What is meant by this?

[Alpo]

I'm reading a story and the guy is required to bring a suit of afternoon formal wear and a suit of evening formal wear.

 

Now I've heard of evening wear. That would be a dinner jacket, or a tux, or maybe even tails. And I've heard of a morning coat. But never "afternoon formal wear". A web search was no help.

 

Anyone know what that means?

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

Maybe a sports jacket and tie, a blazer?  Really I don’t know though.

[Rip Snorter]

Complicated, also varies considerably by time frame and UK / US.  Here is a simple modern view https://www.dmarge.com/difference-between-formal-semi-formal

[Texas Joker]

Called a garden length coat or 3/4 length. like a tux but no tails worn before 1800 iirc after 6pm tails are prefferred. No cumberbund, but a vest, usually a tie though a cravat would be appropriate. 

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062]

no tie in the afternoon, tie in the evening, ...... same clothes

 

             .... too bad if they don't like it, ...... 

 

I ain't that judgemental ........   

[Rip Snorter]

A strange anachronism, in young days, I attended a weekly class for young ladies and gentleman that focused on manners, dress, and of all things , social dancing.  Irrelevant in these times, but is is always useful to know how to do something properly or break all the rules on purpose.

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

Dark suit and tie, black shoes for afternoon and Tux with cummerbund, bowtie and black shoes for evening formal.

 

[Widder, SASS #59054]

The main difference in 'Afternoon Formal'. and 'Evening Formal' is this:

 

Afternoon attire allows work shoes,  brown, black, etc......

 

Evening attires means ....... Polish your Brogans shiny black.

 

..........Widder

 

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

On 11/8/2022 at 7:34 PM, Rip Snorter said:

A strange anachronism, in young days, I attended a weekly class for young ladies and gentleman that focused on manners, dress, and of all things , social dancing.  Irrelevant in these times, but is is always useful to know how to do something properly or break all the rules on purpose.

Nowadays, if you can get anybody, (and yes, I mean people that are old enough that they should know better), to wear anything more than a T shirt, shorts, and flip flops, you're doing good.

[PowderRiverCowboy]

Wait , wait you know how to read ? 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Blue jeans, boots, a western style shirt and my big old black hat.

 

Take me that way or leave me alone.

[McCandless]

On 11/8/2022 at 10:20 AM, Alpo said:

I'm reading a story and the guy is required to bring a suit of afternoon formal wear and a suit of evening formal wear.

 

Now I've heard of evening wear. That would be a dinner jacket, or a tux, or maybe even tails. And I've heard of a morning coat. But never "afternoon formal wear". A web search was no help.

 

Anyone know what that means?

 

What was the era involved?   The late Victorian/early Edwardian era had different ideas of fancy and formal than nowadays.