Tenue de Ville is French for “of the city” and refers to smart business attire. It can include suits, skirts, and blouses, but not formal wear. It is used in Europe and Canada and may be specified as a dress code for events or places. It is important to avoid casual clothing such as jogging suits, shorts, and flip flops.
Tenue is a set of clothing, ensemble, or outfit, and de ville is French for “of the city.” When combined, the term means smart and usually business attire – those clothes that an individual would wear in a business setting. As translated by French speakers, the term can refer to any type of semi-dressy but non-formal attire. A sweater or trousers with a sports coat might form part of the tenue de ville, or a skirt and blouse worn by a woman.
In some cases, the dress code for business is defined this way and generally means dress for business. This tends to refer to men’s suits, or at least slacks, matching jackets, a shirt and formal shoes. For women, Tenue de Ville is a bit more loosely constructed. It can mean suits suitable for business, skirts and tops or women’s suits. People who aren’t sure what corporate attire is appropriate for a certain event can ask others or, for work-related events, check out what other employees are wearing. It is best for individuals to stick with more conservative clothing such as suits until they see how relaxed or formal the standard is.
This term does not refer to formal wear, such as tuxedos, full-length ball gowns, or morning coats. Instead, it’s the ordinary dress someone would wear to the office or a semi-dressy meeting, perhaps to a friend’s house for dinner or out to a mid-priced restaurant.
People are likely to see the term used in Europe, parts of Canada, and very occasionally in larger cities in the United States. It could be added to an invitation to an event when describing the dress code or in places someone visited to refer to the dress code. For example, a nightclub or restaurant might specify that the dress is tenue de ville.
Some historic sites or churches make similar recommendations, though not always in the same words. For example, if a traveler has gone to visit a Russian Orthodox church, he is expected to dress conservatively and women are asked to wear skirts, stockings or pantyhose. Some places are very particular when it comes to women’s dresses and require modest skirts, tights and blouses. Both men and women may be asked not to wear shorts.
While this designation does not imply overdressing, it also means not underestimating and avoiding the following:
Jogging suits
Tute
Shorts
Flip flop shoes
Legs uncovered
Top revealers
Mini skirts
Swimwear
T-shirts
Highly styled outfits like hipster or extreme tops that don’t cover the middle
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