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Feature
Article:
Special Occasion Dress Overview
What should be in your
special occasion wardrobe?
Before I answer that,
let's define exactly what special occasion clothes are. Special
occasion attire, unlike casual and business wear, is typically very
formal and are made of fine fabrics like silk, velvet, and lace.
They're worn on the dressiest occasions of life, like:
· Garden Parties
· Cocktail parties
· Formal dinners
· Formal dances
· Engagement parties
· Weddings
· Baptisms
· First Communions
· Bar Mitzvahs
· Other Religious Ceremonies
· Galas
· Graduations
· Award ceremonies
· Movie premieres
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Chadwicks.com
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Special occasion day
wear, which includes knee or calf-length suits, dresses,
skirts, or pants, usually features festive colors, patterns, and trims
in a modest style, and may be worn with a hat and matching accessories.
Day wear is typically worn to functions that begin late morning or
early afternoon, or before 6 pm.
Special occasion evening wear
includes cocktail dresses, full length gowns, or separates in flowing,
shiny, or beaded fabrics in either modest or shoulder-baring styles.
Evening wear is typically worn to functions that begin late afternoon
or early evening, or after 6 pm.
A good special occasion
wear selection for an average lifestyle includes:
Skirts
1 all-season day
1 summer evening
1 winter evening
Tops
1 fun day
2 flirty night
Dresses
1 all-season day
1 summer evening
1 winter evening
Pants
1 evening
Suits
1 daytime
1 evening
Jackets
1 pastel for summer
1 velvet for winter
Outerwear
1 evening jacket
1 light wrap
Bag
1 evening clutch
Shoes
1 pair dress sandals
1 pair closed toe evening heels
1 pair strappy metallic sandals
Now as you look over
this list, you may think it's a bit excessive for your needs. That's
fine. Again, this is for an average lifestyle. If you live a quiet
life, an all-season skirt and evening bag may be all you need. If
you're a socialite or are in the public eye a lot, this may not see you
through a fortnight of events. Again, adjust accordingly.
So how can you cheat if
you need a few pieces to do a lot of things? In a word: SEPARATES.
Mixing pieces will make
you look like you have a lot more than you really do. You can even pull
pieces from your casual or business wardrobes to use for social events,
so long as you add an appropriate top and accessories.
Have 3 or 4 special occasions coming up for
which you need to dress (graduation, wedding, cocktail party, bridal
shower)? If you'll be with different people each time, you could wear
the same outfit to each. If you'll be with the same people, wear the
same base outfit (suit, blouse and skirt) but change the accessories or
your hairstyle.
If you'll be traveling
out of town to an event (graduation, wedding, movie premier), be sure
to check with your host as to what's appropriate. Generally, the bigger
the town, the more formal the attire; the smaller the town, the less
formal. This is important. If you've ever gone somewhere and felt like
a "city slicker" or "country comes to town," you know what I'm talking
about. If you want people to talk to you, dress like the locals;
otherwise, you may travel a long distance and get a chilly reception
for your trouble.
So what's the bottom
line with putting together an appropriate special occasion wardrobe? With a
few well-chosen pieces, a few jokes in your back pocket, and a kind
word for everyone, you could soon find your social life sizzling with
non-stop invitations. Match your clothing with the occasion, and like a
fine vintage paired with a tasty entrée, you could soon become a
special occasion favorite.
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Diana
Pemberton-Sikes is a wardrobe and image consultant and author of "Occasion Magic," an ebook that
shows women how to dress appropriately for every occasion, regardless
of where they live. Visit her online at www.fashionforrealwomen.com
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Black is not a flattering
color for me. Remember I told you I am a summery Sapphire. I used to
tell my daughter (who is a springy, fair skinned, light haired Opal)
that she looked like a walking ghost when she put on the requisite
black and white uniform of her salon employer. Well, I look the same
way as many of us do when we surround our faces with such a stark and
dark color, ghoulish.
forest green, even sexy red is often
permitted at such formal events.
'You look
marvelous!'
