Let's cut to the chase: Dress codes are hard. After all, there are so many of them! From black tie and white tie to whatever smart-casual means, it's kinda impossible to keep all of them straight.
(And, sure, you can certainly wear a non-black dress pant—but avoid jeans. Cocktail hour is not to be confused with Casual Fridays.) If you go the blazer route, a classic collared button-up ...