Event Dressing

While still feeling like yourself

Hi! I’ve recently returned from an incredible end of Summer trip to Spain where we visited friends, and had a wonderful time eating all the shellfish, paella, jamon, anchovies, and getting a mix of Barcelona’s city life and hopping around the beautiful beaches of Costa Brava.

Now that I’m back, I’ve been thinking a lot about Fall dressing, and I quickly realized that I have most of what I need for the season, so I shifted my immediate attention on getting dressed for a few upcoming events - some fun parties in NYC and a wedding in East Hampton next month. (Next up I want to pull together some of my favorite fall pieces - please let me know if you have any specific requests).

As always, I like to be thoughtful about any new pieces I purchase, and I’ve done a lot of research on what can work for event dressing while still allowing me to feel like myself. I wanted to share my personal approach here, but would love to hear if you have other tips or approaches that work for your own personal style.

I tend to lean very casual in my everyday dressing, so the challenge for me is to find pieces that still reflect my personal style while also being a little fancier.

When I think about the event and how I’ll want to feel, I know I just want to feel like myself - comfortable, effortless, not fussy. I love to start by pulling pieces out of my own closet - and if I find something that works, it’s a good excuse to bring in some new accessories to make the outfit feel fresh and appropriate for the occasion. A new statement shoe, a pop of color from a bag, something sparkly!

So I have this beautiful silk two-piece set by Tove. I had originally purchased it for an event a couple years ago and I’m happy to see that they still make it, in some new colors and prints too.

I always love separates for event wear, as the pieces can offer so much styling versatility. I’ve worn the top with jeans and the skirt with a t-shirt throughout the year.

I decided to bring the top to a tailor to have it fit in a new way than the last time I wore it. I am changing the neckline and armholes a bit to show more skin. I have a couple options for strappy sandals - both a flat and a heel. I may start with the heel and see how the night goes. Sometimes I bring a flat option as a backup - if my feet aren’t comfortable, forget about it! Here are some other sets that I love.

Leset does such an amazing job of separates that can be worn various ways, but also can create the illusion of a dress. The tie tank and the wide leg pant are fun. I love the square tank and maxi skirt combination. I also found this crinkle set - I love the sheerness of the skirt, it feels sexy in an understated way.

But I also love to keep my eye out for fun pieces that I may want or need in my wardrobe. A piece that would be fun to debut for the event, but will be great to have in my rotation regardless.

This season, I’m focused on bringing in some new colors into my usual slew of neutrals. I love solid colors in beautiful fabrics like silk, organza, cotton, linens - a lot of these dresses can be dressed up or down, and can work for multiple occasions.

Square neck maxi, crinkle maxi, bias cut scoop neck dress, a runway dress by Jacquemus, deep V-neck satin dress

Yellows, marigolds! So many beautiful shades to choose from. Here are some of my favorite pieces.

I love the feminine ruffles in this saturated hue. The Tove set in the yellow is gorgeous. I also adore this butter yellow lingerie inspired dress.

Red is still going strong - I’m loving these shapes below, and also really enjoying red as an accent color in bags and shoes.

This red maxi dress is easy enough for everyday, but also feels chic and dressy enough with the right accessories. I love the shape of this Khaite organza dress, it’s so simple but interesting. This button down belted dress by Doen is in linen, and may be better suited for a less formal occasion. The gathering and cut-out on the orange satin dress is so good and looks flattering in the right places. The drop waist and bubble skirt are fun on this coral dress.

I also love sticking to my wardrobe color scheme, which consists of a lot of black, white, and neutrals, as I know the pieces will integrate seamlessly and I’ll be able to wear them after the event.

Here are some beautiful white dresses I have my eye on. I love the contrast of a black sandal to help make it feel dressed up.

The white colorway of the Khaite dress. A cotton take on the barrel shape. A pretty layered deep V-neck dress by one of my new favorite brands, Rue Sophie. This knit dress looks chic and comfortable. Shoes: Strappy kitten heel, lace-up sandal, toe-loop sandal, gold toe loop sandal

I tend to wear deep saturated colors for evening events. Here are some options I am currently loving as they strike the balance between being simple but they all have special details that set them apart.

Viscose drop waist maxi dress, Burgundy voluminous dress, Cotton poplin maxi dress. Shoes: Neous strappy heel, Jamie Haller ballet flat, Freda Salvador strappy flat sandal.

I came across some nice statement tops that would work great with either a skirt or a nice pair of trousers. I love the unexpected contrast of something more statement paired with a piece that feels a bit more everyday. The tops work just as well with denim for a more casual look. I also love a statement skirt - there are so many beautiful lace and sheer skirts. Lots of styling variations and I personally welcome the opportunity to wear trousers to an event.

Clockwise from top: Love this textured top with beautiful waist detail, this By Malene Birger top, is so versatile, it can be worn a couple of ways, Doen lace skirt, peplum top, slip skirt, satin pants, strappy heel, statement clutch, cocktail ring.

Now for my favorite topic, the accessories. A lot of these looks can be easily dressed up (or down) with the swap of a shoe, bag, or statement jewelry. I love bringing in color through accessories, I’ve been drawn to interesting greens like the vintage Prada cosmetic bag, and pops of red like this satin mule. Bold earrings, necklaces, and rings are also exciting to play dress-up with. I always love the fun beadwork by Don’t Let Disco, and the lab-grown stones from Dorsey.

Beaded necklace by Don’t Let Disco, oyster shell clutch, Neous Satin bow mule, lab-grown necklace from Dorsey, strappy gold sandals by Emme Parsons

Lab grown drop earrings, Vintage Prada cosmetic bag (similar here), sculptural earrings by Agmes, red satin mules by Larroude

Hope this helps give you some ideas for getting dressed up, your own way. Have fun!

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