How to be fashion conscious?

This weekend I organized a party at our home. We were thinking of doing something over the summer but we just were too busy. We invited 7 couples mostly in their 30s (children were not invited) and we included two Japanese girls from Showa Boston University (the US campus of Showa University in Tokyo; we act as a local host family for two students each year). While we did not have a very strict dress code but we indicated that it was a formal event and we wanted people to dress up.

I think we learned a few things from the party. Americans, particularly men, have to start being more fashion conscious. Either two men did not read the invitation carefully or didn't care, they were very casually dressed (jeans, sneakers, etc.). One woman wore what my wife might wear while cleaning the house during the weekend. Guess who was the most elegantly and stylishly dressed? Our students from Japan. These two young ladies (they are 21 years old) had the perfect black dress with designer handbags and really cute sandals. They had their hair done and the makeup was just right for a formal dinner.

How can you be more fashion conscious?

1. Dress appropriately for the occasion. What you wear to work in your yard should not be used to go to the mall or to a dinner event.
2. If in doubt, it is better to be over-dressed rather than under-dressed.
3. For dinner events, few things should always be remembered: appropriate footwear (dress shoes for men and shoes/sandals for women), no jeans (unless it is something very trendy and goes really well with an outfit), no tee-shirts (unless it is a designer tee worn with a formal jacket), and give yourself a finishing touch by using the right accessories and using appropriate makeup, etc.
4. If you are confused by what the host means by the dress code guideline or has not given any information about the dress code, ask when you confirm attendance. That way you will not embarrass your host or yourself.
5. Finally, being fashion conscious attracts more people. So whether you want a date or are already married and looking to make new friends or someone who is just interested in networking for finding a job or their next client/customer, it pays to dress. No matter how much you disagree with superficial appearance, the fact is that you will be judged by others based on how you look.

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