Just this morning my 90 YO neighbor and I went to our local symphony office to renew our season tickets. So I’ll be going somewhere! I dress up a tiny bit, but this is the wild west, so that means nice boots with jeans and sweater, usually.

What a blast! Awesome pieces. Special love for #4.

Jessikams, I have actually LOST weight during lockdown. Caring for my sick old parents (and their house and garden) keeps me busy and relatively slim.

My party suit issues are more like: How do I feel about the lines, details, fabric and colour NOW, compared to when I purchased it (in a hurry) more than three years ago? Will I ever want to wear it again, or will I prefer other items from my "party closet"? I need to think more about it.

What a great glam collection!

Sometimes I visit my buried treasures - though some a bit too buried now.

Sometimes I wish I had a reason to own formalware....then I remember how much I like staying home. I do enjoy seeing your collection, though!

Beautiful! I'm sure they were happy to see you :)! I love the brocade boots and would love a pair of formal boots myself! Everything looks fab, but I especially love your mother's burgundy top (pieces like that are so meaningful).

I think there’s an avant garde aspect to your style that lends itself to having a large, long lasting dressy capsule which transcends trends without being basic LBD either… food for thought for me!

What a unique awesome capsule!! You have an edge to your styling that really works....

We need a YLF virtual party... (maybe I will host)....

Such fab pieces and combinations!

I just went through my “ collection “ as well because I plan to downsize my closet space and dressy items are languishing, and I’m not expecting any events ( generally tend towards winter/ holiday times and weather) for maybe another year.
I was dreading that everything in the “ capsule “ would seem too precious to part with, and that I would be indecisive or hang on as usual, but instead I was pleasantly surprised to
find clear winners and losers, changes in fit, in what kind of styles and looks I found pleasing vs not. So offloaded quite a bit.
It’s not that I’ve now got everything I might need for a true gala, or for weddings of all types. It’s more that I identified several outfits and combinations on a spectrum of dressiness that I’d wear right now if I could , and it’s easier to “ see” my options now that winnowed down, so I can play with what others, and I feel ok about possibly having to shop for something down the road if I want to, for some future event(s).

How FUN to play dress up like that! And with such fabulous pieces. You look AMAZING! A treat for you, and us

#6 is my best! KILLER to the Power of KILLER. Elegant, fun, modern, warm and comfy. You had me with the cream boots....

Love the dress up session and how your styling flair! Visiting my closet is one of my favorite hobbies .

Apologies that time differences meant I was asleep when many of these wonderful comments came in!

Janet, WOW that red gown is incredible. I tend to favor separates just because I have a hard time finding interesting gowns. But I’m thinking of celebrating another “quinceanera” when I turn 50, so there’s an opportunity for a Big Dress

Chewy Spaghetti, I do tend to find non musical formal events (banquets, ceremonies etc) kinda boring, honestly—-especially now that I don’t drink! It’s always so wonderful to get home at the end of the night, isn’t it.

Most of the formal events are work-related, so the outfits can’t be totally crazy, unfortunately. That would make it more fun!

Cat2, I love the idea of dress-up at-home dinners. I tried to convince hubs to do that a few times but he refused

JAileen, thrifting seems perfect as a solution to dress-up events.

Jules and Sal, I’m glad to hear that avant-garde and edge are coming through here. It’s part of my style goal. I do think, as Angie says, avant-garde pieces age well.

Unfrumped, sounds like you are in a great place with this part of your closet.

Angie thanks for your seal of approval on the cream boots! Total impulse buy at the time, but they are useful.

Wow Jessikams, your pieces are sooo damn cool! No wonder you are giving them a whirl!

(Sal - love the idea of a virtual party!)

I will organise a thread next week....maybe we could share what we would wear to a YLF party... take some photos:)

Love your style and wish every one of these pieces were in MY closet! How fab!

You have such beautiful pieces and you style them so well. I don’t have anything near as formal but I miss wearing my work clothes, or anything a step above yoga pants and T shirts.
But I could play dress up with the work clothes! Thanks for the inspiration.

I really love your style. Your hair and your formal outfits have a great edgy look to them. I don't really have anything like that....probably due to my lifestyle which is super casual except for work. Perhaps I need to work on that gap in my wardrobe and then I would need to fill the gap in my lifestyle.

Thank you for this timely reminder not to donate my metallic teal, pleated maxi skirt - just because I haven't worn it lately, doesn't mean I never will!

That said though, maybe I should re-evaluate it for here? The most formal events I've attended post marriage are day weddings, which really aren't formal out here - 2 guys showed up to mine in an Adidas t-shirt & windbreaker respectively. Lol

Wow! I love your style and what a great shoe collection! My favourite is no.7 but they are all gorgeous.

Are the shoes mismatched in #4 btw? They both go with it!

Yes Zaeobi I often try on outfits with different shoes on my two feet, to see which works! Then I do a kind of “stork dance” in front of the mirror….it’s very dignified.

I actually did get a chance to attend one or two events this winter, so some of these pieces got out of the closet and into the world.

No formal events for me lately.

I’m going to do the 2 different shoes approach next time I post—no stork dance, but people can casually drape a napkin across their phone so it covers first one foot, then the other, and imagine a second shoe matching what they see.

I get very excited when I see that Jessica's is trying on her good stuff! #wardrobegoals

Oh, so sad, when autocorrect steps in. *JESSIKAMS*

The stork approach sounds very practical - I should try it with my pleated maxi, lol!

I don't wear shoes indoors (just house slippers), so they're often the last thing I put on as I'm leaving the house - another good reminder to perhaps consider them more closely next time. Mine are all fairly boring though - only my clothes are colourful, lol

Wow! If I had pieces like that I'd definitely be visiting them- #2 is probably my favorite... so unique!

I tried revisiting my 'fancy' clothes a little while back. Although they're still all in style, they were mostly from my old job as a banker so I can't relate to them anymore. I actually thought "who was that person??" But they still sit in my drawers because you never know when I'll need them again!

I wore something like 2/3 for a fancy event just before Xmas.

It sounds like we will all need to adjust our feelings about our fancy clothes! So much has changed.