Evening Wear: Do’s and Don’ts

After attending many evening/cocktail/Weddings/black tie events over the past few years, I like to think that I finally nailed the art of evening wear. Below I have listed some of my top “do’s and dont’s” of dressing for night time events. These tips have helped me refine my skill of evening dressing and hope they help you too 🙂

Do: Consider the Location 

Location of the event should play a key role in how you decide to dress. A dress you would wear for an outdoor summer gala would not be appropriate for any event taking place indoors. The location should also help to dictate your accessories, especially footwear. If you know you’ll be standing outside on grass maybe opt for a slightly thicker heel or wedge and save your favorite stilettos for the fancy dinner parties. Similarly, if you know the event will include lots of standing around and walking opt for a slightly lighter and more comfortable clutch bag to accompany your dress.

Do: Try on Your Outfit Before the Day of

Unfortunately, I learned this one the hard way. Too many times I’ve found myself stressing out moments before leaving for an event. I suddenly realized that my shoes totally didn’t match or that my dress needed to be altered. Learn from my mistakes and always, always try on your entire outfit (head to toe) at least a couple days before so there’s time for alterations or time to find a different shoe if needed. I promise this will make both the experience of getting ready and the actual event a lot more enjoyable!

Don’t: Be Scared Of Color

It’s easy to simply resort back to your LBD whenever a formal event occurs; however, if you really want to impress then try opting for a more colorful piece. Recently, I wore this stunning Maria Lucia Hohan gown to an event and I have honestly never felt better. The color of the gown not only brightened my mood but it made the entire event seem a little bit more special as I was so enamored by the color of my dress! An added bonus of wearing a brighter dress is that you can go really simple with the accessories (like my clear heels). If a purple gown seems a little scary, test it out with a statement colored shoe or clutch.

Do: Wear Comfortable Shoes

I know when it comes to any kind of dressy event the first thing I want to do is go out and buy new shoes! Unfortunately, this is not always the smartest option. Many evening events require you to be on your feet a lot, socializing, and sometimes even dancing! Because of this I tend to stick to the couple of pairs of heels that I know will not kill my feet and will allow me to dance all night long. I promise you that no pair of shoes is worth waking up with blisters the next morning!

Don’t: Over Accessorize 

When it comes to accessorizing, less is truly more. You want to look effortlessly put together, as if you just threw on the incredible outfit last minute… so stop yourself from piling on the accessories. Let your outfit make the statement and simply fill in the gaps with carefully selected jewelry and shoes. If you have a lower cut neckline then pull out your favorite statement pendant, but leave the equally statement earrings at home. If you think you suffer from over accessorizing then you may want to live by the old tip of taking off one item before you leave the house.

Do you have any tips? Comment them below!

xx Brittany