Decoding the Dress Code: Your Guide to the Latest Dress Styles for 2009 and Beyond

With the holidays rapidly approaching, many "social butterflies" are planning those special gatherings to celebrate. From potluck dinners to New Year's Eve parties, each gathering is unique, and requires a different dress code depending on the request and style of the hosts or hostesses. It is imperative that you stay up-to-date on the latest dress requirements for your next social function in order not to become the fashion misfit.

Let's face it-gone are the days of black tie, formal, semi-formal, business and casual attire affairs. Everyone knew what those dress descriptions entailed, right? In this day and age, young people are being very creative with their parties-and how they'd like the atmosphere to be.

With all of the innovative fashion descriptions, I find myself having to research exactly what these codes mean. So that you are well prepared for that next social event, here is a guide to the latest fashion classes that will govern how you "get down."

White Tie. A White Tie or Ultra-formal invitation requires men to wear full dress, with white tie, vest, and shirt. Women typically wear long gowns. This attire is slightly less formal than Black Tie, which requires men to wear tuxedos, and women to wear cocktail, long dresses or dressy evening separates.

Urban Chic. Also called "town dress," Urban Chic attire is a combination of professional with a touch of pizzazz. For women, imagine the fitted business suit or pencil skirt with red or gold pumps and a daring bag. For men, this attire would typically consist of a dark suit or a nice shirt with khakis. Hard-bottom shoes are a must. This attire would usually be appropriate for an after-work event.

Cocktail Attire. This description means short, elegant dresses for her (think of the famous "little black dress) and dark suits for him, but lose the tie-this style of dress definitely does not consist of career wear for either gender (see the definition of "Urban Chic" above).

Cocktail Attire with a Cosmopolitan Flair (or Cosmopolitan Attire). This one was a little confusing for me, as it is also sometimes called "Metropolitan Attire." The unwritten definition of "cosmopolitan" is described as sophisticated and polished. This level of dress is slightly more stylish than cocktail attire, but less elegant than the traditional formal attire.

Now that you are well aware of the latest fashion classes, you no longer have to panic when you get that invitation in the mail. Get ready to party in style!