Corporette.com

Updated: Oct 27, 2022 132 Comments · by

How to Do Black Tie on the Cheap

After-Work Activities· Black-Tie/Fancy· Fashion· Fashion Gaffes· Shoes

This post may contain affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

champagne glasses sit on a bar; a server is pouring more champagne

How do you do black tie on the cheap? Reader J wonders what to wear to her firm's black tie event without breaking the bank.

I am a law student who will be working at a firm over the summer. I am expected to attend a black tie event, but I don't know what to wear nor how to find the dress without breaking the bank. I am also hoping to find a dress that is multi-purpose, so that it won't gather dust in the closet until the next black tie affair comes along.

Congratulations — black tie events can be a lot of fun, and I don't think we've covered them in quite a while (see my advice for what not to wear to a black-tie, as well as how to dress for a black-tie affair at the last minute).

How to Do Black-Tie On the Cheap

Here are my tips:

If you're going to splurge on anything, splurge on shoes and accessories.

You can wear these pieces to a multitude of different events, so your cost per wear is much less than it is for one-time-only items like dresses.

Comfortable shoes are particularly important — although most business black-tie functions do not have dancing (at least in my experience), you can be on your feet for hours enjoying cocktails. You can borrow a clutch or wrap if you're really on a budget, but I would urge you to keep an eye out for these pieces, and when you find one you love at a decent price, consider snapping it up.

If you have a wrap, a clutch, and fancyish shoes, you can make almost any black dress look appropriate for a black-tie event. (On the converse, if you have a full-length black gown or other great black cocktail dress and then wear it with regular accessories, nothing looks worse to me.)

Local places like DSW and TJ Maxx will have great deals on shoes; you can also look to 6pm and other online deal places. If you already have a favorite brand of comfortable heels, see if they make evening shoes as well. I would stick with black, gold, or silver shoes for the most versatility, but that's just me.

Do your hair yourself.

If you can do your hair in a fancy-ish way by yourself (put it in curlers, or have a friend help you put it up in a fancy up-do), this is a big place to save on money.

{related: here are some of our favorite easy office updos!}

The dress.  The dress is probably the thing you're freaking out about, right? I remember for my first black-tie event. The joke around the office was that it was my law firm's Prom, and for weeks the first-year associates wondered what the heck we were supposed to wear. (Apparently “ask a more senior associate” didn't occur to us.)  Were we really supposed to show up in a long dress? Wasn't that a bit crazy for a work event?

So I bought a black knee-length velvet cocktail dress, wore it with plain black heels, and, I think a fancyish clutch . . . and I never felt so underdressed in my life! I honestly think if my shoes had been fancier I would have felt better about it, but for every subsequent Prom I got a floor-length dress.

I will say that if it's a black-tie event after work (such as when it's for a charity and a client has bought a table there, for example) that I saw more women wearing shorter, cocktail-length dresses (if not pants) for the event… whereas if it was a Saturday night type affair, longer gowns were far more common.

Here are few tips for you to save money on the dress:

  • Befriend a slightly more senior coworker who has your body type — and then ask her if you can borrow something.
  • Rent a dress, such as through Rent the Runway. Your cost-per-wear for black-tie dresses can be quite high, so renting them often does make more sense.
  • Check out consignment stores. You may want to do some legwork before you start heading out — ask around in your town, and perhaps call ahead to the the store to see if you can get an idea of their inventory.
  • If you have old bridesmaids dresses, take a second look at them. If they're otherwise acceptable to wear to the event, you might be able to dye them black.
  • Stalk the sales! I remember getting a full-length skirt and a matching top from an Ann Taylor outlet store for $9.99 for each piece — but that was truly a “right time, right place” kind of sale. (And it was January, if I remember correctly, which is around the time you see a lot of good sales on this stuff.)

(Want $30 off your first Rent the Runway order? Here's our referral code.)

Some Of Our Latest Favorite Affordable Evening Gowns to Do Black-Tie on the Cheap

Hunting for generally affordable evening gowns for black-tie work events? Some of our favorite brands include Lulus, Dress the Population, Eliza J, XScape, and Alex Evenings.

Hunting for plus-size gowns for black-tie work events? For affordable options we like like Kiyonna, City Chic, Reformation, Anthropologie, RIXO, Tadashi Shoji,and eShakti — also check out bridesmaid brands like BHLDN and Birdy Grey. If you're open to spending more, check out Marina Rinaldi and Lafayette 148 New York (limited options). On the very high end, check out Christian Siriano, Teute Matoshi, and occasionally Jenny Packham and Erdem as well.

Readers, what are your tips for doing black-tie on the cheap? What have you worn to different black-tie, work-related events?

Social media picture credit: Pixabay.

About Kat

Kat Griffin is the founder, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Corporette. You can read more about her here.

Comments

  1. Merabella

    I found an awesome hair tutorial channel on YouTube. It is LetsMakeItUp. She has a lot of updos taken from TV shows and movies and would be perfect for DIY hair for these events. She also has good make-up tutorials.

    As for clothes, you can find awesome black-tie event stuff at Goodwill. Stalk the high income area Goodwill for great pieces, I’ve gotten several great c*cktail dresses there for around $10-$15.

  2. Simsi

    Salary/Employment/Law Threadjack

    I just graduated law school and am fortunate enough to just have gotten a job offer (for those of you still searching, the market is picking up!). It’s with a small firm that I have a history with. They’ve given me a decent salary offer but I feel like I should negotiate.

    1. Whether to Negotiate: I don’t want to be one of those women who is too shy/not confident enough to negotiate salary. This is just their first offer, and I know that they have negotiated with others in the past. However, I also know that they low-balled those other attorneys and they are not low-balling me. I would in fact be happy with this salary, but I don’t want to cut myself short. I’m leaning yes.

    2. Negotiation: Because this is a reasonable salary (probably around 75th percentile for the size of firm/location) I’m at a loss for how to ask for more. I have a good relationship with the hiring partner but this makes me feel SO uncomfortable. A higher salary would obviously be more helpful (loan repayment, basis for future raises, etc.) but I don’t want them to think that I’m being completely unreasonable or greedy/etc. Help.

    • AIMS

      You can negotiate benefits, e.g., bar costs, admission costs, vacation/sick time, etc.

      You should absolutely negotiate. You can say something like, “I am very excited to work here, but …” If you feel awkward, just think about it like this – they are hiring you to represent clients, they expect you to know how to get the best deal for them and, correspondingly, for yourself.

    • Former Earner

      Tell them that you just read about the Israeli supreme court’s recent opinion about a woman who worked at the Israeli version of Home Depot. She asked for 17 shekels/hour. A man with her exact job, history and qualifications asked for 26 shekels/hour. Home Depot paid each what s/he asked for. And tell them you just don’t want to be that woman.

      Here’s an English article about the opinion:
      http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/israel-high-court-onus-on-employers-to-explain-lower-pay-for-women-1.431284

    • Blonde Lawyer

      “Thank you for your offer. I am really excited about the opportunity to work for you. Is it possible to start my salary at x?”

    • govtgrrl

      I recently accepted a position and for the first time in my career negotiated a salary – with a government agency no less. The way I put it was: “Thank you for the offer. I was hoping to start at X amount. Is there any way the offer can be increased?” It worked out very well.

