tie means denim is OK. "The only time I change out of my jeans is when the invitation specifically says 'no jeans, ' "says Mr. de Boisgelin, who owns 20 pairs of Earnest Sewns. "Otherwise, for me, it's a white shirt—I

have them made by Favourbrook—jeans and moccasins. I like the Christian Louboutin Rollerball spiked loafers." He also wears mismatched velvet slippers—one depicting an embroidered screw, the other the letter U in red—by Stubbs &Wootton. Recently, he has added to those footwear flourishes by mixing cardinal red with bishop purple socks from Gammarelli in Rome, suppliers to the Vatican. Though Mr. de Boisgelin admits to occasionally feeling underdressed, he says he makes up for it by wearing extra-long cashmere scarves.

对驻伦敦的法国投资者及企业家爱德华?布瓦热兰(Edouard de Boisgelin)来说，“穿西装不打领带”意味着可以穿牛仔裤。拥有20条Earnest Sewns牛仔裤的布瓦热兰说：“只有当邀请函上明确说‘不能穿牛仔裤’的时候我才会换掉牛仔裤。不然我就会穿白衬衫──从Favourbrook定做的──牛仔裤和莫卡辛鞋(moccasins)。我喜欢克里斯提?鲁布托(Christian Louboutin)的铆钉鞋。”他还会穿不配套的Stubbs &Wootton绒面鞋，一只带螺丝钉刺绣，另一只绣着红色的字母U。最近，他又给这些华丽的鞋子加上了更多的花哨元素，一只脚穿红衣主教穿的红色袜子，另一只脚穿主教穿的紫色袜子，它们由罗马梵蒂冈御用裁缝店Gammarelli制作。虽然布瓦热兰承认有时会感觉穿得不够隆重，但他说会戴上加长的羊毛围巾进行弥补。

"For an Englishman, Jacket No Tie means a double-breasted blue blazer and perhaps gray flannel trousers and a crisp white shirt, " says Audie Charles, of Savile Row tailors Anderson &Sheppard. "And I mean crisp. If it's not, send it to the laundry."

萨维尔街(Savile Row)裁缝店安德森与谢泼德的奥蒂?查尔斯(Audie Charles)说：“对英国人来说，‘穿西装不打领带’表示应该穿双排扣蓝色西装，可以搭配灰色法兰绒裤和干练的白衬衫。衬衫得干练，不然就送去洗衣店处理一下。”

A step up from No Tie, Lounge Suit is really just business suits, jazzed up to sound like it will be a fun evening. It is often accompanied by Cocktail Dress for women. "Lounge suits are normal business suits, worn for semiformal occasions with a shirt and tie—unless No Tie is specified, " says Ms. Willis. "So the trousers and jacket must match."

“西装正装”比“不打领带”更正式一点，其实就是着商务正装，只不过听起来活泼一点，适合晚上出去玩，它通常跟女士鸡尾酒会礼服搭配。威利斯说：“‘西装正装’就是普通商务装，穿衬衫打领带，适合半正式场合，除非明确说明不打领带。所以裤子和外套必须搭配。”

But like most dress codes, there is some room for interpretation. For Mr. Carello, Lounge Suit is "a code name to say you can come straight from work." That means a double- or singled-breasted suit from Anderson &Sheppard. 但和大多数着装要求一样，这个着装规范也有发挥的余地。对卡雷罗来说，“西

装正装”的意思是说“你可以下班后直接来”。这意味着可以穿安德森与谢泼德的双排扣或单排扣西装。

Mr. de Boisgelin, however, eschews the norm. "A lounge suit is what you wear to a funeral or when invited to dinner with someone's parents, " he says. "This is the only occasion in which I will wear a tie."

不过布瓦热兰并不守常规。他说：“‘西装正装’是出席葬礼或受邀与某人父母共进晚餐时穿的。这是唯一的我会打领带的场合。”

Nothing splits the male community more than the definition of Black Tie. For some, it is a sacred uniform; for others, it's just a color guide.

没有什么能比“黑领结礼服”的定义更让男士们意见相左的了。对有些人来说，它是一种神圣的制服，对有些人来说则只是色彩指南。

"I was recently invited to the Men of the Year awards in which the host, Dylan Jones, editor of GQ, specified 'Black Tie, not Fashion Black Tie, '" says Mr. Vogel. "It has become fashionable—specifically at events like the Oscars—for men to don a textured Calvin Klein suit with a Gucci black shirt and a very thin tie, rather than a traditional black tie, " he says. "Edgier men prefer the modern labels like Rake Lounge to traditional black tie."

沃格尔说：“最近我受邀参加GQ的’年度男士’颁奖典礼(Men of the Year)，身为主办人的GQ编辑迪伦?琼斯(Dylan Jones)明确指出要穿’黑领结礼服’而不是’时尚黑领结礼服’。”他说：“穿一套卡尔文?克莱恩(Calvin Klein)西装搭配古驰(Gucci)黑衬衫，打一条很窄的领带而不是传统黑领结，现在已成为了一种时尚，特别是参加奥斯卡(Oscars)这样的活动。相对于传统的黑领结，比较前卫的男士更喜欢Rake Lounge这样的现代品牌。”

Traditionalists, however, tend to think of Clark Gable or even James Bond when they see Black Tie on an invite. "This new trend of wearing dinner suits with black shirts makes everyone look like a gangster, " says Ms. Charles. "It's not 'The Sopranos.'"

