Black Tie Calls for a Long Dress (Our society depends on it!)

Sunday, January 8, 2012

This is my black-tie manifesto: Our society can’t afford another opportunity to downgrade our attire. Ergo, wear a long dress to black-tie events.

Why is this important to me when there are so many tragic things happening in the world? Simply put, A) This is the industry in which I work, and B) This topic has an actual impact on society.

You may be shaking your head at this moment, saying to the screen, “But Karen, cocktail dresses have become acceptable for black tie. Why should wearing a gown matter?”

Because it does. Consider the following:

• There was a time when people dressed to go to the theater. Dresses and suits were the norm. It was a special occasion and people looked special attending a performance. Today, I look around me at musicals, plays, the symphony, and I’m surrounded by people in jeans – and if I’m lucky – a sweater in lieu of a t-shirt.
• There was a time when people dressed to go to church. “Wearing your Sunday best” meant just that. Today, I see churchgoers in jeans, shorts, sweats, depending on the season and the course of events that took place the night before.
• There was a time when people wore a put-together outfit, which then turned into jeans and a shirt, which then turned into pajamas to go to the grocery store.

While I can’t pinpoint the moment in history when people began caring less about the way they presented themselves to the world, nor can I explain why it happened, it happened. And once you let something slide, it downgrades. And it usually sticks. (Think about all the ladies who did their hair every day, and then one day just stopped, never to wield a hairdryer and round brush again.)

The same goes for black-tie events. What was once the time and place to get one of those rare moments to look and feel like a princess – a Hollywood star – is slowly turning into something less special. Long dresses turn to cocktail dresses and then what? Mini-dresses? Leather pants? Take a look at the image of Halle Berry at right. Stars don’t look like stars because they appear in movies or on television. They look like stars because they dress like stars. Most celebrities start off quite under the radar. It isn’t until they start making a big splash with their fashion choices that the photos in magazines start to multiply. (Or they do something scandalous, of course.) If Halle had turned up to that awards show wearing a cocktail dress, she would have still looked beautiful, because she’s Halle Berry. But she wouldn’t have shined nearly as bright as she did wearing this gown.

It’s not that I’m completely opposed to the cocktail dress. If it was truly special, worthy of a princess (that’s us, remember!), I would totally be on board. But my issue with the cocktail dress mentality is, instead of magical, it usually ends up looking like the typical attire we wear to a wedding. That’s not black tie. That’s just a dress. (See examples at right.)

If budget is an issue, there are many options. Borrow from a girlfriend (I loan out dresses to my friends all the time), or go to a great resale shop where you can find tons of gowns for a fraction of the price. Great prices can also be found in vintage stores – and you can be sure of wearing a dress no one else will have. And watch for big sales at your favorite stores. Also, don’t think a long dress means you’ll only wear it once and then it will be relegated to the back of your closet, collecting dust. Choose a long dress that can later be cut to knee-length by a tailor.

You get limited chances to really make a splash. So why not make a splash?

StyleTease

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