      I talked to my husband, who works in the sports industry and negotiated an astronomical raise last year, about it. My reaction to their initial offer was I am “worth” more but he said to put it in terms of “hope” and let them take it from there. In hindsight, I probably should have asked for even more, but I am happy how things worked out.

  3. Cat

    What’s the geography? Here in Philly, black-tie usually gets you a mix of women in short vs. long gowns. My goal in dressing for fancy-work is to fit right in the middle, formality-wise – that means a dressy c-cktail dress and great heels. My go-tos are all dark colored satin and have relatively high necklines, because that is the LAST thing you want to be fretting about (my favorite is a boatneck with a v-neck back that dips just above bra strap height).

    You might check the j.crew sale section – with the number of “bridesmaid” choices offered, there are a huge array of necklines and dressy fabrics that would be perfect.

    • Suzer

      I was going to say the same thing about length – that’s really regional. Long gowns are always more popular in NYC/Boston than most of the rest of the country (speaking as a former eveningwear buyer.) I’d ask colleagues about length – depending where you live and the current trend in dress lengths you could really stick out in a long dress.

  4. mamabear

    Go to eBay and type in “Tadashi.” I got 2400 hits. I’m sure there is something both affordable and appropriate there.

    Agree with Kat on the nice shoes and accessories, and DEFINITELY also the advice on asking a more senior coworker whether dresses are long or short.

  5. AIMS

    Are people really seeing lots of floor length gowns at black tie events? Maybe it’s regional (although Kat’s also in NYC) but I rarely see actual floor length dresses anymore on anyone in their 20s and 30s.

    • TCFKAG

      Here in Boston, it tends to be a mix of cocktail dresses and long gowns (though the long gowns tend to be fairly simple, nothing too elaborate). Tends to depend slightly on the event though.

    • TCFKAG

      G*d d*mn moderation for c*cktail.

      Here in Boston, it tends to be a mix of c*cktail dresses and long gowns (though the long gowns tend to be fairly simple, nothing too elaborate). Tends to depend slightly on the event though (weekend/charity galas you’ll see more long gowns, after-work or bar association gals get more c*cktail dresses generally, at least in my experience).

    • Jerrie

      Every black-tie event I have been to in my biglaw life is an after-work, charity-ish, cocktail-dress event. Only the older women wear long dresses. Only the socialites get their hair done. You really don’t have to put in that much effort, I think. Men wear their hideous prom tuxes that look cheap and fit badly. These kinds of things are far from Academy Award-type events.

    • Jerrie

      Reposted without the coattail word.

      Every black-tie event I have been to in my biglaw life is an after-work, charity-ish, coattail-dress event. Only the older women wear long dresses. Only the socialites get their hair done. You really don’t have to put in that much effort, I think. Men wear their hideous prom tuxes that look cheap and fit badly. These kinds of things are far from Academy Award-type events.

      • qwerty

        agree! and many many guys will show up in a dark suit. at the most recent black tie charity event my SO and i attended together he wore a tux and an older gentleman (also in a tux) came over and THANKED him for observing the dress code that others flagrantly ignored. it was kind of funny because tuxes were in the minority.

    • Herbie

      Interesting; at all the black tie events I’ve been to, it’s been 95% or greater floor-length dresses.

      • mamabear

        Yep, I had Kat’s experience with being one of the only women in a short dress at my first. After that, gowns all the way.

        And this was in Los Angeles.

        • MissJackson

          This makes me sad, as I haven’t had the occasion to wear a full gown in years. Pittsburgh, get it together!

          Maybe I’m just not attending the right events.

          • eastbaybanker

            Me neither! All my work/charity events are c*cktail attire where business attire passes. I have been debating going to the opera opening night or something, just for an excuse to wear black tie.

          • ELS

            Nah, I went to some swanky things in PGH when I lived there, and I really never saw anyone under the age of 55 in a gown. Sad, really. Though I do miss the city horribly.

    • qwerty

      In NYC shorter dresses are fine in my experience. i tend wear knees-covered bright colorful silk dresses with light metallic shoes in the spring/summer and lbd’s with some shimmer and dark accessories in the fall/winter. i usually am mid-dressy at all events, sometimes leaning toward more-dressy.

    • Lydia

      I am also in NYC. I have generally seen the vast majority of women in black tie charity events wearing shorter dresses. Probably 80/20 split between short and long.

  6. Blonde Lawyer

    So for the quick threadjack –

    Associates, how do you refer to the partners when the people you are speaking with don’t know them by name? I’m in a very small firm and mostly work for one partner. For example, I’ll be on the phone w/ a potential client and will have to say “we could likely do that, I just have to get the okay from a partner here and I”ll get back to you.” Occasionally, I have accidentally caught myself saying “my partner” which isn’t correct because I’m not a partner. But it is a one partner to one associate type firm so I’m “his associate” and he is “my partner.” With ongoing cases, I can just say “oh, I have to check with Joe and will call you back.” But it is when people don’t know “Joe” I have to specify and “check w/ my boss” doesn’t sound right either. Ideas?

    • Former MidLevel

      I would probably say “my supervising partner,” or “Joe X, the partner who would work on this matter with me.”

    • ELS

      I struggle with this too. Like you, I do most of my work for one partner, so it’s easy to think of her as “my” partner.

      I try to avoid this awkwardness by working the partner into the introduction I make to the client/opposing counsel, etc. “Hi my name is ELS and I’m working with Partner X on this case/matter/deal/what-have-you.” Then later, when I need to go get Partner X’s approval on something, I can say something like, “That seems like a viable course of action. Since I am working with Partner X on this matter, I’ll pass that idea along and follow up with you by Y date.”

    • soulfusion

      I use “colleague” but in more casual conversations I have said “my partner” and then realized people assume I mean my SO. A male friend of mine shared an amusing story recently about introducing his business partner (also male) as his “partner” in a business setting and the awkwardness of correcting the misunderstanding. Law firms are weird since we don’t really have a “boss” but often end up working for a partner and saying “my partner” can lead people to believe they are in fact your business partner or significant other so in your example I would say something to the effect of “let me discuss it with my colleague and I will get back to you.”

      • Em

        I think colleague is the way to go. It has the side benefit of not undercutting your own importance. (They’ll figure out that the colleague is senior to you, but you retain a bit more authority.) If it’s a situation where you’re deliberately trying to downplay your authority, which could happen, I think “boss” is fine.

    • TCFKAG

      This is why you should all work for LLPs and then you can refer to them as “my shareholder” or “the shareholder” — so much less awkward. ;-)

      • Blonde Lawyer

        Good point. I’m actually at a “professional association” but everyone still uses the partner/associate lingo.

    • qwerty

      you go with the same language the partner would use to describe you — my colleague.

    • MissJackson

      I think I would say, “the partner” or “the supervising partner.”

    • Lyssa

      I was just thinking about posting this same question today! I have a hard time in particular when discussing it casually (most of my family has no experience in the legal world outside of watching Law & Order). Sometimes I just say “my boss”, but that always sounds strange to me, but I’m not sure how else to say it.

    • Wannabe In-House

      I say something like “Mr. X, the partner who manages ____ types of cases” or “Mr. X, the partner overseeing your case.”

