Everybody’s been there: you receive an invitation with a dress code that feels cryptic and impossible. Check out this guide to the most common dress codes.
It’s a situation everyone has been in once or twice in their lives. An invitation comes in the mail for a gathering, party, wedding, or other big event, and the dress code section only lists one style of dress and provides no examples or suggestions. The fear of showing up to an event with an outfit that doesn’t blend well with the rest of the guests is a real concern for many party-goers. Check out this guide to the most common dress codes—decoded.
Casual (and all its modifiers)
When the dress code uses the word “casual,” it may mean a range of things. Though you may see “casual” on the invitation, don’t automatically assume you can show up in your finest sweatsuit, as that would be unconventional interpretations of the word casual. Yes, this is confusing. How else does one describe a sweatsuit besides casual?”
Casual
When an event requests casual dress, it generally does not mean loungewear or anything a person would wear to lay around their house. At an event, “casual” typically means a nice outfit that looks put together and fashion- forward, but doesn’t necessarily require formal slacks, a blazer, or a gown. A pair of nice pants and a nice, casual top (no t-shirts!) is a great casual outfit. A nice sundress is also a good option for casual attire.
Smart-casual
Smart-casual is just a little step above casual on the formality scale. For smart-casual, you can simply take a regular casual outfit and add a few stylish or formal items. Take a nice shirt and chinos or a clean pair of dark wash jeans and add a watch or a pair of stylish heels.
Business casual
Business casual typically has a more formal feel, with one remaining element of casual attire. So, wear a suit, but replace either the pants or the jacket with a more casual item. Some examples include pairing a blazer with a nice shirt and a pair of non-ripped jeans, formal shoes, and jewelry.
The range of formality
Formal outfits also come in a bit of a range. When the dress code calls for formal, make sure you know how formal they mean.
Formal
Young woman in a formal dress ready to go to her quinceanera. Sweet 16
General formal wear is very similar to what a person would wear to an important business dinner. This means a full suit or a formal dress. The dress can be of any length but shouldn’t be classified as a gown, as this is too formal for this occasion.
Cocktail
Cocktail attire can include a wide range of items. For women, it typically means a formal dress that has a hem just above the knee. For men, it can be anything from nice jeans and a suit jacket to a full suit. Cocktail attire gives guests a bit of creative freedom while still expecting class and style.
Black tie, white tie, oh my!
Stylish groom in blue suit with boutonniere with pink rose holding bow tie and posing near window in hotel room. Morning preparation before wedding ceremony
The difference between black tie and white tie seems clear cut, but there are a few more differences than meets the eye.
Black tie
A black-tie affair requires a tuxedo or a formal gown. This is generally as formal as most events will require. Most people will not attend a white tie event in their lives.
White tie
White tie is as formal as formal gets. Such an event requires a tuxedo with longer tails, a white fabric vest, a white bow tie, and a white winged shirt for men and full ball gowns with perfectly styled vintage and antique jewelry for women.
PULSE Art Fair, one of the first satellite fairs to join Art Basel Miami, celebrated its 15
M
The Casspir Project is a multidisciplinary fine art exhibition that encompasses a variety of media including installation, photography, oral history, and documentary film in response to Apartheid’s effects on South Africa’s culture and community.
PULSE Art Fair is my antidote to fair fatigue during the art-saturated week of shows and fairs because of its original programming, cutting-edge installations and sensory-rich experiences. I highly recommend this annual art fair during Miami Art Week.
“The SAF, whose mission is to educate about, advocate for and celebrate Sarasota’s mid-century modern heritage, undertook this project as an educational initiative,” SAF Chairman Dr. Christopher Wilson, Ph.D., said. “Recognizing that a majority of Sarasota School structures are private residences not normally accessible to the public, the SAF wanted to expose the forward-thinking principles of the ‘Sarasota School’ to a wider audience by constructing and exhibiting this replica.”
The Walker Guest house was Rudolph’s first design executed independently, and is considered among his most significant projects. Rudolph built numerous other influential residential buildings in the Sarasota, Florida region, including his so-called Umbrella House (1953) and Cocoon House (1950), designed with Ralph Twitchell. In 1997, Rudolph donated much of his archive to the Library of Congress, which helped establish the Library’s Center for Architecture, Design, and Engineering. By ensuring that his work was publicly accessible, he acted to see that his work could be preserved even if the original structures were not.”
The gallery’s mission is to help shape the discussion between art and design and to further increase the presence of cutting-edge design within the larger art world. 
