Occasion
OVERVIEW
What is this field?
The Occasion field describes the intended context or setting where a product is designed to be worn. It answers the question: where or when would someone wear this?
This field bridges the gap between product attributes and customer intent. When a shopper searches for “wedding guest dress” or “casual Friday outfit,” occasion data is what connects your products to those queries.
Occasion values should be specific enough to be useful but broad enough to apply across multiple products. A single product can have multiple occasion values.
BUSINESS VALUE
Why this field matters
Customers frequently shop by occasion rather than by product category
AI-powered search and chat assistants rely on occasion data to answer natural language queries
Occasion tagging enables curated collections and editorial merchandising
Shopping feed platforms use occasion data to match products to contextual searches
Occasion-based filtering significantly improves product discovery on large catalogs
Gift recommendation engines use occasion data to surface appropriate suggestions
TECHNICAL SETUP
Recommended setup
Field type: List of single-line text entries (multi-select)
Namespace: custom.product
Key: occasion
Multi-value: Yes — allow multiple entries where applicable
STEP-BY-STEP WALKTHROUGH
How to create the Occasion field in Accentuate
Follow these steps to create and configure this metafield in your Accentuate dashboard.
Step 1: Navigate to metafield definitions
Open your Accentuate dashboard and go to the metafield definitions section. Select the "Product" resource type to add a new product-level metafield.
Accentuate dashboard — navigate to Product metafield definitions
Step 2: Create a new metafield
Click the "Add definition" or "Create metafield" button. Enter the namespace "custom.product" and the key "occasion". Set the display name to "Occasion".
Click “Add field” to create the “Occasion” metafield
Step 3: Select the field type
Set the field type to "List of single-line text entries (multi-select)". Enable the "List" or multi-value option so merchants can enter multiple values.
Select the data type for “Occasion”
Step 4: Configure validation and description
Add a helpful description for merchants: "The intended context or setting for wearing this product (e.g., Casual, Formal, Wedding guest)." This will appear as helper text when merchants edit the field on a product.
Description and validation settings for “Occasion”
Step 5: Save and verify
Save the metafield definition. Then navigate to any product and confirm that the "Occasion" field appears in the metafields section, ready to accept values.
The “Occasion” field visible on a product editing page, empty and ready
STRUCTURING GUIDANCE
How to structure the values
Use a predefined list of occasion values that covers your product range. Most fashion catalogs need 10–20 occasion categories.
Allow multiple values per product. A linen blazer could be both “Business” and “Smart casual.”
Keep occasion values focused on context, not product type. “Workwear” is an occasion; “blouse” is a product type.
Avoid overly niche occasions unless your brand specifically caters to them.
Periodically review occasion assignments as trends shift what is considered appropriate for different settings.
USAGE CONTEXT
When to use this field
All apparel products benefit from at least one occasion tag
Footwear where the setting affects shoe choice significantly
Accessories that are context-dependent (clutch bags for evening, backpacks for outdoor)
Products marketed for specific events or activities
Any product where the use context is a meaningful differentiator
REFERENCE VALUES
Example values
The following values are recommended starting points. Adapt them to your product catalog as needed.
Value
When to use
Casual
Relaxed everyday settings; running errands, weekends, coffee with friends
Formal
Events with a dress code; galas, award ceremonies, black-tie dinners
Business
Professional office environments; meetings, presentations, client-facing work
Smart casual
Semi-formal settings; upscale restaurants, business dinners, creative workplaces
Evening
Night-out settings; dinner dates, cocktail bars, events
Party
Celebrations and social events; birthdays, holidays, nightlife
Wedding guest
Attending a wedding ceremony or reception as a guest
Vacation / Resort
Holiday travel; beach, poolside, resort dining, sightseeing
Active / Sportswear
Physical activity; gym, running, yoga, outdoor sports
Loungewear
At-home comfort; relaxing, work from home, light errands
Outdoor
Nature-focused activities; hiking, camping, walking, gardening
Workwear / Utility
Durable, functional settings; trades, manual work, studio
Everyday
Versatile pieces that work across multiple casual and semi-casual settings
Date night
Romantic or social outings where appearance matters but dress code is flexible
Travel
Comfort and versatility for transit; flights, road trips, mixed-purpose packing
The “Occasion” field populated with example values
RECOMMENDATIONS
Best practices
Assign 1–3 occasion values per product; avoid tagging everything as “Everyday”
Use occasions that match how your customers actually search and think about clothing
Review occasion tags when products move into sale or clearance
Combine occasion data with season data for powerful merchandising
Use occasion to power landing pages and collection filtering on your store
Ensure occasion values are consistent with product imagery and descriptions
AVOID THESE
Common mistakes
Tagging every product as “Casual” or “Everyday” without meaningful differentiation
Confusing occasion with product type: “Dress” is not an occasion
Using aspirational occasions that do not match the product
Creating too many niche occasion values that fragment your filtering
Leaving occasion empty on products that clearly have a target context
Using occasion to describe aesthetic style rather than wear context
IN CONTEXT
Example: How it appears on a product
Women’s Floral Midi Wrap Dress
Occasion: Wedding guest, Smart casual, Date night
Season: Spring, Summer
Material: 100% Viscose
Fit: A-line fit
Occasion data displayed on the storefront via Custom Liquid
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