      I think “my partner” sounds too much like your business partner – as in – you are a partner in the firm too.

      • Seattle Lawyer Mom

        Definitely don’t use “my partner” unless you are a partner too. It would be completely misleading to other lawyers, who will hear “my partner” and think you mean you are both partners. Just say “the partner” or “Jane, who’s in charge of this case.” I don’t like “my colleague,” since that sounds like you’re trying to obscure the fact that the partner out-ranks you. I don’t like “my supervising partner,” since that puts too much emphasis on your need for supervision.

  7. karenpadi

    I’ve been to “black-tie” affairs in LA and the Silicon Valley for work so this is likely West coast specific.

    I’ve always worn a LBD that’s dressed up with fancy accessories. If it’s a weeknight, I wear a suit or my LBD with a blazer and pearls. If it’s a weekend, I wear the LBD with flashy costume jewelry, fancy shoes, and dramatic make-up.

    I have a friend who does cruises. She keeps a constant eye open for formal dresses on clearance racks and gets some really good deals. She buys dresses even when she doesn’t have a specific plan to wear them and always ends up wearing them within a year. For LBDs, I kind of do the same: I keep an eye out and if I find one that fits, and is less than $150, I buy it even if I don’t have plans to wear it.

    • RRugosa

      Agreed. I’m also west coast. One good LBD and an assortment of accessories goes almost anywhere here. I have a pair of good black dressy pants and matching top + rotating accessories, sometimes more flashy, sometimes less so. Seldom need anything else.

    • Niktaw

      Second the advice on clearance racks. I bought a number of formal dresses and tops at Loehmanns, and all were under $80.
      When the school prom season is over, there will be tons of formalwear on clearance in dept and discount stores.
      I needed a clutch in a particular color and ended up getting it from eBay for like $25, which included shipping from China or HK.

      • migraine Sufferer

        (My wedding dress was a white prom dress on sale for under $99! I got lots of compliments. I second prom wear on sale.)

      • K

        Absolutely agree with you. Don’t forget end of season sales. Depending on your timeline, you can always wait for stock to flip. I bought the gown for my law formal in end of Jan/Feb right before grad season really started for about $160 for a dress that should have been $300-$400. I usually have equal luck in July or August for more cocktail styles.

    • CA Atty

      I need to do this. For my last cruise I ordered a few dresses online at decent deals…but by the time they arrived and I tried them on and sent them back…the deals didn’t feel so great AND I just found one that I thought I had returned in my closet! I think I can still return it as it was Macy’s online and I can just take it to the store, but I’m still annoyed! :-)

  8. black tie optional

    I have a black tie optional wedding in Ohio this summer. I picked up the Sophia dress in silk tricotine from J.Crew when it was on super sale (only managed to get the light blue). I think that the dress will be appropriate and plan to dress it up with accessories. Do you agree that the dress will work? What kind of shoes would you suggest (looking to spend $100 or less, low heel–2.5” or less)?

    • Anon SF

      I would think the sophia dress would work. It’s a classic cut, and the silk tricotine is a dressy fabric. I have one in black I wear to events. They key will be to style it in a way that doesn’t scream bridesmaid. I would try to find some bold accessories and make sure to steer clear of pearls or anything too delicate.

    • migraine Sufferer

      I also bought the Sophia when it was on super sale. I got it in the wine color and plan to wear it with orange(!) accessories the next time I’m called to a formal event.

      • black tie optional

        I love the wine color. It was sold out in my size by the time I convinced myself to get it, though.

    • layered bob

      oooh this was my wedding dress. I *love* the dress… so comfy, so easy to wear. I agree with bold accessories.

      • Sparkles

        ME TOO! I loved getting married in something so classic and simple, and not constricting :)

  9. Herbie

    You probably don’t need to bother getting your hair did, so there’s a money saver.

    • Hel-lo

      I bought some great black satin shoes for $30 at Payless. They are my “fancy shoes.” Done.

  10. Lola

    It’s all about sale racks. I bought a floor length gown for $50 last August at Bloomie’s for a wedding that weekend. I got more compliments on that than almost any other dress I’ve worn. As much as Kat says its about the shoes, and I think to some extent that is true, if you are wearing a floor length dress, you can probably get away with simpler shoes. But if you want to dress up a cocktail dress, then definitely dress up the shoes.
    You can also get a free makeover at most department store counters if you make an appointment in advance – without a minimum purchase.

  11. SoCalAtty

    Semi-relevant TJ – the shoes pictured are perfect for black tie/evening events, I think….but I need something for the office to wear with skirts/dresses.

    I have never, ever been a skirt person unless it was really required, like on those dreaded skirt suit just in case interviews. I’ve started wearing them at least once a week to the office because I was getting hives from my drycleaner (switched, all better!) and I was trying to let my legs get some air. Now I seem to like skirts! Anyway, I really only just have boring shoes. I’m not so much a shoe person either (unless it is for any of my assorted outdoor sports…), so I need some help. What are some cute summer appropriate shoes to wear with skirts? I don’t like pointy-toed things, but other than that I don’t have a preference.

    This is a pretty casual office (just us 3 attorneys!) and it isn’t unheard of for the female partner to wear very nice, very fashion foward stuff. Think peep toes, and maybe even something sandal-ish would be totally fine here. I also want something I can wear more than once a week and is semi-comfortable. My go to so far has just been a basic black 3′ heel pump (really nice from Taryn Rose before the company had weird things happen, but not super exciting). I’m 5′ tall, in decent shape, and am comfortable with heels. So thing sporty short person :) My skirt colors are white, black, dark grey, and one light tan/khaki colored. Wow, in writing that is a little boring too!

    Help?

  13. Kate

    Wait, can we honestly not say the word “cocktail” in comments? It’s in the post 4 or 5 times! And it’s not an inappropriate word!

    • Coalea

      The whole moderation issue escapes me. I constantly see posts that sub in random characters for letters (e.g., “where can I find a br@ that will fit my b**bs?”), but I have never had any post put in moderation, even when using words that others find questionable. Perhaps they are just being overly cautious?

      • TCFKAG

        Yup, I have no idea what will or won’t get me into moderation, so sometimes I just guess. :-) Hence the boobs and the bra thing probably (watch this go into moderation now…lol.)

    • Cat

      I know! Kat fixed the word “petite” a few years ago I believe – it was getting caught for containing “t-t” – so I have no idea why c*cktail is still getting banned.

  14. LA Restaurant?

    LA ‘rettes, I need some suggestions for dinner this Sunday.

    It will be 3 grade school friends who haven’t seen each other in decades and the three wives, so I’d like someplace quiet enough to talk and where we can linger.

    Other considerations:

    * we can’t start until 8 and may go until 11.
    * no French or Italian or anything heavy.
    * no sushi.
    * preferably something clean: Asian, mediterranean, seafood.
    * preferably less than $100/$125 per couple.
    * preferably on the west side (people are coming from Santa Monica, the Valley and OC).

    I can’t find anything.

    what is it with moderation today?

    • Gigi

      I posted in the earlier thread. Try True Food Kitchen or Sonoma Wine Garden, both at Santa Monica Place (the redone mall at the end of 3rd Street). Both are great. Sonoma Wine Garden has better ambiance, but True Food Kitchen has healthier food.

