Real-Life Communication
You're a protocol officer assisting some new members at city council
with the protocol of dressing for different occasions. It's important that
they wear the proper attire to all occasions.
"Communications plays
a huge role in this line of work," says Oriella Goff. She is the deputy chief
of protocol at an American military installation in Italy. "Some of the traits
a protocol officer must have are diplomacy, tact, poise and a sense of the
proper thing to say or do at the right time.
"A protocol officer attends
staff and a variety of meetings informing and discussing upcoming events,
so [they] must be comfortable with public speaking," she adds.
This
is how you explain informal and formal dress to the new councilors:
Informal
Dress:
Informal dress is usually worn for events that take place
in the morning or afternoon. These events can include occasions such as garden
parties, morning parties, lunch parties, afternoon teas or other outdoor events.
For
a man, informal dress means wearing a suit and tie.
For women, informal
dress means wearing a dress or a blouse and skirt. Gloves may but do not have
to be worn. For events that take place after 5 p.m., hats are not usually
worn.
Formal Dress:
Formal dress is worn in the evening
for dinners and other formal functions.
A man's formal attire in the
evening consists of a black dinner jacket and a white shirt, usually with
a white tie. The jacket can be either single or double breasted. Cufflinks
worn in the evening are usually made of gold. Shoes are black, and a top hat
or white gloves can also be worn.
A woman's formal attire in the evening
consists of a long evening gown. The gown can be sleeveless, but if gloves
are worn they should be above the elbow. If the dress sleeves go below the
elbow, then short gloves are worn. The gloves don't need to be taken off for
dancing or for receiving people, but they shouldn't be worn during dinner.
After
you explain the differences in dress, three of the councilors show you recent
invitations and ask questions about what they should wear:
- Mark has been invited to an outdoor breakfast party with other municipal
politicians. He's never been to a function like this before, and he wonders
what informal dress means. Should he wear a suit and tie to this event, or
would it be OK to show up in a golf shirt and loafers?
- Selma has been invited to an afternoon tea. She thinks it would be fun
to wear a hat with her dress. Would this be OK? Why or why not?
- Marianne is going to a formal evening dinner party where foreign dignitaries
will be present. She is wearing a sleeveless ball gown. Can she wear gloves
with this dress? If so, does she wear them all evening or is there a time
when she should remove her gloves?