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NWR: Tie Optional Work Banquet

kimmiinthemittenkimmiinthemitten member
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in Attire & Accessories Forum
For the first time ever, my company has decided to host a Sales Awards Banquet during our annual sales meeting.  In the past, the awards were given during the day, during the meeting.  Now, everything will be held off-site and the banquet will take place after a sit down, plated dinner.  

Our dress code is currently Business Casual; button ups and khakis, and my boss is looking for a way to ask people to step it up a notch; blazers no ties, but doesn't know what that's called.  When I tried googling it, it says that is also Business Casual.  Any ideas?
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Re: NWR: Tie Optional Work Banquet

  • labrolabro member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    Our annual awards banquet was always dressier than normal office wear (business casual) without anyone having to say anything about dress code. Men wore either a full suit or suit jacket and slacks but no tie and most women wore a cocktail dress or a dressy slacks and jacket, heels, etc. Just like with a wedding - the time of day, the location, and the look of the invitation will all communicate the dress code.

    I'm not sure if work awards banquets are different than invitations where you're actually allowed to be more specific about dress code....but I think the focus should definitely be on what I listed above to help communicate attire.



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  • emmaaaemmaaa mod
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its First Answer
    My boss referred to that type of dress as "business professional." Pretty sure it's the same thing as business casual.

    hopefully everyone knows they should dress a little nicer for an evening and plated dinner event.

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  • kimmiinthemittenkimmiinthemitten member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    Thanks!  Our sales meeting is a mandatory event so the invitation will be an Outlook meeting request.  The concern the meeting coordinator had was that "nicer" is a subjective term; for some that means swapping out your short sleeve shirt oxford for a long sleeve oxford.  Also worth noting, about 95% of the attendees are male, industrial sales reps.

    What if we call it a "sales banquet" and describe it as "business professional" and leave it to the sales managers to engage what that means more specifically?
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  • JoanE2012JoanE2012 member
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    Business casual, in my office, does not mean jackets.  If I was told business professional, I'd think full on suit/tie.   That said, if my DH told me he was going to a sales banquet, I would have him wear his sport coat.
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  • JediElizabethJediElizabeth member
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    JoanE2012 said:

    Business casual, in my office, does not mean jackets.  If I was told business professional, I'd think full on suit/tie.   That said, if my DH told me he was going to a sales banquet, I would have him wear his sport coat.

    I've worked in offices where "business casual" just meant no holes in your T-shirt or jeans. (At IT start-ups, mostly.)

    In that office, invites like this would say exactly what we should wear to an upscale event (i.e., jackets, dresses or nice slacks, etc.).

    My current office will send out a memo saying something like "dress to impress" in the same situation, and people know what that means through managers' word of mouth.
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  • cupcait927cupcait927 member
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    I think using "business professional" will accomplish what your boss is looking for. My company is business casual for most of the floors, but the second floor used to be "professional" dress - this meant suits and ties for the men, dress slacks and blouses for the women. If I saw business professional listed, I'd know that it meant I need to step up my game a little bit and that it would mean at the very least a suit for H (if it was his event).
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