      • A

        Gigi’s suggestions are both great!

        A few other options:
        FIG at the Fairmont in Santa Monica
        Tavern in Brentwood (may go over your budget depending on alcohol orders)
        Gulfstream at the Century City mall

          • A

            Bandera! Another great option (same owner as Gulfstream). Along the same line, you could probably throw Hillstone in the mix too.

          • Martha

            I second Fig, it is delicious. Mercado has a fun ambiance(near 3rd street Promenade/10 freeway) classy mexican food, or tar and roses.

            Nearer to the 405/pico is Westside Tavern, in the Westside Pavilion but really good food and atmosphere.

  15. LA Restaurant?

    moderation?

    i have tried to post twice just now and twice this morning. no tricky words in my text. why can’t i post?

    • Anon

      You can – it showed up multiple times this morning and people responded to you.

      • LA Restaurant?

        really? it doesn’t show, nor do any of the responses, on my screen! wow. let me go try again. thanks for telling me.

        • Anon

          No problem – if you still can’t see it, reply back and I’ll copy/paste the recommendations you received.

        • anon

          You have to refresh your screen if you want to see responses, they don’t just appear..

    • TCFKAG

      stop using the name of this website in your post, that will frequently get things thrown into moderation.

      Just fyi.

    • AEK

      I got told I was posting comments too quickly. I hadn’t posted a comment in weeks.

  16. ning

    Hijack!

    I just bought an adorable sleeveless peplum blouse (light blue), and it looks great over my pencil skirts. One problem- what do I wear to cover my arms at work??? My blazers weren’t working with it, and I only found one cardigan that sort-of worked. Any suggestions?

    • MissJackson

      You’d have to try-on to be sure, but I’d suggest looking for cropped cardigans. I think it’s going to be most flattering if the cardigan doesn’t get in the way with/cover the peplum. That’s just my inclination, though.

  17. JenK

    What about tea length dresses? I found an awesome gown on sale for $80, but it had a bit of a prom/nightgown feeling. I had it taken up (at the waist, to preserve the fancy stuff at the hem) to tea length and it looked and felt fantastic. I had my hair cut the afternoon of, so that brough the price of styling it down (needed a cut anyway).

  18. traditionalist

    I have heard that if an invitation specifies black tie, then long dresses are the only *truly* appropriate attire (as well as tuxedos for men). In addition, evening shoes should be satin, velted, or silk–not leather or patent leather. It is not necessary to get one’s hair “done” or wear an updo.

    Thoughts?

    • TCFKAG

      I’ve also *heard* that one shouldn’t wear white after labor day, that your shoes should match your purse, and that women should wear pantyhose and a skirt suit everyday. Times they are a changing.

      (Though I guess, if you’re going to something truly black black tie, then yes, the rules above are probably right, except I’d add that this years trends of glittery shoes or metallics would work as well).

      • CT

        Random side note: I recently moved to Houston from the East Coast, and they laughed at me for wearing a skirt suit and hose on the first day of work (they all wear ankle pants and sandals unless they’re in court!). I’m going to get “Know Your Office” embroidered on a pillow.

    • qwerty

      i have researched this to death because i am not one to be inappropriate, all of the information i’ve found says that younger women can do black tie with shorter dresses so long as the formality level is the same (though older women are expected to be in long gowns). i am 27 and no interest in joining the older women’s club just yet. my dresses always cover my knees and are of dressy fabrics.
      i agree that generally leather and patent would not be appropriate, but that truly depends on the styling of the shoe and the dress. i often break this rule and have many pairs of metallic leather shoes that go with my evening wear (generally closed toe pumps).

      • traditionalist

        alright, well, good to know! I am perfectly comfortable breaking “rules” for casual clothing but I guess I associate “rules” for formal wear with ettiquette rather than fashion. But I guess if I can think of these rules to be similar to the no-white-after-labor-rule, which I break all the time, I can allow myself to break them as well!

    • Leslie Knope

      I did the same research last year for a massive black-tie wedding and came to the same “just get a long dress to be on the safe side” conclusion. I get to the wedding, and of all the 400 guests, I am one of two women in a floor-length dress. GRRRRRR. I guess that explains why I had such a hard time finding the stupid thing in stores!

      • K

        Next time tell everyone that it is a maxi and you can feel at the height of the trend?

    • Y

      Personally, if it says “black tie” I’m wearing a gown, no question. I would much rather be overdressed than under-dressed when it comes to black tie events!

      • anonz

        Same here! I don’t get many chances to wear them and it’s fun to change it up.

      • Oops

        Is there no way to delete a post? I just put a RANDOM name on the last one (it made sense prior time I posted) and can’t delete it…?

  19. AKB

    NO NO NO – do NOT ask a co-worker (especially a senior person) if you can borrow a dress. That is completely inappropriate.

    • TCFKAG

      Yeah, I kind of blew past that part. I’m going to assume, since this advice was to a summer associate, that she meant like a junior associate at the firm. And not like a partner or something. But yeah….don’t ask to borrow your bosses clothes. can we all say awwwkkkward?

    • Maybe

      Agreed. Ask friends, prior co-workers at other firms (who aren’t invited to the proposed party).

  20. ning

    Has anyone tried Rent the Runway? After Kat mentioned it, I looked at their site, and I’m thinking about renting a dress for a June wedding.

    • Alanna of Trebond

      I thought about it for Barrister’s Ball, but it’s quite expensive. I ended up buying a dress for $175 from RueLaLa, which was how much most of the rentals that I really liked were on Rent the Runway, and this way, I got to keep the dress. The other issue I had was that it’s hard to tell if the dress will fit, and their fit specialists were not very responsive.

    • Anon

      I lOve it. I am just very careful with what I choose, only shapes that I’m really confident will work on my body. I also like to pack an old lbd in case it doesn’t work if I’m having rtr ship to a hotel.

    • LC

      I love Rent the Runway! I’ve used it when I’m attending weddings because you can get $50 rentals (cheaper if you have coupons!) and that way I don’t have a $150 dress sitting in my closet that I never want to wear because it was photographed to death at the last wedding. I haven’t tried their uber formal gowns because I feel that those usually need to be tailored, but for c*cktail dresses? Absolutely!

      • ning

        I’ll try it out, then! I’m at the age of weddings (2 this year that I know of, and 3 confirmed for next, plus mine), and it seems like a good solution to not wearing the same dress all the time.

  22. Ann

    I have successfully hemmed and re-worn a bridesmaid’s dress. It was red chiffon and a-line, and the style actually worked better just below the knee than floor-length. It has some draping, and I dress it up with a crystal pin, black silk velvet wrap, and black heels (2″). My last job had a lot of formal events, but never quite black tie – mostly party dresses and suits. Thanks to the posters for the neckline comments! Lots of party dresses are not work-function friendly, because of hem or necklines. Always do a bend test!

  23. Alex

    Have never seen long at a black tie business event in D.C. – only at very social evening weddings and charity balls. Clearly it’s a regional thing. White tie? Yes, long. But black tie more often than not means dressy cocktail attire for women (follow Kat’s advice re. little black dress and dressy accessories), but it can depend on the occasion. Social, depending on the occasion (wedding rather than cocktail buffet) and as opposed to business, can mean long for women, but checking with the hostess/sponsor seems imperative. Personally I’ve usually been warned when long is requested or required – and wouldn’t be caught dead in long for business.

