Ask Angie: Black tie event accessorizing advice needed. NYC tomorrow! - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Dressing

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Ask Angie: Black tie event accessorizing advice needed. NYC tomorrow!

nancylee

Veteran

I've been absent from the forum for several weeks due to DH's continuing health problems. HOWEVER, the procedure he had at Johns Hopkins three weeks ago seems to have been a success so far. YAY! Time will tell for sure, but in the meantime we are celebrating the first good health news we've had in many months.

AND we are headed to NYC tomorrow for weekend of formal events and parties related to his work, including a black tie dinner on Saturday. I'm wearing a basic black Ralph Lauren jersey gown that has a silver brooch accent at the waist, but I'm unsure of how to accessorize it. I do want to wear the new green earrings I bought, but as far as evening bags and shoes go I'm open to suggestions. I'm never sure how much gold/silver mixing is allowed!

#1 - The dress
#2 - Bag options
#3 - The earrings
#4 - Shoe options

Dressing

17 replies

Latest reply was from unfrumped

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I love the earrings and myself would be tempted to choose the silver bag and black shoes at first glance - but I think the gold clutch looks so fun and easier to carry by hand - and the earrings have gold in them too so I'm torn too.

Sona

Veteran

gold bag
gold shoes
green earrings
I think gold and greena re marvelous together!

Glad that you have some good news on the DH health front.
Keep smilin. Keep shinin!!!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Nancy, first of all, YAY for the success of your husband's recent medical procedure; I am so glad.

As for the event --- Oooh. This is tough. I remember you went to a similar party last year and Angie was super helpful. Since the earrings mix silver or at least sparkly white and gold, I'll bet you can mix them some more with your outfit, so why not try different combinations?

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Ditto what Sona said - and I'm so SOOOOO glad that you and hubby are finally getting some good news!

rachylou

Veteran

Glad things went well at Johns Hopkins! Nice dress! Dramatic neckline

I'd go for the earrings, silver bag, black shoes.

JR

Veteran

I do not have any fashion wisdom I can offer here, but I am so happy for you both that you've had some good news. May it be the first of a long series.

nancylee

Veteran

Thanks for the advice so far, everyone.

Sona and Shannon, I like your all-gold selections....but I'm a little worried about the silver/sparkly brooch on the dress. Will that look ok? I guess it will because (like Suz said) the earrings have both gold and sparkly/silver in them.

texstyle and rachylou...the silver bag IS fun. Hm.

Suz, you're right. We go to this event every year, and Angie was a whiz at helping me choose accessories last year. Maybe she'll add her two cents!

Thanks for the support for myself and DH...we are feeling hopeful. Fingers crossed the good news continues.

Anonymous

So happy to hear your great news! I really don't think you can go wrong with any combo of these accessories.

unfrumped

Veteran

So happy for good health news!

You look mah-velous in that gown.

Okay, so one approach is to ignore the silver detail at the waist, and go with gold elsewhere, or ignore the small bit of gold in the earrings and go with silver and black elsewhere. I like the silver sparkly bag and the black sandals with your black gown a little better than the gold, so I might try that with the earrings and see if it's hey, my earrings are gold, so sue me and if it looks good, go with that. Another potential way to play with the combo's is you don't need gold/silver/sparkle at all 4 places--top, waist, bag and shoes.

Jilly

So glad your dh is doing better. And will pray for continued good health.

I would go with the earrings, silver bag, and the black shoes

Mia

Veteran

How wonderful that you have this break and a chance to dress up in the "Big Apple". I am so excited for you.

I would love to see this dress with the gold clutch, green earrings, black sandals and if you have one a big gold cuff or chunky bracelet. Based on the photo the little detail at the waist doesn't seem like a deal breaker but if a problem maybe it could be covered by soft belt or? You will look very "New York", modern and totally fab. Enjoy!

Carole

Veteran

Silver bag, black shoes, green earrings!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Ditto to Carole!

I'm glad hubby is doing better, and I hope it's all good news from here on out. You guys have been through enough this year!

sarah

Veteran

Nancy, I'm utterly hopeless in the dressy department, but I wanted to pop in and say that I'm really glad hubs is doing better. Have a wonderful time!

(If I ever have to *really* dress up, I will be at a complete loss)

nancylee

Veteran

Hmm. We seem evenly divided on the gold vs. silver/sparkly accessories. And I still haven't decided! I do think either combo would work. Hmm. Still thinking....

DH's valuable advice so far: "Wear whatever you want. No one will notice if it matches."
Ha! Such a guy response.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Glad you have had good news about DH. My first reaction is to agree with Sona and everyone who chose the gold and green. But not sure how it plays with the silver brooch, so you might just have to model it!

unfrumped

Veteran

Your DH is not far off, I think, unless you yourself are the featured guest beamed out to everyone on some big screen.

At my recent "gala" event, the main thing I noticed was how little I seemed to really focus on what people wore in any great detail, as long as they looked nice and walked normally and smiled and all that. And that was me trying to notice, for fun, to see what was "in" and how I fit in. I mean, --short dresses, long gowns, jewelry, shoes--it was all good. Or maybe not good, maybe that means no fashion perfection was achieved--but nothing was really all that memorable or distracting. I was kind of surprised.