vestir de gala

to wear formal dress

vestir de gala(behs-teer deh gah-lah)

intransitive verb phrase

1. (to dress formally)

a. to wear formal dress

Todos los invitados a la boda vestían de gala.

All the guests to the wedding wore formal dress.

b. to wear full dress

La reina vestía de gala, con su valiosa tiara de diamantes como único adorno.

The queen wore full dress, with her valuable diamond tiara as her only ornament.

c. to wear evening dress

En el baile de debutantes, las chicas vestirán de gala por primera vez.

At the deb's party, the girls will wear evening dress for the first time.

vestirse de gala

pronominal verb phrase

2. (to dress formally)

a. to wear formal dress

Antes, la gente solía vestirse de gala para ir a la ópera.

Before, people used to wear formal dress to go to the opera.

b. to wear full dress

Según la etiqueta, los asistentes a la ceremonia deben vestirse de gala.

According to the etiquette, those attending the ceremony should wear full dress.

c. to wear evening dress

¿Sabes si tenemos que vestirnos de gala para la cena?

Do you know whether we have to wear evening dress at the dinner party?

3. (to adorn oneself)

a. to get all dressed up (person)

No nos vamos a vestir de gala para ir a una fiesta de cumpleaños. A mí me parece ridículo.

We're not going to get all dressed up to go to a birthday party. I think it's ridiculous.

b. to be all decked out (town)

Todos los años por estas fechas, la ciudad se viste de gala para celebrar la festividad de su santo patrón.

This time every year, the town is all decked out to cellebrate its patron saint's feast.