  25. CGT

    Thanks for the Rent the Runway tip. Lifesaver! I end up at my share of black tie/ formal events and am tired of buying dresses I only wear a couple of times.

  27. click through the up coming document

    {
    {I have|I’ve} been {surfing|browsing} online more than {three|3|2|4} hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. {It’s|It is} pretty worth enough for me.
    {In my opinion|Personally|In my view}, if all {webmasters|site owners|website
    owners|web owners} and bloggers made good content as you did,
    the {internet|net|web} will be {much more|a lot more} useful than
    ever before.|
    I {couldn’t|could not} {resist|refrain from} commenting. {Very well|Perfectly|Well|Exceptionally well} written!|
    {I will|I’ll} {right away|immediately} {take hold of|grab|clutch|grasp|seize|snatch} your {rss|rss feed} as
    I {can not|can’t} {in finding|find|to find} your {email|e-mail} subscription {link|hyperlink} or {newsletter|e-newsletter} service. Do {you have|you’ve} any?

    {Please|Kindly} {allow|permit|let} me {realize|recognize|understand|recognise|know} {so that|in order that}
    I {may just|may|could} subscribe. Thanks.|
    {It is|It’s} {appropriate|perfect|the best} time to make some plans for the future and {it is|it’s} time to be happy.

    {I have|I’ve} read this post and if I could I {want to|wish to|desire to} suggest you {few|some} interesting things or {advice|suggestions|tips}. {Perhaps|Maybe} you {could|can} write next articles referring to this article. I {want to|wish to|desire to} read {more|even more} things about it!|
    {It is|It’s} {appropriate|perfect|the best} time to
    make {a few|some} plans for {the future|the longer term|the long run} and {it is|it’s} time to be happy. {I have|I’ve} {read|learn} this
    {post|submit|publish|put up} and if I {may just|may|could} I {want to|wish
    to|desire to} {suggest|recommend|counsel} you {few|some} {interesting|fascinating|attention-grabbing} {things|issues} or {advice|suggestions|tips}.
    {Perhaps|Maybe} you {could|can} write {next|subsequent} articles {relating to|referring to|regarding} this article.
    I {want to|wish to|desire to} {read|learn} {more|even
    more} {things|issues} {approximately|about} it!|
    {I have|I’ve} been {surfing|browsing} {online|on-line} {more than|greater than} {three|3} hours {these days|nowadays|today|lately|as of late}, {yet|but} I {never|by no means} {found|discovered} any {interesting|fascinating|attention-grabbing} article like yours. {It’s|It
    is} {lovely|pretty|beautiful} {worth|value|price} {enough|sufficient} for me.
    {In my opinion|Personally|In my view}, if all {webmasters|site owners|website owners|web owners} and bloggers made {just right|good|excellent} {content|content material} as {you did|you probably did}, the {internet|net|web} {will be|shall be|might be|will probably be|can be|will likely be} {much more|a lot more} {useful|helpful} than ever before.
    |
    Ahaa, its {nice|pleasant|good|fastidious} {discussion|conversation|dialogue} {regarding|concerning|about|on the topic of} this {article|post|piece of
    writing|paragraph} {here|at this place} at this {blog|weblog|webpage|website|web site}, I have
    read all that, so {now|at this time} me also commenting {here|at this place}.
    |
    I am sure this {article|post|piece of writing|paragraph} has touched
    all the internet {users|people|viewers|visitors}, its really
    really {nice|pleasant|good|fastidious} {article|post|piece
    of writing|paragraph} on building up new {blog|weblog|webpage|website|web site}.
    |
    Wow, this {article|post|piece of writing|paragraph} is {nice|pleasant|good|fastidious}, my {sister|younger sister} is analyzing {such|these|these kinds of}
    things, {so|thus|therefore} I am going to {tell|inform|let
    know|convey} her.|
    {Saved as a favorite|bookmarked!!}, {I really like|I like|I love} {your blog|your site|your web
    site|your website}!|
    Way cool! Some {very|extremely} valid points! I appreciate you {writing this|penning this} {article|post|write-up} {and the|and also the|plus the} rest of the {site
    is|website is} {also very|extremely|very|also really|really}
    good.|
    Hi, {I do believe|I do think} {this is an excellent|this is a great} {blog|website|web site|site}.
    I stumbledupon it ;) {I will|I am going to|I’m going to|I may} {come back|return|revisit} {once again|yet again} {since I|since i have} {bookmarked|book marked|book-marked|saved as a favorite} it. Money and freedom {is the best|is the greatest} way to change, may you be rich and continue to {help|guide} {other people|others}.|
    Woah! I’m really {loving|enjoying|digging} the template/theme of this
    {site|website|blog}. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s {very
    hard|very difficult|challenging|tough|difficult|hard} to get that “perfect balance” between {superb usability|user friendliness|usability} and
    {visual appearance|visual appeal|appearance}.
    I must say {that you’ve|you have|you’ve} done a {awesome|amazing|very
    good|superb|fantastic|excellent|great} job with this.
    {In addition|Additionally|Also}, the blog loads {very|extremely|super} {fast|quick} for me on {Safari|Internet explorer|Chrome|Opera|Firefox}.
    {Superb|Exceptional|Outstanding|Excellent} Blog!|
    These are {really|actually|in fact|truly|genuinely} {great|enormous|impressive|wonderful|fantastic} ideas in {regarding|concerning|about|on the topic of} blogging.
    You have touched some {nice|pleasant|good|fastidious}
    {points|factors|things} here. Any way keep up wrinting.
    |
    {I love|I really like|I enjoy|I like|Everyone loves} what you guys {are|are
    usually|tend to be} up too. {This sort of|This type of|Such|This kind of} clever work and
    {exposure|coverage|reporting}! Keep up the {superb|terrific|very good|great|good|awesome|fantastic|excellent|amazing|wonderful} works guys I’ve {incorporated||added|included} you guys to {|my|our||my personal|my own} blogroll.|
    {Howdy|Hi there|Hey there|Hi|Hello|Hey}! Someone in my {Myspace|Facebook} group shared this {site|website} with us so I came to {give it a look|look it over|take a look|check it out}. I’m definitely
    {enjoying|loving} the information. I’m {book-marking|bookmarking} and will be tweeting this to my followers! {Terrific|Wonderful|Great|Fantastic|Outstanding|Exceptional|Superb|Excellent} blog and {wonderful|terrific|brilliant|amazing|great|excellent|fantastic|outstanding|superb} {style and design|design and style|design}.|
    {I love|I really like|I enjoy|I like|Everyone loves} what you guys {are|are usually|tend to be} up too. {This sort of|This type of|Such|This kind of} clever work and {exposure|coverage|reporting}! Keep up the {superb|terrific|very good|great|good|awesome|fantastic|excellent|amazing|wonderful} works guys I’ve {incorporated|added|included} you guys
    to {|my|our|my personal|my own} blogroll.|
    {Howdy|Hi there|Hey there|Hi|Hello|Hey} would you mind {stating|sharing} which blog platform you’re {working with|using}? I’m {looking|planning|going} to start my own blog
    {in the near future|soon} but I’m having a {tough|difficult|hard} time {making a decision|selecting|choosing|deciding} between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your {design and style|design|layout} seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something {completely
    unique|unique}. P.S {My apologies|Apologies|Sorry} for {getting|being} off-topic but I had to ask!

