ESLPod 1105 guide Want to be Fluent in English?

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ESL Podcast 1105 – Dressing Appropriately for an Event

GLOSSARY
decked out – dressed up; wearing very nice clothing, jewelry, hair, and makeup
* All the actors and actresses were decked out for the movie premiere.
dolled up – dressed up when describing a girl or woman; wearing very nice
clothing, jewelry, hair, and makeup
* The teenage girls got dolled up for their first high school dance.
dress – a certain style of clothing; the type of clothing typical of a certain group
of people
* Jeans, plaid shirts, cowboy boots, and cowboy hats are all important parts of
Western dress.
casual – informal; appropriate for time away from the office and formal events
* Coming to work in shorts and a tank top is far too casual. Go home and change
before the boss sees you.
upscale affair – an elegant event intended for people who dress nicely, often to
enjoy good and expensive food and drinks
* They want to get married on the beach, but their parents are trying to plan an
upscale affair at a five-star hotel.
underdressed – dressed poorly compared to others; dressed informally when
everyone else at a particular event is dressed much more formally
* Bankers usually wear suits, so if you want to work there you have to make sure
you aren’t underdressed for the interview.
overdressed – dressed too nicely compared to others; dressed formally when
everyone else at a particular events is dressed much less formally
* Jenna wore a cocktail dress to the party, but she felt overdressed when she
realized it was a pool party and saw everyone else wearing shorts and swimsuits.
to dress up – to make a piece of clothing appear nicer, more formal, or more

expensive by combining it with other, more elegant items
* You can dress up jeans and a plain t-shirt by wearing a scarf, some nice
jewelry, and high-heeled shoes.
chic – fashionable and in style; clothing or accessories considered desirable and
appealing
* Those shoes are so chic! Where did you buy them?
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ESL Podcast 1105 – Dressing Appropriately for an Event

to accessorize – to use jewelry, handbags, scarves, belts, and similar items to
improve the appearance of one’s clothing
* The singer accessorized her simple black dress with a long gold necklace,
hanging earrings, and a white belt.
statement piece – a very large, unusual, bold, and eye-catching piece of jewelry
or other accessory that attracts a lot of attention
* A woman would need to have a lot of confidence to wear that bright orange
necklace as a statement piece!
outfit – the set of clothes that are worn together at the same time
* This pink shirt and that blue skirt would make such a cute outfit with those
sandals!
formal – elegant; not casual; appropriate for an official, refined, or elegant
situation
* They sent out formal wedding invitations with thick cotton paper and goldcolored ink.

to blacklist – to add someone’s name to a list of people who should not be
trusted or should not be given opportunities to participate in something
* Harold fears that if he speaks openly about his company’s fraud, he’ll be
blacklisted and never find a job in the industry again.
legendary – very well known in a positive way; admired, respected, and
remembered fondly
* Luis is a legendary racecar driver and admired by racing fans around the world.
booze – alcohol; liquor
* This is a typical party given by Gwen, full of booze and loud music.
what was (one) thinking – a phrase used to show that one was incorrect and
had completely the wrong idea
* Did you hear that Jason gave his girlfriend a live spider for Valentine’s Day?
What was he thinking?

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ESL Podcast 1105 – Dressing Appropriately for an Event

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1.
a)
b)
c)

Which of these events does not require getting dolled up?
A casual party.
An upscale affair.
A formal event.

2.
a)
b)
c)

According to Renaud, what is so great about the Ortegas’ parties?
They serve great alcohol.
They help everyone rest and relax.
They have wonderful live music.

