Dressing for Events 101

There are momentous events in everyones lives. It might be a wedding, graduation, or job interview, but regardless of what the occasion is, it is important to dress properly. The event might not have you on the world's stage, but if you are out in public, physical appearance has a large impact on how we are perceived by others (no matter how much we wish otherwise). It is critical to present yourself well, feel good about yourself, and make a memorable (positive) impression on those around you. Here are some pointers for making sure that your attire is not something you'll regret in the future, plus pictures of what NOT to wear.

1. Dress modestly!
While you have every right to show off your body, make sure to do it tastefully. While the type of event definitely impacts the level of discretion you should show, it is best to consider what your grandmother and your grandchildren would think of your outfit. The pictures from that event will be around for years, and you do not want the little ones seventy years from now to think that grandma was a bit of a hussy. Dressing modestly does not mean looking frumpy. You can look wonderfully decorous without looking like a nun. Stripper shoes are never EVER okay.

Professional:
It is best to think about hemlines and necklines that would be appropriate in a church when dressing professionally. If you have some décolletage showing, that's fine, but keep your arms and legs covered. Just above the knee skirt? Full coverage on top. This applies to casual Fridays too! Keep the cleavage at a minimum and keep skirts to just above the kneecap or below. Forbes has a great article on what not to wear.

Wedding:
Potentially the most important dress you will ever wear. Sheer corset bodices? Save them for a more *ahem* intimate setting. The guests at your wedding do not need a peek at what you will be wearing on your honeymoon. There is nothing wrong with capitalizing on your youth and beauty as a bride and choosing a figure flattering gown, just make sure that if you as a young girl had seen you in your wedding dress, she would think "glamorous", not "sleazy"? Also, you have already got the person you are marrying. No need to dress suggestively, the time for that has passed.

Prom/Graduation:
This is a momentous school event. Your teachers will be present. A cutout here or there is fine for prom if that's your style, but full midriff baring gowns, thigh high slits, and plunging necklines likely do not represent the person you want to be viewed as in an academic setting.Your mom will probably be sending the pictures of you around to the rest of your family. Do you really want the cousin you haven't seen in years to harshly judge you based on one wardrobe choice? Cousins are judgmental. Remember that.

2. Consider timelessness

The most successful outfits would not look out of place 60 years ago, nor will they look dated 60 years in the future. A classic coat, sheath dress, oxford shirt, tailored pants, these things will never go out of style. Love what the first family wore at the inauguration 2013. Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, could not possibly have looked more perfect on her wedding day. Her gown was modern and flattering, but it was incredibly classic, and mirrored the elegance, grace and tastefulness that Grace Kelly exhibited in 1956. Either of their gowns could be worn at just about any time in recent history, and could be worn at any time in the foreseeable future. When you look back on the event, you don't want to wonder "what was I thinking?" and remember that what is on trend now is probably not going to be on-trend in the future. For example: 80s dresses might have been an acceptable look at the time, but if you wore them now, it would not go over quite so well.

3. Fit and fabric are key

Looking good on your big day is not only about what you are wearing, but how you are wearing it and how it looks on you. A cropped peacoat may look lovely on someone else, but if it doesn't look right on you, then it's time to reconsider what you are planning on wearing. Many department stores offer free personal shopping consultant services, so make use of them!

Tailoring can make a so-so outfit outstanding. Blazers should always be tailored, as should formal dresses. It is incredible to see how much of a difference tailoring can make! A personal example; my dad had an important conference to go to a few weeks back. He has recently lost over 30 pounds and was still wearing the suits from before his weight loss. As he tried on the suits, he looked sad and frumpy, and it was not good, but then he took a few of them to Nordstrom's to get them tailored (I have a love affair with Nordstrom's that I'm sure I will share in a later post). When he got them back, he looked like a new man. The suits looked slim and crisp and made him look ten years younger than he actually is.

Fabric is also something to consider. A dress might look lovely in the store or online, but when you get out into the real world, if the fabric or construction is poor, it will show. It is better to get a simple dress with lovely fabric than a super extravagant dress made of pure polyester. Shiny fabric that is stiff to the touch won't move or photograph well. Also, if you are doing a figure skimming dress, make sure that it is lined. Otherwise every bump will be visible, and that is not a good look.

4. Less is more when it comes to accessories and makeup

The way you look for an event is important, but more than anything, what matters is how you feel. All eyes should be on you, but not because of how great your shoes look. People should notice you in your entirety. Keep makeup understated. The first thing people notice should not be your eyeshadow. Accessories should contribute to the overall outfit without being distracting. That doesn't mean that you should forgo a pop of color, it just means that the color should compliment the rest of your ensemble. Wear what looks good and feels good, because if you feel positive about yourself, that will be the first thing that people observe.

prom. Prom. PROM!