Functional Art Gallery works with artists and designers who push the line between aesthetics and purpose, form and function, perception and intent.
The art installation Roots called attention to “alarming changes in nature and our environment” including disappearing forests and wildlife, polluted air and oceans, rising sea levels are rising, and an increase in extreme weather phenomena. Delta Air Lines and the Sacred Space Miami presented Roots by Atelier Marko Brajovic, curated by Ximena Caminos and produced by Alberto Latorre. The idea behind the art is to stimulate cultural and artistic responses to environmental change. 
The Roots pavilion is a self-supporting aluminum branching system wrapped with fine custom-made ropes and was designed by a parametric software mimicking the natural growth of a mangrove rooting system. In the middle of the pavilion, a large deck is used as a collective space for ceremonies and for three traditional Amazonian hammocks from which visitors can experience the immersive documentary SACRED COCA.
Learn more about the artists and art objects featured at Design/Miami in new episodes of The Design Tourist filmed at Miami Art Week.
The overarching theme at both shows was about creating awareness and connecting with humanity. At Spectrum Miami, I ran into two strange-looking characters clad in rags roaming the show as social sculptures. They were wearing Ghillie Suits, camouflage garb traditionally worn by snipers outdoors to blend in with their surroundings.
“The latest tile trends comprise the most nuanced and interesting design language we have ever had at our disposal. Tiles tell stories through the spaces we create for them. Ceramics this year are daring us to express ourselves and providing all the technical and aesthetic solutions to do so 
Simple and sleek steps aside for the more-is-more design language of Maximalism, expressed in tile with bold colors and contrasting patterns.
Maximalism brings a vibrancy to interior design that in recent years has been zombified with minimalism. Tile designs in clashing prints are expressed as graphic interruptions in contemporary living spaces without overpowering.
Maximalism, on the trend radar since 2018, gains traction as the leading design ethos with decadent textures, colorful tones and pattern clashes.
Self-expression in living spaces becomes playful with asymmetrical, randomized looks in the latest tile styles. Urban inspired designs such as graffiti also lighten up a living space. 
Popular cartoons illustrated on ceramic with Del Conca’s Felix the Cat and pop art inspired graphics take tremendous creative license to experiment with color, size and patterns to create one-of-a-kind surfacing for architects and designers. 
Some of t
One example is Dash by Raw Color with its grid-like pattern, random ever-changing rectangular compositions that combine different shades and different lengths. 
Modern interpretations of Art Deco, the Roaring 20s and organic art nouveau styles are gaining traction in living spaces. Tile designs draw influences from all of the aspects of the era, from fashion to lighting, architecture to jazz and a bohemian spirit in literature, photography, and theatre.
Tile styles reference Cubism, organic floral textiles of the period and geometric 
At the Coverings show, blue made a strong showing in tile designs with blue hues layered on floors and walls.
Expect to see a lot of c
Ceramic Wallpaper
Large porcelain slabs with minimal grout lines create the effect of wallpaper with the technical benefits of ceramic. 
These patterns are digitally printed on large ceramic surfaces that can be used as furnishing elements.
Dramatic Veins
Stone looks are making strong statements with dramatic veining amping up common varieties of stone including carrara, statuario, and travertine. “Popular aggressive stone looks include marble, granites, onyx and quartzite with dramatic veins and patterns,” says Fasan.
Dark marble looks with large swaths dominate this stone-inspired tile category according to Tile Council of North America. Also expect to see more tone on tone larger veins and intense contrast veining.
I saved the best for last. The following tile styles are my favorite picks at Coverings 2019. They rank at the top of my design radar for their fresh designs, fascinating textures and innovative technologies. My best in show pick is The Foundry Collection because it embodies all of the latest trends in tile: imperfectly perfect styling with its timeworn, weathered surfaces, strong use of blue, and mix of textured tile in random patterns. It really encompasses all that is happening at the forefront of design at the moment.
Also, I spotted several collections worth of show stopper status including this worn blue jean inspired tile with a texture that mimics the feel of denim.
My final show stopper pick is this modern interpretation of Terrazzo with geometric accents and large flecks. 
At the 
The rise of the Foodie culture fused with authentic travel is stimulating appetites for regional cuisine. Today’s consumer wants food to deliver a cultural experience. Food is a form of self-expression and the source of social media bragging rights. Meals that are Instagrammable and socially shareable and convey a backstory are capturing the palettes and imaginations of many who seek adventure in their travel and food.
