The Basics
Have you ever attended your prom or the sweet 16 dance and thought, “God I wish I could relive that experience?” Or “Wow, I wish I could redo that again, OY!” Here’s your chance to re-live the memories or make new ones if you didn’t get to before. This dance is for you. This will be formal and the information we have below will give you an idea of what you may and may not wear. You guys know the deal. 
We want you to have fun and be safe at this dance, So please make sure you follow the rules and the dress code and make memories that you will tell others for years to come >_O! The DJ will be none other than DJ ASU who has been spinning the many sounds of Hip Hop, R&B, Jazz, Reggae, House, and Old School for a grand portion of his life. In recent years he has been incorporating his love for Asian Pop Culture into his passion for DJing by spinning the sounds of Asian Pop Music- a brand of pop music from Japan, Korea, and China that is pushing its way to mainstream audiences all over the world.
NOTE: in your selection of dress, please keep in mind you need to be comfortable. We highly recommend not to wear anything that will constrict, restrict, and possibly need the jaws of life to get you out of in the case of an emergency. 
This includes trains, long hems, corsets, and other items of clothing.
Sweet 16 Dress Code
- No T-shirts, jeans, sneakers, flip-flops, flannel, denim, vinyl, fishnets or other casual attire will be permitted. Clothing should neither too tight nor too short (we need you to breathe and have fun and relax).
- Skirts should be knee length and in general at least half of your body must be covered in fabric.
- Men should have their chests covered, and bare midriffs are not allowed.
Footwear
Find some shoes that are both formal and good for dancing. We want to make sure you can dance the night away but not into an ambulance O_O!!
Acceptable: Zori/Geta Dressy flats Shoes Dress Shoes Heels.
Unacceptable: Sneakers (that includes skater shoes, and zhans as well), Boots of any kind, Sandals, Flip flops.
Footwear note: Boots are generally not considered formal and can be dangerous on a crowded dance floor, thus with the exception of high heeled boots and some renaissance style tread-free boots (only when worn with fully formal renaissance clothes, check with us first), boots will not be allowed at the Formal Dance.
Styles of Wear
Formal Western Attire
Female Attire: Prom dresses, gowns, cocktail dresses, and dressy separates.
Menswear: At minimum – button down shirt, slacks, and tie. A suit jacket or sportscoat is highly recommend.
Note: Most Victorian attire (gowns and suits) will be acceptable.
Formal Eastern Attire
Asian clothing such as Kimonos and Chinese dresses will be allowed as long as they are formal in appearance.
Note: While traditional Japanese shoes such as zori and geta are allowed, they are not recommended for dancing.
Formal Cosplay Attire
Cosplay outfits should resemble formal wear of the non-costume variety. For example: long gowns, formal military attire, etc. School uniforms, armor, chains, and excessive belts are all considered informal.
Note: Large props, wings, and weapons will not be allowed in the event as they will be a hazard on the dance floor. You will be asked to remove anything that impairs your field of vision or range of motion.
Examples of Formal Cosplay Conversions
| Not Suitable | Suitable Conversion |
|---|---|
| Inuyasha from Inuyasha | Replace pants with traditional red hakama. Wear tabi socks and zori sandals. |
| Link from Legend of Zelda | Replace hat with snappy fedora, or remove entirely. Replace leggings with white slacks and boots with dress shoes. Construct tunic out a dressy fabric such as satin and trim with fancy gold or copper trim. Leave behind, sword, fingerless gloves and horse. |
| Edward Elric from Full Metal Alchemist | Replace the red coat with a red blazer, the shirt with a black button down, and add a tie with the alchemist symbol printed on it. |
| Sakura Haruno from Naruto | Convert her red dress into a floor length china doll dress without black leggings. Replace the Naruto head band with a formal satin head band. Pair with appropriate accessories. |
Acknowledgement: Large portions of this dress code have been reprinted, with permission and our deepest thanks, from AnimeUSA’s Formal Dance dress code.