So, if you live in the US, you know about prom. That one occasion in high school when Juniors and Seniors are expected to look and act like sophisticated adults. Now, that doesn't always happen, and it certainly is not as big of a deal as the movies would make you think. That is, the event isn't. The lead up to the event is massive. The majority of second semester consists of lunchroom conundrums over finding a prom date for everyone, and faces, hidden behind laptop screens in class search countless websites for the perfect dress. "Perfect" takes on different meanings for everyone. Some girls take it as their opportunity to look more mature, some use it as their chance to shed their normal image and come out as a princess. Some see it as a romantic night, while others just like to get dressed up and have fun with their friends. I go to an all girls school, where the focus is less on the dance itself and more on planning, getting ready, and selecting a dress. The all-girls environment, although prom itself is a coed event, stems a certain amount of conservativeness in dress and behavior, (at least at the dance, the after party is another story). The dance is pretty small in my school's case, with about 180 people total, which includes all of the students from the junior and senior classes, their dates, and the chaperones. The high ratio of chaperones to students also encourages modesty. Girls aren't wearing long sleeved muslin turtleneck dresses or anything like that, but I have yet to see a dress that could be described as skanky, and people are not up to anything too promiscuous on the dance floor. Not all of the dresses are to my taste, but as you're about to see, I have pretty specific desires for my prom dress this year.

Wish List:

• Fitted to natural waist
• Corseting or boning in bodice
• No low back
• No cutouts
• No pick-ups in skirt
• No ruching
• Lined
• Not too much poof
• No ombre
• No black, deep teal, orange, yellow, neon, or light green
• Nice fabric, none of the shiny polyester
• Not too much glitter

That's a pretty long list. There's a shop near me where I bought one of my dresses last year where they do the tailoring for free and they have the largest selection of dresses that I actually like that I have seen in my area, so I will definitely return there again to find this year's dress. I have found two dresses online that I'm interested in, so far, but you never know what will work for you until you try them on. Last year, I wound up with two different dresses, as I attended two different proms. The first dress was a floor length Betsey Johnson silk chiffon ombre gown. The bodice was strapless with a sweetheart neckline, in a deep teal, which gradually became black as it reached the bottom. It was tremendously comfortable, and the boning in the top made me look absolutely tiny. There was a small black silk sash around the waist, with a bow on one side of the front, and there was a black silk flower on top of the bow. I did not like the flower, so I cut it off and placed a subtle brooch in the center of the bow in its place to add a bit of glitter. The other dress was a sage/olive green that had a lovely iridescence to it. It was empire waisted, with jeweled straps. The two dresses I'm liking for this year are these below. The first reminds me of a blend of two of my favorite Elie Saab dresses, and the other is just beyond glamorous.

Trends that I hope to bid adieu to in 2013

Hammer/Harem/Parachute Pants. Were these ever actually in? I personally have never had the desire to look like MC Hammer, an odalisque, or a parachute. They look comical, and they certainly are not flattering. Let's camouflage our thighs by making them look massive with draping, and on top of that, let's drop our crotches to our knees. Brilliant. Justin Bieber has been performing in leather hammer pants recently... shudder.

Sneaker Wedges. Definitely not my style, but for a while there, I was not completely opposed to them on other people. Now, they're everywhere, and it seems that as they become increasingly popular, they start looking cheaper and tackier. They also make you look like you have cartoon feet.

High-low skirts. They had their day, but now it's time to commit to one length or the other. Mini? Cute. Midi? Cute. Mullet? Never cute.

Talon nails. Eeeek. Not ok. Scary, tacky, and downright dangerous.

Fur. Why is there still fur. Come on people. If you wear real fur, I'll judge you.

High waisted cutoff denim diaper shorts. No. Just... no. It looks like:
1. You are an infant with a soggy diaper
2. You wore mom jeans in the 90s and never moved on
3. You're trying WAY too hard to be hipster.
And when your butt cheeks are hanging out of the bottom, that's just trampy.

Super obvious ombre or two tone hair. Still loving the sunkissed ends and subtle dip dye (I'd love to do a rosy wash on my hair), but when it looks like you've gone without a dye job for 6 months... on purpose, there's an issue.

New Year!

This year will bring a lot of firsts. First time living on my own, first time going to college, first time having a roommate, and first time not having to wear a uniform every day, to name a few. Living in a dorm will have its challenges, fashion-wise, but it will also be a great chance to finesse what is now very loosely called my style. (Speaking of, are you all following me on tumblr and pinterest? If not, go do it! Pinterest isn't blocked by my school's censorship and complete violation of our free will firewalls, so I update that one more often, but my tumblr is super pretty.)

When you're narrowing down your clothes to fit into suitcases then a tiny closet, you definitely start thinking about what you really like. Shopping is a whole other story. On top of trying to remain frugal, I'm trying to think of what college setting everything I buy would be appropriate in. If the number of settings is less than three, I won't buy it. My wallet is happy about that. The other day, I bought an adorable bright pink Ann Taylor LOFT cropped blazer with pleats at the back. It's well made and versatile, so that will definitely be coming with me, and I got it 65% off, so yay! Apparently I'm petite on top, which is news to me, because at 5'7", petite is not exactly how I would describe myself. That said, I'm pretty sure that my torso has not grown at all since I was 12. I also got cobalt blue J. Crew toothpick jeans 80% off in store. I love richly colored denim. Paired with a cream sweater? Awesome.

There are under ten other things that I want to buy, clothes/shoes/accessories wise before heading off to college, but then I'm set. Part of the issue is that I'm not sure where I'll go yet! The climates of the schools on my list vary greatly, so while I'll be stocking up on sweaters and cute parkas for some schools, I'll have to suck it up and get some shorts for others. There are going to be some staples that are coming with me for sure, regardless of where I wind up, and I'll make a list of those things as we get closer to packing time. For now, I'll focus on making the new year and the remainder of my high school career great!