All Junior Cotillion sessions are a dress-up affair where careful grooming is required. Part of good etiquette is respecting the dress code selected by the host who has invited you!
6th & 7th Grade Classes
Ladies should wear conservative dresses or skirts and dress shoes. Please wear a shoe that has a strap on the heel to secure the shoe while dancing. (No athletic shoes or flip-flops.) No strapless shirts or dresses, please. Gloves for our ladies are optional.
Gentlemen should wear khaki pants, dress shirts, ties, and navy or dark blazers or a suit. Shoes should be suitable for dancing. No athletic shoes or flip-flops.
6th & 7th Grade Spring Ball
The Spring Ball is a semi-formal event.
Ladies should wear a knee length or longer age-appropriate white dress. (White dresses are preferred; however pastel dresses are acceptable if it becomes difficult to find a white dress.) No strapless dresses or dresses with trains. For suggestions on where to shop for a white dress, please click below for our Spring Ball Dresses page.
Gentlemen should wear khaki pants, white dress shirts, ties, and navy or dark blazers or a suit. Tuxedos are also acceptable at the Spring Ball.
2025-2026 gentlemen who would like to rent a tuxedo for the Spring Ball, please check your class emails for a discount rental code from Men’s Warehouse.
8th Grade Dress Code
The three classes in the 8th grade program will follow the same dress code as listed above for 6th and 7th grade classes.
Fall Social dress code is ‘comfortable casual.’ For our purposes nice jeans or trousers can be worn by both ladies and gentlemen. Casual skirts are appropriate for ladies. Gentlemen should wear shirts with collars, such as oxford or golf shirts (No t-shirts please!) Clean tennis shoes with socks are also acceptable.
Theatre Outing dress code is ‘Semi-Formal.’ Ladies should wear a knee length/street length semi-formal party or cocktail dress. Gentlemen should wear a jacket and tie or a suit and tie.
The Grand Ball is our most formal event of the season! Black tie, although optional, is highly encouraged. See Black tie and Black tie optional details below in HS.
White dresses for ladies are not required for any of the 8th grade events.
High School Cotillion Dress Code
Please pay close attention to the dress code for each event. Some events will be more casual, others will be formal. The season overview and event invitations will describe the clothing appropriate for the event. Part of good etiquette is respecting the dress code selected by the host who has invited you! White dresses for ladies are not required for High School Cotillion.
Listed below are examples of different dress codes. Click on the dress code name to see examples for both ladies and gentlemen.
CASUAL (or SPORT CASUAL)
Gentlemen: Khakis, or nice jeans (no distress); polo or casual button-down-the-front shirt; sweaters; loafers, boat shoes, tennis shoes. No sweatshirts, t-shirts, athletic wear, flip flops or hiking boots.
Ladies: Khakis, jeans, or casual fabric trousers; casual skirts; nice tee, polo, or casual shirt; sweaters; sandals, casual shoes, tennis shoes. No sweatshirts, t-shirts, athletic wear or flip-flops.
BUSINESS CASUAL
Gentlemen: Sport coat or blazer; khakis or trousers; button-down the front shirt; no tie is necessary; loafers, boat shoes, socks required. No jeans or tennis shoes.
Ladies: Khakis or trousers; skirts; dresses (not too bare-no strapless, backless, spaghetti straps, etc.); shirts, tops, sweaters, sweater sets. No tennis shoes.
DRESSY CASUAL
Gentlemen: Sport coat or blazer; khakis or trousers; dress shirt; tie; dress shoes and dress socks.
Ladies: Conservative dress; skirt and dressier top; sweaters, sweater sets; dress shoes (may wear flats); stockings optional.
SEMIFORMAL
Gentlemen: Dark business suit; white dress shirt; conservative tie; leather dress shoes with dark dress socks. After six o’clock gentlemen may wear a ‘black tie’ tuxedo.
Ladies: Short (not too short!) afternoon or cocktail dress or long dressy skirt and top.
BLACK TIE OPTIONAL
Gentlemen: Dark business suit; white shirt; dark conservative tie; leather dress shoes with dark socks OR follow black tie guidelines below.
Ladies: Dressy separates OR follow black tie guidelines below.
BLACK TIE
Men: Black tuxedo jacket, matching trousers; formal (pique’ or pleated front) white dress shirt; black bow tie; black cummerbund; dressy suspenders (optional); black patent dress shoes; black dress socks.
Ladies: Formal (floor length) evening dress, or dressy cocktail dress.
Northern Virginia Junior Cotillion 