It’s No Party Deciding What to Wear

Dear Fashion Police: Black tie, black-tie optional, business attire

--STEPPING OUT

Dear Stepping: Thank you, Mr. Social Butterfly, for reminding us that attire requests can be confusing, even when the directions are clear, i.e. “black tie” or “business attire.” Since society has gotten much more casual there are fewer and fewer formal events, and invitations requesting formal attire are often greeted with a giant freak-out from men and women over what to wear. Tuxedo? Dark suit? Long dress? Cocktail dress?

When hosts decide to get creative with the dress code and offer such bizarre and unhelpful directions as dressy casual, party attire, festive fun clothes or elegant black tie, that giant freak-out can turn into a mega-gargantuan freak-out. That’s why we’ve admonished party-givers in the past to keep it simple. And we’ll do it one more time: Keep it simple.

As for the white dinner jacket, it’s appropriate during summer (roughly Memorial Day through Labor Day) at formal events held in more relaxed settings, such as a resort or a country estate, or when you’re impersonating Humphrey Bogart in “Casablanca.” It should be worn with black tuxedo pants. When in doubt, a black tuxedo or dinner jacket is always appropriate when black tie is called for, but choose a lightweight wool for warmer months.

Dear Fashion Police: I enjoy swimming. However, even one-piece swimsuits reveal more than I would like to show. Are there any attractive, fashionable swimsuits under $30 in size 22 or 24 that cover the knees and elbows and do not cling too closely to the arms and legs? I don’t want a suit good only for splashing around in the water or a Gibson Girl bathing-beauty costume that would have been fashionable in 1902. I want to swim laps in this swimsuit year-round without getting waterlogged.

--POOL HEARTY

Dear Pool: We found a few suits that have some of your requirements, but not all. Many suits for plus sizes offer some coverage for the lower body, but all are sleeveless. The only thing with sleeves we found was the new Speedo Fastskin, which looks like a long-sleeve unitard, but it’s about $300 and fits like a second skin. Any kind of top that’s not clingy, like a T-shirt, is going to create an enormous amount of drag when you swim. We also didn’t do too well on your under-$30 price range. But here goes:

PlusShop.com has a swim-dress with an empire waist, halter top and full skirt that covers the upper thighs ($98.95, www.plusshop.com, or call [818] 889-4096).

Junonia offers a step-in tank suit with attached shorts that come to about mid-thigh. The shorts have a waistband made of swimsuit fabric, and the tank is a racer-back style with a cutout in the back ($99, www.junonia.com, [800] 586-6642.

Several styles of full-skirted swim-dresses are available at SwimsuitsJustForUs.com. A style by It Figures! has a square neck and belted empire waistline ($89). A color block suit also from It Figures! has striped color blocking on the bodice with a dark navy bottom ($69, www.swimsuitsjustforus.com, [877] 587-8487).

The Aquajogger Unisuit from World Wide Aquatics is a unitard style suit that is sleeveless and falls mid-thigh. It’s made of polyolefin/Lycra and is fully lined in the front and back, and has a shelf bra. Sizes go up to XXXL ($98.99, www.world wideaquatics.com, [800] 726-1530.)

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Write to Fashion Police, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles CA 90012, fax to (213) 237-4888, or send e-mail to jeannine.stein@latimes.com.