Casual, semi-formal or formal: what the labels mean

Casual

Casual outfits are made to be worn often and washed easily. Think printed lawn or cambric in summer, khaddar or a light wool blend in winter, plain or simply printed, with perhaps a little thread work at the neckline. The cut tends to be easy: a straight kameez, comfortable trousers, a cotton dupatta or none at all.

Shops sometimes call this daily wear or everyday wear. It is what you wear to work, to the shops or round the house when guests drop in.

Semi-formal

Semi-formal is the widest band and the one people find hardest to pin down. It usually means one step up in fabric or decoration: an embroidered lawn front with a chiffon dupatta, a linen or karandi suit with work at the neck and sleeves, or a plain silk kurta with a good finish. It suits a dawat, an Eid lunch, an office celebration or a smaller event in a wedding week. Our guide to dawat and dinner-party outfits gives examples.

Formal

Formal outfits are made for the big events: a wedding as a guest, a walima, a party in the evening. The fabrics are richer, such as chiffon, organza, net, silk or, in winter, velvet, and the decoration is heavier, often covering the neckline, sleeves and hem with lace or borders as well. They are cared for gently and worn a handful of times a year.

Other words you will meet

Shop labels mix these up with other terms. Here is how they are commonly used, though no single meaning is fixed.

• Fancy suit or fancy dress: in Pakistani English, a dressy, embellished outfit for a party or wedding. In British English, fancy dress means a costume, so add a word of explanation when ordering.
• Party wear: much the same as formal or the dressier end of semi-formal.
• Pret: short for ready to wear; describes how it is sold, not how dressy it is.
• Luxury or festive: collection names for dressier lines, often semi-formal to formal.
• Daily wear: another name for casual.

Telling a tailor how dressy you want it

A label alone leaves too much room. Name the occasion, the fabric weight and the amount of work, and point to a photo. When you order made to measure from us, the embroidery levels on the quote form give you a shared language: delicate covers the neckline or sleeves, detailed the neckline, sleeves and hem, and statement is bolder work for Eid and parties. Our custom embroidery page explains them, and what is possible on your fabric and design is confirmed in the written quote. Browse weekend and gathering ideas for a sense of the middle band, then ask for a quote.