
For a girl that loves any excuse to dress fancy, Gala Season is music to my “please say it’s black tie” ears. From school fundraisers to annual charity events, there seems to be a special event every weekend. And I for one LOVE it. But, parties can be intimidating, especially if you are guest of a host or new to a school. I want to help you look and feel fabulous. I want you to feel comfortable and radiate confidence, so you can focus on having fun and meeting new people.
My first piece of advice is to understand the event fully. It may sound silly but do some research. A fundraiser for children with cancer is quite different than a Havana Nights event at your kid’s school. Dressing awesome loses its awesomeness if you are not dressed appropriately for the occasion. So, when in doubt, ask questions, read the website, find pictures from last year’s event, so you have a good feel for the vibe.

Appropriate. For some reason, that word makes me want to roll my eyes, but it is so important when dressing for a Gala event. The old saying “less is more” definitely applies to special event dressing. It’s okay to show a little skin, but do it only in one area. I’ve talked about this in other blog posts, but it’s worth saying again. Choose one asset. A halter neck to show your shoulders, a plunging neckline to display some (very) minimal cleavage, or a long sleeve mini dress to show your gorgeous gams. You’re probably going to make a lot of first impressions, so let’s make the right one.
So, how do we look fabulous for all these grand soirees without breaking the bank? My suggestion is to purchase one gown and accessorize it in different ways. If you choose a simple gown like this one by Galvan, you can tailor it to your event:
1. Black Tie Charity Event:




3. Masquerade Ball

