Attend a Black Tie Gala

“I chose this gorgeous Carmen Marc Valvo gown because from the very second I put it on I felt like the most elegant version of myself. The other dresses I tried on had me squirming, fidgeting and feeling like I was forcing something I wasn’t. The off the shoulder part of this slipped right over my shoulders, didn’t move and I want to twirl, girl, twirl!!!!! I knew within three seconds this was my gown!”

“The invitation arrived just as I had been expecting. I had been warned “black tie optional” would be the dress code. For a man, that’s so easy but for a woman knowing what to wear to a black tie gala equals, for me, excitement and panic! A large part of me squealed with happiness at the chance to dress up, while the other part panicked. How dressy would everyone get? I don’t want to overdress, but I don’t want to underdress either! This was a Gala for a group of people I didn’t know which makes the anxiety higher. Do they intend to really do black tie, or no? I almost wished I could FaceTime all of the girls to see what they would be wearing!”

“I've been to black tie galas in Chicago where everyone is dressed to the 9's. Men in tuxes. Women in gowns. So cue my shock when I went to a "black tie" gala in Colorado where there were women wearing sun dresses. The way my jaw hit the floor lmao. I'd say only 30% of the guests were in actual black tie. And even that's being generous.”