Office Holiday Party Etiquette

[Lisbeth]

It sounds to me like the invitation was issued by someone who can't make up their mind what the dress code is.

I'd ask your BF to find out if his job depends on his attendance.  If it doesn't, I'd skip it.  If it does, I'd just attend in a nice top and slacks and forget the mask-it sounds like too much trouble to me.

[Slartibartfast]

My take on it would be:

Bright color = good
Sexy or revealing = bad
Feels "dressed up" = good
Feels like what you'd actually wear to the office = bad
Sparkly, feathers, sequins, etc. = good
Feels like what you'd actually wear to Mardi Gras = very, very bad.

My interpretation of "Mardi Gras-themed business formal" would be either a black dress or long skirt, with a gold, green, or purple shirt/jacket, and more accessories (belt, jewelry, handbag) than I would usually wear.  And at least one of these items should be sparkly or shiny.  My thighs/chest/stomach would be covered - and not just by a little piece of see-through or skin-tight fabric - and I'd wear black high heels, because everything looks dressier with black high heels, even though I'd probably break an ankle :-)

[fklwmn]

*fanning zip, wafting the smelling salts* You simply must post about this party, you know there will be those who do wrong with the Mardi Gras theme. I think a nice suit with a bright shell, or a cocktail dress will look great. Get a feathery sequined mask in a coordinating color and les' bon ton roulez!

My last company had a Mardi Gras Themed holiday party, It was great fun and VERY tasteful! Not a single person dressed inappropriately. The women wore cocktail dresses and the men wore dress slacks and dress shirts. Most wore a tie, though all did not, and some of them wore a suit jacket.

At the party we got masks (sounds like the OP is supposed to bring theirs) and mardi gras beads as favors. We got 10 tickets upon entering that we could use to gamble with in the casino to win more tickets if we wished, or just hold on to the ones we were originally issued. At the endof the night you wrote your name and extention on the ticket and used them to enter the drawings for the REALLY NICE door prizes.

the DJ was great, and everyone had a ton of fun. Of course, this is at the company that throws the BEST parties I have ever seen and seemed to do it for any reason they could come up with, or even for no reason at all!