1. TYPES OF DRESS CODES

2. BLACK TIE For men, black-tie denotes a single or double- breasted dinner jacket with a black silk bow tie. For women, an invitation to a black tie event means wearing a sari, long, floor length evening dresses or evening separates. Traditional formal attire from your country. Military personnel wear an appropriate uniform.

3. BLACK TIE OPTIONAL Black tie optional is a term created to allow guests (primarily men) to choose whether to wear formal clothes described for Black Tie or informal attire described below. It is not an open invitation to dress in whatever a persons wants. Choices for men are a tuxedo or a dark suit, white shirt, and evening tie. Nothing else! No light colored suit, or sport coat, or who knows what else. For women the choice of a sari, floor length gown, evening suit, or short cocktail dress are all acceptable.

4. SHAKING HANDS

5. Always push your hand in all the way to meet web- to-web, with your fingers together and your palm straight out and thumb up. Never give a finger tip hold or short handshake, which is commonly just squeezing the other person's hand short of meeting web-to-web. Remember a good, professional handshake is completed by shaking a woman's hand no differently than a man's hand. There are no longer double standards.