______________
WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?
dress
The word “dress,” in this podcast, means a certain style of clothing: “Our store
has detailed rules regarding an employee’s dress while working.” When talking
about items of clothing, a “dress” is a single piece worn by a woman, like a shirt
and a skirt that are connected: “The little girl liked wearing pants, but her mother
insisted on putting her in a dress to go to church.” The phrase “to dress down”
means to wear clothes that are less formal than the ones one normally wears:
“Each Friday, the office employees are allowed to dress down to come to work.”
Finally, when talking about the theater, a “dress rehearsal” is the last practice
before the show is performed in front of an audience. “During the dress
rehearsal, the actors will be wearing all of their costumes and using all the props
and lighting effects.”
affair

In this podcast, the phrase “upscale affair” means an elegant event intended for
people who dress nicely, often to enjoy good and expensive food and drinks:
“The art gallery opening was an upscale affair, with well-dressed buyers tasting
cheese and wine as they admired the sculptures.” The word “affairs” ca refer to
politics and activities related to politics: “What are the responsibilities of the
department of foreign affairs?” When talking about relationships, an “affair” is a
secret, sexual relationship when at least one of the people is married to another
person: “Could you forgive your husband if you found out he was having an
affair?” Finally, the phrase “to be (one’s) affair” means to be one’s business when
talking about things that should not interest other people: “What I do in my free
time is my affair.”
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ESL Podcast 1105 – Dressing Appropriately for an Event

CULTURE NOTE
Used Clothing
In the United States, many people like to buy “used clothing” (clothing that has
been worn by other people, but can still be used by others). Some people do it to
save money, but others do it to find interesting “pieces” (items of clothing) for
their “wardrobe” (all the clothes that one owns).
Some people buy used clothes at “garage sales” (when people sell things they
no longer need on their driveway or front lawn), but it is usually easier to find
good used clothing at a “resale store.” At a resale store, people sell their used

clothing to the storeowner. Some stores give people cash for their used clothes,
but other stores have people sell “on consignment,” meaning that the people
receive money only when someone buys their clothing. “Vintage stores” are
stores that specialize in selling clothing from a particular time period that has
recently “come back in style” (become popular or fashionable again).
People who are willing to do more “digging” (searching) might go to “thrift stores,”
where items are less expensive. These stores sell clothes and other items that
other people have “donated” (given for free, without receiving a payment) to
support “charitable causes” (efforts to help other people). For example,
organizations like Goodwill and Salvation Army operate thrift stores and use the
“proceeds” (money earned from sales) to support “job-placement programs”
(programs to help people find jobs) for disabled people, help the homeless,
protect “victims” (people who have suffered from something) of “domestic
violence” (physical injury caused by family members), and others “in need”
(needing help).
______________
Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – a; 2 – a

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ESL Podcast 1105 – Dressing Appropriately for an Event

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 1,105 – Dressing

Appropriately for an Event.
This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 1,105. I’m your host, Dr.
Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in
beautiful Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
Visit our website at ESLPod.com. Take a look at our ESL Podcast Special
Courses in Business and Daily English.
This episode is a dialogue between Patricia and Renaud about wearing the right
clothes for a certain occasion or event. Let’s get started.
[start of dialogue]
Patricia: Hey, look at you! You’re all decked out. What’s the occasion?
Renaud: I’m going to the Ortegas’ party. Aren’t you?
Patricia: Yeah, but I’m not getting all dolled up for it. I think the dress is casual.
Renaud: I heard that it’s going to be an upscale affair, and I don’t want to be
underdressed.
Patricia: But I’d rather not be overdressed.
Renaud: Okay, then what are you wearing?
Patricia: I’m going to dress up these jeans with a chic blouse. And then I’m going
to accessorize with this necklace as a statement piece.
Renaud: That’s a nice outfit, but it’s more appropriate for a casual event, not a
party.
Patricia: But that’s what I’m trying to tell you. This is not a formal affair.
Renaud: Do what you like, but I’m not going to risk being inappropriately dressed
for one of the Ortegas’ parties. I don’t want to be blacklisted and not be invited in
the future. Their parties are legendary, with the best food, the best booze . . .
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ESL Podcast 1105 – Dressing Appropriately for an Event

