April 11th, 2011 
Hi Miss A,
My girlfriend and I have been going back and forth on a fashion etiquette question and need someone to decide for us. We’re invited to a rehearsal dinner at the Chevy Chase Club in a few weeks. The weather is not especially warm these days but we hope it will be nicer by the time of the function. The dinner is obviously in the evening but the invitation does not specify formal, semi-formal, etc. I know dinner at
Chevy Chase is always jacket required. I planned on wearing just a nice pair of khakis, a tie, blue blazer and a good pair of loafers. My girlfriend seems to be ok with this but asked if I should wear a suit since it’s an evening cocktail attire party in April in DC. Then she asked if I wear the khakis and loafers do I plan on wearing socks and I said no since I’ve always been told loafers without socks is never inappropriate. Can you decide this for us? What are your thoughts? As long as I look sharp in my khakis and blue blazer, who cares if I’m wearing socks? I never wear socks with loafers. The internet was not much help. There is some chatter on socks without loafers and evening cocktail attire but nobody seems to answer the question: At an evening cocktail attire in DC in April, do you have to wear a suit? Is it a fashion faux pas to wear the khakis, tie, blue blazer and nice loafers with no socks? Please help. Thanks!
Chevy Chase is always jacket required. I planned on wearing just a nice pair of khakis, a tie, blue blazer and a good pair of loafers. My girlfriend seems to be ok with this but asked if I should wear a suit since it’s an evening cocktail attire party in April in DC. Then she asked if I wear the khakis and loafers do I plan on wearing socks and I said no since I’ve always been told loafers without socks is never inappropriate. Can you decide this for us? What are your thoughts? As long as I look sharp in my khakis and blue blazer, who cares if I’m wearing socks? I never wear socks with loafers. The internet was not much help. There is some chatter on socks without loafers and evening cocktail attire but nobody seems to answer the question: At an evening cocktail attire in DC in April, do you have to wear a suit? Is it a fashion faux pas to wear the khakis, tie, blue blazer and nice loafers with no socks? Please help. Thanks!
Thank you so much for writing in with this question. For those who don’t live in Washington, D.C. and are not familiar with it, the Chevy Chase Club has been around since 1892, and is the most prestigious country club in the area. The Metropolitan Club is at the same level in my opinion, but it’s a city club. Let’s face it, WASP’s with old money don’t value the latest fashion trend. This is not a place where a new Italian designer suit would make a big splash. I think that you are absolutely right on what to wear to the rehearsal dinner. The Chevy Chase Club being a bastion of WASP privilege, I think that khakis, a blue blazer, and Gucci loafers sans socks are perfect. After all, it is the WASP uniform of choice, so I guarantee that you won’t be alone in your selection for the evening.- Miss A
P.S. I think that this question begs for my favorite viral videos of all time – Smirnoff’s Tea Partay!
Your outfit is fine, but wear socks – it’s a rehearsal dinner.
I’m going to agree with Miss A here, no need for socks, it’s springtime in DC afterall.
Rehearsal dinner/Chevy Chase Club = wear a tie and nicer pants than khakis. No socks may work/socks a safer choice. Suit and tie (WITH socks) would also be appropriate, but a blazer is OK. Not wearing a tie is not. Chevy Chase only REQUIRES a jacket, but that is a minimum for clubhouse dining there and more suitable for an informal dinner with family, not for a rehearsal dinner. I know whereof I speak on this one.