    |
    {Howdy|Hi there|Hi|Hey there|Hello|Hey} would you mind letting
    me know which {webhost|hosting company|web host} you’re {utilizing|working with|using}? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 {completely
    different|different} {internet browsers|web browsers|browsers} and I must say this
    blog loads a lot {quicker|faster} then most. Can you {suggest|recommend}
    a good {internet hosting|web hosting|hosting} provider at a {honest|reasonable|fair} price?
    {Thanks a lot|Kudos|Cheers|Thank you|Many thanks|Thanks}, I appreciate it!
    |
    {I love|I really like|I like|Everyone loves} it {when people|when individuals|when folks|whenever people} {come together|get together} and share {opinions|thoughts|views|ideas}.
    Great {blog|website|site}, {keep it up|continue the good work|stick with it}!
    |
    Thank you for the {auspicious|good} writeup.

    It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to {far|more}
    added agreeable from you! {By the way|However}, how {can|could} we communicate?
    |
    {Howdy|Hi there|Hey there|Hello|Hey} just wanted to give you a quick heads up.
    The {text|words} in your {content|post|article} seem to be
    running off the screen in {Ie|Internet explorer|Chrome|Firefox|Safari|Opera}.
    I’m not sure if this is a {format|formatting} issue or something to do with {web browser|internet browser|browser} compatibility but I {thought|figured} I’d post
    to let you know. The {style and design|design and style|layout|design}
    look great though! Hope you get the {problem|issue} {solved|resolved|fixed} soon.
    {Kudos|Cheers|Many thanks|Thanks}|
    This is a topic {that is|that’s|which is} {close to|near to} my heart… {Cheers|Many thanks|Best wishes|Take care|Thank you}! {Where|Exactly where} are your contact details though?|
    It’s very {easy|simple|trouble-free|straightforward|effortless} to find out any {topic|matter}
    on {net|web} as compared to {books|textbooks}, as I found this {article|post|piece
    of writing|paragraph} at this {website|web site|site|web page}.
    |
    Does your {site|website|blog} have a contact page?
    I’m having {a tough time|problems|trouble} locating it but, I’d like to {send|shoot} you an {e-mail|email}.
    I’ve got some {creative ideas|recommendations|suggestions|ideas} for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great {site|website|blog} and I look forward to seeing it {develop|improve|expand|grow} over time.|
    {Hola|Hey there|Hi|Hello|Greetings}! I’ve been {following|reading}
    your {site|web site|website|weblog|blog} for {a long time|a while|some time} now
    and finally got the {bravery|courage} to go
    ahead and give you a shout out from {New Caney|Kingwood|Huffman|Porter|Houston|Dallas|Austin|Lubbock|Humble|Atascocita} {Tx|Texas}!
    Just wanted to {tell you|mention|say} keep up the {fantastic|excellent|great|good} {job|work}!
    |
    Greetings from {Idaho|Carolina|Ohio|Colorado|Florida|Los angeles|California}!
    I’m {bored to tears|bored to death|bored} at work so I decided to {check out|browse} your {site|website|blog} on my iphone during lunch break. I {enjoy|really like|love} the {knowledge|info|information} you {present|provide} here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home.
    I’m {shocked|amazed|surprised} at how {quick|fast} your blog loaded on my {mobile|cell phone|phone} .. I’m not
    even using WIFI, just 3G .. {Anyhow|Anyways}, {awesome|amazing|very good|superb|good|wonderful|fantastic|excellent|great} {site|blog}!
    |
    Its {like you|such as you} {read|learn} my {mind|thoughts}!
    You {seem|appear} {to understand|to know|to grasp} {so much|a
    lot} {approximately|about} this, {like you|such as you} wrote the {book|e-book|guide|ebook|e book} in it or something.
    {I think|I feel|I believe} {that you|that you simply|that you
    just} {could|can} do with {some|a few} {%|p.c.|percent} to {force|pressure|drive|power} the message {house|home} {a bit|a little bit}, {however|but} {other than|instead of} that, {this is|that is} {great|wonderful|fantastic|magnificent|excellent} blog. {A great|An excellent|A fantastic} read. {I’ll|I will} {definitely|certainly} be back.|
    I visited {multiple|many|several|various} {websites|sites|web sites|web pages|blogs} {but|except|however} the audio {quality|feature} for audio songs {current|present|existing} at this {website|web site|site|web page} is {really|actually|in fact|truly|genuinely} {marvelous|wonderful|excellent|fabulous|superb}.|
    {Howdy|Hi there|Hi|Hello}, i read your blog {occasionally|from time to time} and i own a similar one and i was just {wondering|curious} if you get a lot of spam {comments|responses|feedback|remarks}? If so how do you {prevent|reduce|stop|protect against} it, any plugin or anything you can {advise|suggest|recommend}? I get so much lately it’s driving me {mad|insane|crazy} so any {assistance|help|support} is very much appreciated.|
    Greetings! {Very helpful|Very useful} advice {within this|in this particular} {article|post}! {It is the|It’s the} little changes {that make|which will make|that produce|that will make} {the biggest|the largest|the greatest|the most important|the most significant} changes. {Thanks a lot|Thanks|Many thanks} for sharing!|
    {I really|I truly|I seriously|I absolutely} love {your blog|your site|your website}.. {Very nice|Excellent|Pleasant|Great} colors & theme. Did you {create|develop|make|build} {this website|this site|this web site|this amazing site} yourself? Please reply back as I’m {looking to|trying to|planning to|wanting to|hoping to|attempting to} create {my own|my very own|my own personal} {blog|website|site} and {would like to|want to|would love to} {know|learn|find out} where you got this from or {what the|exactly what the|just what the} theme {is called|is named}. {Thanks|Many thanks|Thank you|Cheers|Appreciate it|Kudos}!|
    {Hi there|Hello there|Howdy}! This {post|article|blog post} {couldn’t|could not} be written {any better|much better}! {Reading through|Looking at|Going through|Looking through} this {post|article} reminds me of my previous roommate! He {always|constantly|continually} kept {talking about|preaching about} this. {I will|I’ll|I am going to|I most certainly will} {forward|send} {this article|this information|this post} to him. {Pretty sure|Fairly certain} {he will|he’ll|he’s going to} {have a good|have a very good|have a great} read. {Thank you for|Thanks for|Many thanks for|I appreciate you for} sharing!|
    {Wow|Whoa|Incredible|Amazing}! This blog looks {exactly|just} like my old one! It’s on a {completely|entirely|totally} different {topic|subject} but it has pretty much the same {layout|page layout} and design. {Excellent|Wonderful|Great|Outstanding|Superb} choice of colors!|
    {There is|There’s} {definately|certainly} {a lot to|a great deal to} {know about|learn about|find out about} this {subject|topic|issue}. {I like|I love|I really like} {all the|all of the} points {you made|you’ve made|you have made}.|
    {You made|You’ve made|You have made} some {decent|good|really good} points there. I {looked|checked} {on the internet|on the web|on the net} {for more info|for more information|to find out more|to learn more|for additional information} about the issue and found {most individuals|most people} will go along with your views on {this website|this site|this web site}.|
    {Hi|Hello|Hi there|What’s up}, I {log on to|check|read} your {new stuff|blogs|blog} {regularly|like every week|daily|on a regular basis}. Your {story-telling|writing|humoristic} style is {awesome|witty}, keep {doing what you’re doing|up the good work|it up}!|
    I {simply|just} {could not|couldn’t} {leave|depart|go away} your {site|web site|website} {prior to|before} suggesting that I {really|extremely|actually} {enjoyed|loved} {the standard|the usual} {information|info} {a person|an individual} {supply|provide} {for your|on your|in your|to your} {visitors|guests}? Is {going to|gonna} be {back|again} {frequently|regularly|incessantly|steadily|ceaselessly|often|continuously} {in order to|to} {check up on|check out|inspect|investigate cross-check} new posts|
    {I wanted|I needed|I want to|I need to} to thank you for this {great|excellent|fantastic|wonderful|good|very good} read!! I {definitely|certainly|absolutely} {enjoyed|loved} every {little bit of|bit of} it. {I have|I’ve got|I have got} you {bookmarked|book marked|book-marked|saved as a favorite} {to check out|to look at} new {stuff you|things you} post…|
    {Hi|Hello|Hi there|What’s up}, just wanted to {mention|say|tell you}, I {enjoyed|liked|loved} this {article|post|blog post}. It was {inspiring|funny|practical|helpful}. Keep on posting!|
    I {{leave|drop|{write|create}} a {comment|leave a response}|drop a {comment|leave a response}|{comment|leave a response}} {each time|when|whenever} I {appreciate|like|especially enjoy} a {post|article} on a {site|{blog|website}|site|website} or {I have|if I have} something to {add|contribute|valuable to contribute} {to the discussion|to the conversation}. {It is|Usually it is|Usually it’s|It’s} {a result of|triggered by|caused by} the {passion|fire|sincerness} {communicated|displayed} in the {post|article} I {read|looked at|browsed}. And {on|after} this {post|article} How to Dress for a Black-Tie Event and Save Money. I {{was|was actually} moved|{was|was actually} excited} enough to {drop|{leave|drop|{write|create}}|post} a {thought|{comment|{comment|leave a response}a response}} {:-P|:)|;)|;-)|:-)} I {do have|actually do have} {{some|a few} questions|a couple of questions|2 questions} for you {if you {don’t|do not|usually do not|tend not to} mind|if it’s {allright|okay}}. {Is it|Could it be} {just|only|simply} me or {do|does it {seem|appear|give the impression|look|look as if|look like} like} {some|a few} of {the|these} {comments|responses|remarks} {look|appear|come across} {like they are|as if they are|like} {coming from|written by|left by} brain dead {people|visitors|folks|individuals}? :-P And, if you are {posting|writing} {on|at} {other|additional} {sites|social sites|online sites|online social sites|places}, {I’d|I would} like to {follow|keep up with} {you|{anything|everything} {new|fresh} you have to post}. {Could|Would} you {list|make a list} {all|every one|the complete urls} of {your|all your} {social|communal|community|public|shared} {pages|sites} like your {twitter feed, Facebook page or linkedin profile|linkedin profile, Facebook page or twitter feed|Facebook page, twitter feed, or linkedin profile}?|
