Masthead
About DressDex
What the invitation means, and what you put on.
The short version
DressDex is a reference for 8 markets, based on research by DressDex editors. The editorial team maintains the reference and each page carries its latest update date.
What DressDex is
DressDex is a reference for people who have been handed a dress code and no explanation. It covers 37 codes across 8 English speaking markets, because semi formal in Dubai and semi formal in Dublin are not the same instruction. The site is based on research by DressDex editors and every page carries its latest update date.
Every entry states what to wear, what to avoid and when the code applies, in plain language rather than fashion jargon.
How entries are made
DressDex editors compare etiquette references, venue rules and event guidance and organise the findings into source notes for each market.
Those notes became the basis for the explanations, formality scale and local editions on DressDex. They help distinguish local meaning from small spelling changes.
The editors use those sources to shape the comparisons and keep the published wording clear.
Editorial standards
How codes are researched
The research compares etiquette references with venue rules and event guidance. Where a convention changes by country, climate or occasion, the local edition explains that context rather than presenting one rule as universal.
When entries are updated
An entry can change when a convention shifts or a correction shows that its guidance needs work. The date on the page records the latest editorial update. It does not mean that every claim was researched again on that date.
How market variants differ
The same dress code can mean a different outfit from one market to another. The local editions draw on the research notes for climate, event language and social convention in each of the eight markets.
How community submissions are handled
A reader can propose a correction or a local variation through Submit a dress code. A submission enters the moderation queue and does not publish automatically.
The editors
DressDex editors research, write and maintain the reference. The byline identifies the editorial team behind the guides.
Contact
For a correction to an entry, use Submit a dress code so the change is tracked the same way every other submission is.
For anything editorial, a partnership or a press question, write to editorial@dressdex.com.
For a privacy or data question, see the Privacy Policy, and for a legal question see the Terms of Use.
Explore the index
Every dress code DressDex covers, most formal first, grouped by tier and by occasion.
Something looks wrong
Tell us what a page got wrong for your market or your event and we will look into it.