Patricia: Oh, you’re right. What was I thinking?!
[end of dialogue]
Patricia begins our dialogue by saying, “Hey, look at you! You’re all decked out.”
“To be decked (decked) out” means to be wearing very nice clothing, to be
dressed up. If you’re a girl, it might mean to be wearing makeup and having your
hair done a certain way, perhaps wearing certain jewelry. Normally “to be decked
out” means to be dressed for a formal event, a formal occasion. In fact, Patricia
asks Renaud, “What’s the occasion?” meaning what is the big event? What is the
thing that you are dressed up for?
Renaud says, “I’m going to the Ortegas’ party. Aren’t you?” Patricia says, “Yeah,
but I’m not getting all dolled up for it.” “To get dolled (dolled) up” for something
means to get dressed up formally. Usually, however, we use this particular
expression when we are referring to a girl or a woman. A man would not describe
himself as getting “all dolled up.” Although I’m not sure of the exact origin of this
expression, the word “doll” used to be used informally to refer to a woman,
particularly a good-looking woman.
Patricia is not going to get all dolled up for this party at the Ortegas’. She says, “I
think the dress is casual.” “Dress” (dress) here doesn’t refer to a particular kind of
clothing that a girl or a woman would typically wear. It refers to a style of clothing
– the kind of clothing that you would wear to a certain event or that would be
worn by a certain group of people.
So when Patricia says, “The dress is casual,” she means that the way people will
be dressing for this particular event will be casual. “Casual” (casual) here is the
opposite of “formal.” In other words, it means “informal,” not formal. If you dress
“casually” to an event, you are not going to wear your best clothes. You probably
won’t wear a tie if you’re a man or a very nice dress if you’re a woman. Patricia

thinks the majority of the people, anyway, going to this party are not going to be
dressed formally, but rather casually.
Renaud says, “I heard that it’s going to be an upscale affair, and I don’t want to
be underdressed.” Renaud has a different idea about this party. He says that he
thinks it’s going to be an “upscale (upscale) affair” (affair). An “upscale affair”
would be a very nice party or event, one for which people would dress very
formally. People might also use this expression, an “upscale affair,” to describe
an event where there’s nice food and drinks, where it takes place at a very nice
room, such as at a hotel.
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ESL Podcast 1105 – Dressing Appropriately for an Event

Renaud doesn’t want to be “underdressed” for this upscale affair. “To be
underdressed” means to be dressed less formally than the people around you.
So, if you go to a wedding and you’re wearing shorts and a T-shirt and everyone
else is wearing a suit and a tie or a nice dress, you would be underdressed – you
would not be dressed as formally as everyone else.
The opposite of being underdressed is what Patricia says in the very next
sentence, which is “overdressed.” “To be overdressed” means to, say, go to the
beach where everyone else is wearing a swimsuit, dressed as though you were
going to a wedding – in a suit and tie, say. Patricia says, “But I’d rather not be
overdressed.” She prefers not to dress too formally than to be dressed not
formally enough. Renaud says, “Okay, then what are you wearing?” What

clothing are you going to put on?
Patricia says, “I’m going to dress up these jeans with a chic blouse.” The twoword phrasal verb “to dress up” can mean a couple of different things. Here it
means to wear a certain piece of clothing that would normally be considered
casual and make it look more formal, perhaps by combining it with something
nicer. So for example, a pair of blue jeans would normally be considered “casual
dress,” but if you wanted to dress it up, you might wear a very nice shirt with it, or
something else that would make it look a little more formal. That’s the meaning of
“to dress up” here.
“To dress someone up” would mean to put clothing on someone, usually to make
them look like someone else. In that particular meaning of the phrasal verb, we
would usually follow it with “as.” “I’m going to dress up as a clown,” meaning I’m
going to put on clothing that would make me look like a clown. Some people think
I look like a clown even without putting on special clothing.
But Patricia isn’t going to dress up as a clown. She’s going to dress up her jeans
“with a chic blouse.” A “blouse” (blouse) is a shirt that a woman wears. The
adjective “chic” (chic) means fashionable or stylish, something that makes it look
appealing – in this case, a little more formal. Patricia says, “And then I’m going to
accessorize with this necklace as a statement piece.” “To accessorize”
(accessorize) means to wear other things such as jewelry with your clothing to
improve the appearance, to make it look better than it would otherwise.
Accessories include clothing, handbags, purses, scarves, belts, other things that
people wear or use with their clothing to improve their appearance. Patricia is
going to accessorize with a necklace. She calls the necklace a “statement piece.”
A statement piece is usually a very large, unusual piece of jewelry or other
accessory that typically a woman would wear as something to improve her look,
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ESL Podcast 1105 – Dressing Appropriately for an Event

