Everyone loves a good party—and Christmastime is the pinnacle of party season. You get an instant excuse to spruce up, let loose, and enjoy a bounty of food and drink that you would otherwise spare your waistline from the rest of the year. What’s not to look forward to? Nothing—save the dress codes that boggle the mind before the actual event.

You know the holiday fetes are upon us when your Facebook page reads like a message board of continuous, sartorial confusion. Repeatedly, in the past two weeks, “What on earth does [insert dress code] mean?!” or some derivative of it has sprung up like summer weeds on my newsfeed. I’ve seen this status message more than a dozen times—and posted by different people too. You’d think a girl with a fashion column to write and a serious case of writer’s block would take it a sign—but it was my friend Maxine, who works in bustling Singapore and has, no doubt, an ocean of work events to wade through, who actually suggested today’s column. That’s what friends are for!

In any case, a puzzling or unfamiliar dress code can be a source of anxiety for any party-ridden working girl. Nothing sours the festive mood of an upcoming shindig like the dawning realization that you have no idea what to wear—what with that pesky dress code and all. How can you be excited for a big holiday bash when each day it draws closer is a day you’ve wasted not finding the perfect outfit? It might sound like a teenybopper’s petty problem, but the truth is that at any age, women always, always want to look their best—especially on special occasions.

Think of it this way: the dress code isn’t there to torment you, although it might seem that way sometimes. It is the simplest way to maintain a party’s ambiance, whether posh, laidback, or quirky. The way the guests are dressed reflects the direction the party is taking, and so, in a way, the dress code is a teaser for the night ahead. It’s also a personal request made by the party-giver (which is always polite to indulge), as well as a friendly warning to folks who never bother dressing up. You’re still free to come, of course, but don’t be surprised if your old tee and jeans stick out like Alfalfa’s hair in a sea of swanky digs.

Below are seven of the most common dress codes one comes across during party season, explained as meticulously as I could. Get with the program—and you’ll never be the sore thumb at a soirée.

(Flashbox photo from Mean Girls courtesy of Paramount Pictures)

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