Connecticut Casual

Connecticut Casual is often described as the type of attire one might wear to a garden party. It is the preferred attire when attending the annual Royal Polo Match hosted by Westarctica and the Kingdom of Shiloh.

Overview

The point of Connecticut Casual attire is that it is NOT "formal": suits are out of place, as are all evening-wear garments for both sexes. Neither is the style "informal" (hence the prohibition against tennis shoes and most of their rubber-soled ilk). The wearer should feel comfortable yet dressed up a bit.

Male dress

For men, a button-down or polo shirt, perhaps a sweater vest and / or a bow tie, khakis (either as shorts or as pants), and loafers; a sweater or cardigan with sleeves tied around the neck is suitable, and sleeves on long-sleeved shirts may be rolled or pushed up for comfort; a jacket is not required, and neither is a tie, though both are certainly acceptable so long as the tie is worn loose and the jacket is kept unbuttoned; a Panama hat or the like is perfectly appropriate; tee-shirts, tennis shoes, baseball caps, and jeans (unless the jeans are perhaps worn with a dinner jacket and loafers) are usually considered too informal.

Female dress

For women, a comfortable loose floral-print dress or a blouse / skirt combination, matching loafers / slip-ons / flats / wedges or sandals, and a small purse are suitable; heels of any kind are not usually considered desirable or appropriate; jewelry, if worn at all, should be be kept simple: a strand of pearls looks nice, but diamonds and other cut stones tend to make the wearer look too flashy for a Connecticut-casual event; a large-brimmed hat to ward off the sun is de rigueur; pants (khakis) can be worn with the cuffs rolled-up, and khaki shorts may also be worn (garden party colors are best: bright greens, oranges, pinks, blues, and especially yellows are ideal, but all bright colors, including simple white, are perfectly suitable); as with the men, jeans, tee-shirts, and tennis shoes in most cases lack sufficient formality.

Accessories

Sunglasses are suitable for both sexes; shoes for both sexes must be clean and comfortable without being street-wear items.