Do you ever go to formal work functions?

None of my employers ever had formal, suit-and-tie functions. I don't even have the suit of suit and bow-tie apparently correct for such things.


One company thought it would orgnase a Christmas buffet and dance, in a local hotel. It was not formal, the food was good, the band..... .

The band was awful, but in an odd way. It was called "Polygon" or similar; good musicians but playing mainly only strict-tempo ballroom material, and with no "soul". All the right notes in the right order, accurate time-keeping, but very pedestrian.

They inspired only a few couples to dance their waltzes and foxtrots. Then they started a short set of rock-&-roll or Beatles standards, and despite their rather mechanistic style the floor filled! Didn't last long, back to 1-2-3, 1-2-3... Allegretto ma non troppo Very non troppo. Back to just one or two dancing couples. It was worsened by the female lead singer getting annoyed with us.

Next Christmas the company organised another "do".

"Who are the band?", I asked.

"Polygon".

"No thankyou," I replied.

....
My school had a valedictory dance on the night of the School Year's last day, live music, too. Bands that were bands, i.e. all playing their own instruments; not song-and-dance troupes using recorded music. Not discos either: the new-fangled discotheques had not yet been invented, or at least had not spread much.

Oh, and the dance was called a "dance", not a "prom" (short for "promenade") nor a "ball"; and we dressed informally. All that pretentious black-tie and posh-frock Americana had not yet drifted across the Atlantic.

I have never owned a 'monkey' suit or worn a bow tie. I was tricked into wearing the most pretentious outfit at a wedding (top hat, tails and cravat) when I agreed to be a Best Man before I knew that the Bride was a complete snob and control freak. I actually laughed when I was told. I have no photos.

Only once did my work place (a school) propose a very formal black tie gala dinner, but enough staff said that they wouldn't attend for it to become a less formal affair with lounge suits being acceptable.

The awful, competitive US-style leaving proms hadn't become a thing before I left school teaching, thank goodness.

Yes, typically there is a function where the annual results are announced.It's a meal,speeches given and then music/dancing.It's quite pleasant.

Most have gotten away from coat and tie events business casual is what they call it now!

I avoid workplaces that have those like the plague

I skip most of them

Not usually.

Dunno, never been to any

Not in a long time.