Ceremonial dress is the clothing worn for very special occasions, such as coronations, graduations, parades, religious rites, and trials. In the hierarchy of dress codes (e.g., Dress code (Western)), ceremonial dress is the most formal and offers almost no room for personal expression. Examples of ceremonial dress include:
- the ermine lined cloak, crown and scepter of a king or queen
- tribal or other dress reserved for the most formal occasions
- the full dress uniforms of military officers
- ceremonial suit of armour, often highly decorated
- the traditional white dress worn once by brides and then never worn after the wedding
- the liturgical robes of many religions
- academic dress
- court dress, such as the robe and wig worn by British judges
Famous quotes containing the words ceremonial and/or dress:
“The greatest honor that can be paid to the work of art, on its pedestal of ritual display, is to describe it with sensory completeness. We need a science of description.... Criticism is ceremonial revivification.”
—Camille Paglia (b. 1947)
“The old coat that I wear is Concord; it is my morning robe and study gown, my working dress and suit of ceremony, and my nightgown after all. Cleave to the simplest ever. Home,—home,—home. Cars sound like cares to me.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)