Question

Updated on 6 Feb 2023

brandun

6 February

Simplified Chinese (China)

English (US)
English (UK)

Question about English (US)

Does this sound natural?
“You should be wearing an evening dress, ma’am.”

Answers

Southeastern

6 February

English (US)

Yes, it sounds natural, but you must mind the tone of your voice, when you make this statement. It could cause a scene or start an argument with some woman.

Highly-rated answerer

brandun

6 February

Simplified Chinese (China)

@Southeastern It has to do with a place where only people who dress formally can go in. So I think my example sentence is appropriate?

Southeastern

6 February

English (US)

I didn't say it was inappropriate. I advised caution over its usage. There are less conformational ways to tell a customer that he or she doesn't meet a required dress-code.

Highly-rated answerer

newenglandgenie

6 February

English (US)

Maybe it would be better to say something like this, with an apology to soften it

I’m sorry, Ma’am, but this is a formal affair and you need to be wearing an evening gown to enter.

Highly-rated answerer

brandun

6 February

Simplified Chinese (China)

@Southeastern @newenglandgenie Thank you. What’s the difference between “evening dress” and “evening gown” though? Why is “evening gown” better in this situation?

newenglandgenie

6 February

English (US)

@branduhn

An evening gown is always formal. An evening dress can be either formal or informal and is frequently shorter than a gown.

Highly-rated answerer

brandun

6 February

Simplified Chinese (China)

@newenglandgenie Thank you! That’s wonderful. Then I guess “evening dress” is also correct?

newenglandgenie

6 February

English (US)

@branduhn Yes, it is also correct. 👍🏽

Highly-rated answerer

brandun

6 February

Simplified Chinese (China)

@newenglandgenie What if I want to talk about a gown/dress that women wear in the morning? Should I use “morning dress”/“morning gown”?

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Does this sound natural?
“You should be wearing an evening dress, ma’am.”

Does this sound natural?“You should be wearing an evening dress, ma’am.” See a translation

Yes, it sounds natural, but you must mind the tone of your voice, when you make this statement. It could cause a scene or start an argument with some woman.

I didn't say it was inappropriate. I advised caution over its usage. There are less conformational ways to tell a customer that he or she doesn't meet a required dress-code.

Maybe it would be better to say something like this, with an apology to soften it I’m sorry, Ma’am, but this is a formal affair and you need to be wearing an evening gown to enter.

@branduhn An evening gown is always formal. An evening dress can be either formal or informal and is frequently shorter than a gown.

@branduhn Yes, it is also correct. 👍🏽

Does this sound natural?
“You should be wearing an evening dress, ma’am.”

Maybe it would be better to say something like this, with an apology to soften it

I’m sorry, Ma’am, but this is a formal affair and you need to be wearing an evening gown to enter.

@branduhn

An evening gown is always formal. An evening dress can be either formal or informal and is frequently shorter than a gown.