The Kappa Tau Chapter prides itself on the many professional events we hold each semester to help with our professional development. In the past, we have held events with:
Kappa Tau Dress Code Guidelines
Spring 2019
Formal/Ritual
For formal occasions, Kappa Tau will enforce a very formal dress code. Follow Business Professional guidelines with the following amendments:
Women:
- Suit must be MATCHING and of either black, gray, or navy
- No dresses; pant or skirt suits only
Men:
- Suit must be MATCHING and of either black, gray, or navy
*We also recommend that you follow these guidelines when attending job interviews or other formal business engagements. It is always better to be overdressed than under.
Business Professional
Women:
- Black skirt or pant suit, other neutral colors (dark gray, navy, brown) okay as long as top and bottom are coordinating
- Professional dress with coordinating blazer or suit jacket
- Skirts and dresses should hit at or below the top of the knee OR should be longer than fingertips
- Pressed, collared button-down shirt or dress shirt that coordinates with suit color
- Follow the five finger rule on chest – there should be at least five fingers length between your cleavage and the neckline
- Closed-toe dress shoes (pumps, flats, heels) – No platforms or >2.5 inch heels
- Make-up should be minimal and conservative (daytime makeup)
- Hair should look presentable, keep it out of your face
- *Tip: Keep hair and jewelry simple (i.e. studs for earrings); remove other piercings (i.e. nose rings, etc.) and cover visible tattoos
Men:
- Full suit with matching jacket and pants with belt that matches shoes
- Pressed, collared shirt with plain (solid, stripe, or simple pattern) tie
- Dark leather shined dress shoes and dark dress socks
- The bottom of the tie should just barely cover the entire belt buckle; a tie should never be too long or too short
- *Tip: A three-piece suit is acceptable, but a suit with mismatched pants and jacket is not recommended. Remove piercings and cover visible tattoos.
Business Casual
Women:
- Dress pants, skirt (at or below the top of the knee OR should be longer than fingertips), or professional dress okay
- Shoulders must be covered – sweater or blazer
- Fitted blouses and sweaters/cardigans, scarves okay
- Closed-toe shoes (pumps/heels < 2.5 inches)
- Jeans, shorts, and capris are unacceptable
- Avoid: *Blingy/shiny/lacey fabric, sequins, khaki, tight skirts or bodycon dresses, skirts shorter than knee length, low-cut and sleeveless blouses/dress, large jewelry, sandals, wedges, and heels > 2.5 inches.
Men:
- Pressed, collared shirt, tie optional
- Dress slacks, socks, belt, and shoes
- Shirts should always be tucked in
- Jeans, shorts, and capris are unacceptable
- Closed-toe shoes
- *Tip: Business casual = business professional, with ONE of the articles substituted. (Ex: Full suit with a shell top for women or a full suit minus the jacket or the tie for men.)
Smart Casual
Note: Smart casual is often ill-defined and open to interpretation, so our standards for smart casual are for the purposes of our chapter. We define it as somewhere between informal and business casual.
Women:
- Can wear nice jeans or pants (in good shape, not your oldest/well-worn pair)
- Shorts if they are appropriate length and style – avoid tight fitting shorts
- Skirts if they are appropriate length and style (should be longer than fingertips) – avoid miniskirts, bodycon skirts
- Dresses are fine, same rules as skirts
- Leggings only with a top that covers your rear
- Freedom with tops, as long as they’re appropriate – use your best judgment
- No spaghetti straps
- T shirts ONLY if they’re DSP shirts
- Shoes – non-athletic sneakers are fine, wedges and sandals are fine
- NOT: athletic clothing & shoes, leggings with t shirts, halter tops
Men:
- Can wear nice jeans, khakis, or pants (in good shape, not your oldest/well-worn pair)
- Shorts if they are appropriate length and style – avoid tight fitting shorts
- Freedom with tops, as long as they’re appropriate – use your best judgment
- T shirts ONLY if they’re DSP shirts
- No bro tanks, even if they’re DSP
- Shoes – avoid wearing athletic shoes
- NOT: gym shorts, athletic clothing, sweatpants
When in doubt, it’s better to be overdressed than underdressed.