her appearance. A statement piece often draws a lot of attention. It attracts your
eye when you look at it.
Renaud says that he thinks what Patricia is wearing is “a nice outfit.” An “outfit”
(outfit) here refers to a set of clothing – things that are worn together at the same
time. A woman’s outfit might include a blouse and a skirt and a belt, perhaps a
scarf around her neck – that would all be part of her outfit. Renaud thinks that
Patricia’s outfit is nice. “But,” he says, “it’s more appropriate for a casual event,
not a party.”
Patricia says, “But that’s what I’m trying to tell you.” “This,” meaning this party, “is
not a formal affair.” Renaud says, “Do what you like, but I’m not going to risk
being inappropriately dressed for one of the Ortegas’ parties.” He’s saying that
he’s going to dress the way he wants and he’s going to ignore Patricia’s advice.
He continues, “I don’t want to be blacklisted and not be invited in the future.” “To
be blacklisted” (blacklisted) is to be considered no longer welcome at a certain
place, or to be “ineligible” – to not be able to get a certain job, even. It’s as if your
name were put on a list of people who will no longer be invited to a certain kind of
event.
That’s what Renaud is afraid of. He says the Ortegas’ parties “are legendary,
with the best food, the best booze.” “Legendary” in this case means very well
known in a positive way – admired or respected. “Booze” (booze) refers to
alcohol. It’s an informal term for alcohol, or what we also call “liquor” (liquor).
Patricia says, “Oh, you’re right. What was I thinking?!” “What was I thinking” is a
phrase used to show that you were wrong, that you had the completely wrong
idea about something. Apparently Patricia realizes that she is wrong and agrees
with Renaud – or at least, that’s the way it seems.

Now let’s listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.
[start of dialogue]
Patricia: Hey, look at you! You’re all decked out. What’s the occasion?
Renaud: I’m going to the Ortegas’ party. Aren’t you?
Patricia: Yeah, but I’m not getting all dolled up for it. I think the dress is casual.

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ESL Podcast 1105 – Dressing Appropriately for an Event

Renaud: I heard that it’s going to be an upscale affair, and I don’t want to be
underdressed.
Patricia: But I’d rather not be overdressed.
Renaud: Okay, then what are you wearing?
Patricia: I’m going to dress up these jeans with a chic blouse. And then I’m going
to accessorize with this necklace as a statement piece.
Renaud: That’s a nice outfit, but it’s more appropriate for a casual event, not a
party.
Patricia: But that’s what I’m trying to tell you. This is not a formal affair.
Renaud: Do what you like, but I’m not going to risk being inappropriately dressed
for one of the Ortegas’ parties. I don’t want to be blacklisted and not be invited in
the future. Their parties are legendary, with the best food, the best booze . . .
Patricia: Oh, you’re right. What was I thinking?!
[end of dialogue]

Her skills as a scriptwriter are legendary. I speak, of course, of the wonderful Dr.
Lucy Tse.
From Los Angeles, California, I’m Jeff McQuillan. Thank you for listening. Come
back and listen to us again right here on ESL Podcast.
English as a Second Language Podcast was written and produced by Dr. Lucy
Tse, hosted by Dr. Jeff McQuillan. Copyright 2015 by the Center for Educational
Development.

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these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.