    {Hi there|Hello}, I enjoy reading {all of|through} your {article|post|article post}. I {like|wanted} to write a little comment to support you.|
    I {always|constantly|every time} spent my half an hour to read this {blog|weblog|webpage|website|web site}’s {articles|posts|articles or reviews|content} {everyday|daily|every day|all the time} along with a {cup|mug} of coffee.|
    I {always|for all time|all the time|constantly|every time} emailed this {blog|weblog|webpage|website|web site} post page to all my {friends|associates|contacts}, {because|since|as|for the reason that} if like to read it {then|after that|next|afterward} my {friends|links|contacts} will too.|
    My {coder|programmer|developer} is trying to {persuade|convince} me to move to .net from PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the {expenses|costs}. But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using {Movable-type|WordPress} on {a number of|a variety of|numerous|several|various} websites for about a year and am {nervous|anxious|worried|concerned} about switching to another platform. I have heard {fantastic|very good|excellent|great|good} things about blogengine.net. Is there a way I can {transfer|import} all my wordpress {content|posts} into it? {Any kind of|Any} help would be {really|greatly} appreciated!|
    {Hello|Hi|Hello there|Hi there|Howdy|Good day}! I could have sworn I’ve {been to|visited} {this blog|this web site|this website|this site|your blog} before but after {browsing through|going through|looking at} {some of the|a few of the|many of the} {posts|articles} I realized it’s new to me. {Anyways|Anyhow|Nonetheless|Regardless}, I’m {definitely|certainly} {happy|pleased|delighted} {I found|I discovered|I came across|I stumbled upon} it and I’ll be {bookmarking|book-marking} it and checking back {frequently|regularly|often}!|
    {Terrific|Great|Wonderful} {article|work}! {This is|That is} {the type of|the kind of} {information|info} {that are meant to|that are supposed to|that should} be shared {around the|across the} {web|internet|net}. {Disgrace|Shame} on {the {seek|search} engines|Google} for {now not|not|no longer} positioning this {post|submit|publish|put up} {upper|higher}! Come on over and {talk over with|discuss with|seek advice from|visit|consult with} my {site|web site|website} . {Thank you|Thanks} =)|
    Heya {i’m|i am} for the first time here. I {came across|found} this board and I find It {truly|really} useful & it helped me out {a lot|much}. I hope to give something back and {help|aid} others like you {helped|aided} me.|
    {Hi|Hello|Hi there|Hello there|Howdy|Greetings}, {I think|I believe|I do believe|I do think|There’s no doubt that} {your site|your website|your web site|your blog} {might be|may be|could be|could possibly be} having {browser|internet browser|web browser} compatibility {issues|problems}. {When I|Whenever I} {look at your|take a look at your} {website|web site|site|blog} in Safari, it looks fine {but when|however when|however, if|however, when} opening in {Internet Explorer|IE|I.E.}, {it has|it’s got} some overlapping issues. {I just|I simply|I merely} wanted to {give you a|provide you with a} quick heads up! {Other than that|Apart from that|Besides that|Aside from that}, {fantastic|wonderful|great|excellent} {blog|website|site}!|
    {A person|Someone|Somebody} {necessarily|essentially} {lend a hand|help|assist} to make {seriously|critically|significantly|severely} {articles|posts} {I would|I might|I’d} state. {This is|That is} the {first|very first} time I frequented your {web page|website page} and {to this point|so far|thus far|up to now}? I {amazed|surprised} with the {research|analysis} you made to {create|make} {this actual|this particular} {post|submit|publish|put up} {incredible|amazing|extraordinary}. {Great|Wonderful|Fantastic|Magnificent|Excellent} {task|process|activity|job}!|
    Heya {i’m|i am} for {the primary|the first} time here. I {came across|found} this board and I {in finding|find|to find} It {truly|really} {useful|helpful} & it helped me out {a lot|much}. {I am hoping|I hope|I’m hoping} {to give|to offer|to provide|to present} {something|one thing} {back|again} and {help|aid} others {like you|such as you} {helped|aided} me.|
    {Hello|Hi|Hello there|Hi there|Howdy|Good day|Hey there}! {I just|I simply} {would like to|want to|wish to} {give you a|offer you a} {huge|big} thumbs up {for the|for your} {great|excellent} {info|information} {you have|you’ve got|you have got} {here|right here} on this post. {I will be|I’ll be|I am} {coming back to|returning to} {your blog|your site|your website|your web site} for more soon.|
    I {always|all the time|every time} used to {read|study} {article|post|piece of writing|paragraph} in news papers but now as I am a user of {internet|web|net} {so|thus|therefore} from now I am using net for {articles|posts|articles or reviews|content}, thanks to web.|
    Your {way|method|means|mode} of {describing|explaining|telling} {everything|all|the whole thing} in this {article|post|piece of writing|paragraph} is {really|actually|in fact|truly|genuinely} {nice|pleasant|good|fastidious}, {all|every one} {can|be able to|be capable of} {easily|without difficulty|effortlessly|simply} {understand|know|be aware of} it, Thanks a lot.|
    {Hi|Hello} there, {I found|I discovered} your {blog|website|web site|site} {by means of|via|by the use of|by way of} Google {at the same time as|whilst|even as|while} {searching for|looking for} a {similar|comparable|related} {topic|matter|subject}, your {site|web site|website} {got here|came} up, it {looks|appears|seems|seems to be|appears to be like} {good|great}. {I have|I’ve} bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
    {Hello|Hi} there, {simply|just} {turned into|became|was|become|changed into} {aware of|alert to} your {blog|weblog} {thru|through|via} Google, {and found|and located} that {it is|it’s} {really|truly} informative. {I’m|I am} {gonna|going to} {watch out|be careful} for brussels. {I will|I’ll} {appreciate|be grateful} {if you|should you|when you|in the event you|in case you|for those who|if you happen to} {continue|proceed} this {in future}. {A lot of|Lots of|Many|Numerous} {other folks|folks|other people|people} {will be|shall be|might be|will probably be|can be|will likely be} benefited {from your|out of your} writing. Cheers!|
    {I am|I’m} curious to find out what blog {system|platform} {you have been|you happen to be|you are|you’re} {working with|utilizing|using}? I’m {experiencing|having} some {minor|small} security {problems|issues} with my latest {site|website|blog} and {I would|I’d} like to find something more {safe|risk-free|safeguarded|secure}. Do you have any {solutions|suggestions|recommendations}?|
    {I am|I’m} {extremely|really} impressed with your writing skills {and also|as well as} with the layout on your {blog|weblog}. Is this a paid theme or did you {customize|modify} it yourself? {Either way|Anyway} keep up the {nice|excellent} quality writing, {it’s|it is} rare to see a {nice|great} blog like this one {these days|nowadays|today}.|
    {I am|I’m} {extremely|really} {inspired|impressed} {with your|together with your|along with your} writing {talents|skills|abilities} {and also|as {smartly|well|neatly} as} with the {layout|format|structure} {for your|on your|in your|to your} {blog|weblog}. {Is this|Is that this} a paid {subject|topic|subject matter|theme} or did you {customize|modify} it {yourself|your self}? {Either way|Anyway} {stay|keep} up the {nice|excellent} {quality|high quality} writing, {it’s|it is} {rare|uncommon} {to peer|to see|to look} a {nice|great} {blog|weblog} like this one {these days|nowadays|today}..|
    {Hi|Hello}, Neat post. {There is|There’s} {a problem|an issue} {with your|together with your|along with your} {site|web site|website} in {internet|web} explorer, {may|might|could|would} {check|test} this? IE {still|nonetheless} is the {marketplace|market} {leader|chief} and {a large|a good|a big|a huge} {part of|section of|component to|portion of|component of|element of} {other folks|folks|other people|people} will {leave out|omit|miss|pass over} your {great|wonderful|fantastic|magnificent|excellent} writing {due to|because of} this problem.|
    {I’m|I am} not sure where {you are|you’re} getting your {info|information}, but {good|great} topic. I needs to spend some time learning {more|much more} or understanding more. Thanks for {great|wonderful|fantastic|magnificent|excellent} {information|info} I was looking for this {information|info} for my mission.|
    {Hi|Hello}, i think that i saw you visited my {blog|weblog|website|web site|site} {so|thus} i came to “return the favor”.{I am|I’m} {trying to|attempting to} find things to {improve|enhance} my {website|site|web site}!I suppose its ok to use {some of|a few of} your ideas!!\