不过传统主义者在看到邀请函上写着“黑领结礼服”时往往想到的会是克拉克?盖博(Clark Gable)甚至詹姆斯?邦德(James Bond)。查尔斯说：“这种黑衬衫配晚宴套装的新潮流让所有人看起来都像是黑帮。这可不是《黑道家族》(The Sopranos)。”

A formal Black Tie dress code means a black wool suit with contrasting silk lapels and ribbon down the outer seam of the trousers. It should be paired with a white bib-front shirt and a silk bow tie. Waistcoat and cummerbund are optional, but the color is not. Shoes and socks are also always black.

正式的“黑领结礼服”着装要求的意思是黑色羊毛西装，丝绸翻领和缎带延伸到

裤子外缝处，应该搭配白色前襟衬衫和真丝领结。背心和腰封可要可不要，但颜色不能随便换。鞋子和袜子也必须是黑色。

But once the band gets going, new rules apply. "Evening shirts used to have voile sleeves and backs to keep the partying man cool and fresh throughout the evening, " says Ms. Willis. "But now, men just take off their coats, ties and roll up their sleeves to hit the dance floor."

不过随着时间的推移，又有了新的规定。威利斯说：“晚礼服衬衫的袖子和背面以前是薄纱的，这样参加派对整晚都会觉得清新凉爽。而现在男士们是会脱掉西装、摘掉领结，把袖子挽起来去跳舞的。”

Well, most men. "I will not remove my bow tie until I am in the car on the way home, " says Mr. Carello. "The only room for maneuver in Black Tie is the choice of silk handkerchief."

大多数人确实会这样。而卡雷罗说：“我只有在回家的车上才会摘掉领结，’黑领结礼服’唯一可回旋的余地是真丝手帕的选择。”

For women, this is simple: Wear your highest heels, your most fabulous jewelry and that little or long black dress. Blow dries and manicures go without saying.

对女士们来说要求很简单：戴上最耀眼的珠宝，穿上最高的高跟鞋，或长或短的黑色晚礼裙。做头发和做指甲就更不用说了。

For men, it's a bit harder. Glamorous, or Dress Up, technically means neither Lounge Suit nor Black Tie. It can be code for "dress cool, " allowing men to don edgier Savile Row labels like Richard James and Spencer Hart without looking like they are trying to be David Gandy or David Beckham.

对男士来说有点难。“盛装打扮”严格来说不是“西装正装”就是“黑领结礼服”，但也可以是“穿得酷点”的意思。允许男士穿Richard James和Spencer Hart等比较前卫的萨维尔街品牌，又不会让人看出自己是在试图模仿大卫?甘迪(David Gandy)或大卫?贝克汉姆(David Beckham)。

Or it can be a cue to get the maddest jacket out of your closet—all the better if it was handed down by your grandfather. "Either go adventurous and have a party shirt made, or don a Nehru velvet jacket, " says Ms. Willis. "I recently made a shirt for a man who came in distraught because the dress code was Romantic, " she adds. "It was fine white cotton, with full gathered sleeves and a deep, four-button cuff. The collar was a high band with a white cotton sash tied in a big flamboyant bow at the neck. A full shirt, then all nipped in with tight black trousers and a big black leather belt with a heavy silver buckle." 又或者，它是说把你衣橱里最出挑的外套拿出来──如果是从爷爷那里传下来的

最好了。威利斯说：“要么走冒险路线，做一件派对衬衫，要么就穿Nehru天鹅绒外套。”她说：“最近我给一位男士做了件衬衫，‘浪漫’的着装要求弄得他很苦恼。我做得那件衬衫是精致纯棉面料，长袖，袖口比较深，带四颗扣子。圆领，白色纯棉领巾在脖子处打成一个华丽的大领结。长袖衬衫扎在紧身黑色裤子里，搭配大大的带银色扣的黑色皮带。”

A cautionary note for Brits abroad: Fancy Dress may mean "costume" in the U.K., but in the U.S., it means Black Tie. Check with the host before improvising on this one.

友情提示海外的英国男士们：“Fancy Dress”在英国可能是“化妆舞会服装”的意思，但在美国意味着“黑领结礼服”。最好跟主人确认一下再即兴发挥。 spike [spaik] video

n. 长钉，道钉；钉鞋；细高跟vt. 阻止；以大钉钉牢；用尖物刺穿

norm [n?:m] video

n. 规范，基准；定额，分配之工作量

cardinal ['kɑ:din?l] video

adj. 主要的，基本的；深红色的n. 红衣主教；枢机主教；鲜红色

bishop ['bi??p] video

n. 主教

breast [brest] video

n. 乳房，胸部；胸怀；心情vt. 以胸对着；与?搏斗

panic ['p?nik] video

n. 恐慌，惊慌；大恐慌adj. 恐慌的；没有理由的vt. 使恐慌vi. 十分惊慌

fashionable ['f???n?bl] video

adj. 流行的；时髦的；上流社会的

cuff [k?f] video

n. 袖口，裤子翻边；手铐；一巴掌vt. 给?上袖口；用巴掌打；给?带上手铐vi. 殴斗，拳击 crest [krest] video

n. [物] 波峰；冠；山顶；顶饰vi. 到达绝顶；形成浪峰

outfit ['autfit] video

n. 机构；用具；全套装备vi. 得到装备vt. 配备；供应