Semi-formal dance attire?

Question:

Semi-formal dance attire?

There's this "semi-formal" dance coming up. The Winter Ball. I haven't attended one before -- any dance really. All I have is a suit at home and a clip-on tie. If I wear the suit, would it be awkward? Or go with the (gold colored) clip-on tie? *Can't tie a real tie* v_v

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I assume that you are in high school since I also did the semi-formal winter ball things as well. High school was about 5 years for me, and I remember quite a few people dressed in business suits for the winter formal dance because they weren't as important as prom, and generally, they were just there so all the kids had something to do at the end of the fall semester. The vast majority of the people wore tuxes and most of the girls wore evening dresses, but no one looked twice if someone had on a business suit (I think I remember that 1 or 2 girls even wore pants suits, and they were not lesbians or any of that if your thought train is going that way).

However, clip-on ties are for prison staff only. They look horrible and tacky. Go to a goodwill or thrift store if you have to pick up a tie for cheap, and almost any adult guy can show you how to tie a simple double windsor knot. Worse comes to worse, ask one of your male teachers to show you (for jr high graduation, we actually had the civics teacher take a class period to teach all the guys how to do it). Also, if by suit you mean slacks and a sports coat, I would refrain from that too. You want the coat to match the slacks and use the tie to accent the outfit. Last, whatever you do, do not where anything but black or very dark socks with dressier shoes (patent leathers, wingtips, etc.) when you wear a suit. White socks at formal or semi-formal events draws everyone's eyes to you immediately because it looks so bad.