  28. Stefanie

    I know this is an old thread, but I feel I must comment for anyone who may reference it. “Black Tie” does NOT mean you must wear a black dress!!! It is merely the description of the level of formality for the gentlemen. Here is a guideline for women:

    WHITE TIE: This is the most formal. You generally will not see this outside of State Dinners, very formal Charity Balls, or very, very formal large weddings. Gentlemen must wear White Tie, meaning a black tailcoat, black trousers, white pique tie, shirt, and vest. No exceptions. (This is what the gentlemen wear for dinner on the show “Downton Abbey”) LADIES: Ladies should wear a formal, full-length gown… this is your night to break out your finest jewelry too! A cocktail dress will be too casual.

    BLACK TIE: This is one step down from White Tie. Gentlemen wear a tuxedo. They have a bit more freedom here as to color, tie-style, etc., depending upon the tone of the event. A younger, more fun crowd, do a colored bowtie or a long “European” tie (think of the guys who attend the Oscars), if it is a work event, you can never go wrong with black tux, white tuxedo shirt, black bow tie. (Hey, it works for James Bond!) LADIES: You have more leeway too! You are invited to wear a long evening gown, or you may choose a very formal cocktail dress. Fabulous accessories are a must. If you are going for a cocktail dress, your go-to LBD may not be formal enough. Think embellishment, even if subtle. There have been some gorgeous lace dresses recently that would be perfect paired with your most fabulous stilettos and formal jewelry. Leeway does not make the choice easy, so never hesitate to contact someone in the know (a friend who has attended the event before, an event organizer, etc.) and ask them.

    BLACK TIE OPTIONAL: Gentlemen are invited to wear their tuxedos, or they may wear a formal, dark suit. Black/grey/navy. Keep the accessories elegant (tie, pocket square, cufflinks). LADIES: You may wear a simple long gown or a fabulous cocktail dress. You can be a bit more playful and creative here. Same advice for asking someone in the know!

    COCKTAIL ATTIRE: Men in dark suits. LADIES: this is what the cocktail dress was made for. No long gowns tonight! Keep it dressy and chic. A sedate skirt and top will not be dressy enough. It should feel a bit special.

    WITHIN THESE GUIDELINES, CHOOSE YOUR OUTFIT TO FLATTER YOU AND MAKE YOU FEEL YOUR BEST!
    Remember two bits of advice from Coco Chanel:

    “Look for the woman in the dress. If there is no woman, there is no dress.”

    “Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.”

Back to Top

About

Work with Corporette®

Serious Stuff

work fashion blog press mentions