It's not hard sneaking into a formal—all you have to do is draw some X's on your hands and say you're with the band. It's once you're inside that things get difficult. Do your salmon shorts count as formal? And when they play Journey, do you pretend like you're over it or preform the dance you memorized from the first season of "Glee?" There is no easy answer to these questions; they're rhetorical. What's more, formals are not easy; they are an awkward mix of 90's hits and oversized camping tents. But they can be fun, and luckily I have some tips for correctly crashing a formal.

1. Attire

Don't: Accidentally dress semi-formal, or business formal, or for the mall. That would be a disaster, and no one wants to see your blazer.

Do: Wear a bow tie. If you don't know how to tie one just wear it around your neck or pin it to your dress.

2. Drinking

Don't: Ask your overage friend to get you a drink from the open bar. That's desperate.

Do: Look for half-empty bottles of beer and unfinished glasses of champagne left on tables. That's recycling.

3. Music

Don't: Request Justin Bieber.

Do: Request Justin Bieber and then pretend to complain about it when he comes on.

4. Leaving.

Don't: Leave early. You have to get your money's worth.

Do: Leave early. You didn't pay.