hello
In some cases, dress code for businesses is defined as tenue de ville, and generally means business clothing. This tends to refer to suits for men, or at the very least, slacks, coordinating jackets, a formal shirt and shoes. For women tenue de ville is a bit more loosely constructed. It can mean dresses suitable for business, skirts and tops, or women’s business suits. If you are unsure about what business clothing is appropriate in a new job, it’s a good idea to take a look at what people are wearing for a few days before you shop. While you’re observing the dress code in others, keep to more conservative clothing like suits, until you see how relaxed or formal the standard is at your workplace.

It is very clear in translation that tenue de ville does not refer to formal clothing, i.e. tuxedos, full-length ball gowns or morning coats. Instead it is the normal clothing you would wear to the office or to a semi-dressy gathering, perhaps to a friend’s home for dinner or out to a mid-priced restaurant. Those who define tenue de ville as formal, do so incorrectly.

Thanks