Over the last couple of weeks I have had a few discussions with friends and a couple of business owners about what it means to "know how to dress."

The business owners that I conversed with own fine nightlife establishments here in Milwaukee and when they are setting precedence for the venue's target audience, dress code and attire are extremely important.

This ranks highest on the list for a couple of reasons, the first being image. If you have a venue that is new, elegant, top of the line in décor and serves top shelf drinks, the last thing you want is a party full of misfits. How is this usually determined? By the way one presents his or herself. Your sense of style is your exterior business card.

Having the right pieces will get you in the door, and it has nothing to do with how much they cost. Far too often, many party goers are turned away because they attempted to enter an establishment that has a dress code wearing jeans and tennis shoes or a hooded sweatshirt and a baseball cap. There are several venues that allow this kind of attire; usually they are called sports bars, bowling alleys or pool halls. When you want to attend a nice party at a Downtown location, you should be ready and able to dress the part.

Going back to the discussions that I had with friends, we came to the conclusion that there are some people who just don't know how to dress for occasions. Could it be true, that some adults still lack the knowledge of what is appropriate evening out attire? Worry not, I the self proclaimed "Red Bottom Diva" is here to give you a few pointers, so that the next time you step out, you wont be left out in the cold.

Here are a few key vocabulary words:

• Fashion forward: To be presumably hip, slick and cool this can mean anything from premium denim jeans for both men and women, accompanied with nice shoes, nice shirt. Here's a hint- think Kanye West, Chris Brown, David Beckham, Common, Rhianna, Amber Rose and Kelly Rowland (Notice I didn't name any "Jersey Shore" characters).
• Grown and sexy: This term is really about the state of attire, this means that men are not to be in jeans, but slacks or a suit, a tie is optional at this point, but it allows room for creativity...bowties and ascots are welcome. For women this term means savvy, leave the corsets and liquid leggings at home. Here's a hint-think Andre 3000, Idris Elba, Ed Weswick, Halle Berry, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Lopez.
• Black tie calls for formal attire. Men wear tuxedos, women wear cocktail, long dresses or dressy evening separates. Here's a hint-Think Red Carpet- Terrace Howard, Johnny Depp, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria-Parker, Halle Berry.
• Formal usually means the same as Black Tie, but in some trendier cities like New York or Los Angeles, it could mean a black shirt, no tie with a tux. Women wear cocktail, long dresses or dressy evening separates. Here's a Hint-think Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Robin Thicke, John Mayer, Gabbrielle Union.
• After five means that tuxes are not required, nor are long dresses. An evening wedding (after 6 PM) would still dictate dark suits for him, and a cocktail dress for her. Daytime semi-formal events mean a suit for him and an appropriate short dress or dressy suit for her. Here's a hint-Think Kim Kardashian, Nia Long, Sanaa Lathan.
• Dress casual calls for dressed-up versions of casual looks. For him, it could be trousers and a sport coat, for her a dressy pants look. Jeans, shorts, T-shirts and other casual looks are not appropriate. Here's a hint-Think Pharrell Williams, Andre 3000, Jennifer Lopez.

Now that you have this understanding of what these venues are looking for, it may be helpful to know what's currently in style:

MEN

The Urban Gentleman Men's fashion Blog's Winter 2009-2010 Trends & Style Guide provides some great tips. 

Trends: Band/Military jackets are still at large, v-necks (there's a boycott against deep v's though), velvet (ties, jackets, loafers).

The Little extras: Tie clips, brooches/buttons, gold watches, knit ties.

Colors: Grays and dark tones.

Where can you find the look? Check out Milwaukee's Aala Reed or Detour both located on Brady Street.

WOMEN

Ladies can check out today's hot trends at whowhatwear.com.

Spring trends: Soft pastel sheer blouses, layers, Lace, romantic shirts with ruffles, be daring and pair the feminine top with ripped denim, and classic heel.

Colors: Nudes, soft pinks, lavender, greens, and whites.
Accessories: Bold statement jewelry, pearls, gemstones, and investment handbag.

Where can you find the look? Check out Anthropology and Falcon in the Third Ward, Downtown Milwaukee.

When in doubt, check out the cast of "Gossip Girl" for pointers!

Now that you are armed with the tools that you need, when you go out really make an appearance!