It’s really great getting the chance to go to a gala, or some sort of high-end event, be it a fancy wedding, a fancy stay at a hotel, or going to a Michelin-star restaurant for dinner, you name it. Like, there’s no denying that it’s fun to feel rich, getting the chance to look stylish and sophisticated, and well, just elegant. But there’s still a problem here: buying something every time one of these events happens. For some reason, there’s this pressure to buy a completely new outfit each time.
As in, new dress, new shoes, new bag, new everything. And for what? Well, a couple of hours, a few photos, and then the whole outfit gets shoved to the back of the wardrobe like it’s contaminated. Are you guilty of this? Know anyone who is? Yeah, it’s wild because there’s absolutely no shame in outfit repeating. Literally none.
Everyone does it in real life, nobody notices, and honestly, the only person who remembers what someone wore to an event in 2019 is someone who’s extremely bored. It’s expensive, not good for the environment, and you’re better off buying a couple of pieces you adore and just sticking only to those. Basically, a capsule wardrobe, but for special events like these.
Start with Non-Trendy Dresses
The trick with black-tie and formal wear is avoiding anything that screams “TikTok trend.” As in, you need to make sure there’s no dramatic cut-outs, weird necklines, bright neon satin, all of that stuff dates so fast. So yeah, that outfit sits there collecting dust because it feels embarrassing to wear again. Now, with that all said, a capsule wardrobe is more about pieces that feel timeless. Basically, you want a simple silhouette. So yeah, nothing overly complicated.
You can opt for maybe two or three dresses (ideally at maximum), so maybe one that’s a cocktail dress, one that’s an evening gown, but it’s up to you. Honestly, even midi is a good choice. But if jumpsuits are your thing instead, well, yeah, that’s totally fine as well.
Your Accessories Should Do Most of the Lifting
For the most part, one dress is fine, and you can scale it up or down based on your jewellery, so it’s going to massive help to not even bother with costume jewellery, as you’re far better off just getting fine jewellery to complement your outfit (and it’ll complement the event too if you think about it). But it’s not just jewellery (granted that gets most of the attention), because even a classic clutch works for years, the same for strappy heels in a neutral colour go with nearly every formal look.
Even when it comes to your hair and what you’re putting into your hair, as that works too. You want effortless elegance, and so you’ll need to be a bit selective here, but it’s worth it.
Keep a Few Outerwear Pieces
A lot of people understandably forget this one. But yeah, this can throw off your outfit entirely. It helps to look into a wrap or some sort of formal coat that can go with your outdits. You could look into a vintage fur stole, but honestly, it’s far more ethical to look into faux fur ones, as no animals were harmed.
