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Event season is rapidly approaching and, conveniently, I’m currently on the hunt for something to wear to my cousin’s wedding next month. It’s a big occasion for the family, the dress code is black tie and I’m still very much undecided as to what I’m going to wear. Ideally, I’d like it to be life-changing.
My criteria for event wear these days is actually pretty simple. Obviously I want to feel good, but I also don’t want to spend an entire evening thinking about my body hang-ups. I’ve had two children. The mum pooch exists. I don’t need a dress lovingly highlighting that for me.
I’ve been loving all the draping around at the moment because, quite frankly, it’s doing us a lot of favours. Give me a beautifully draped waist over something clinging to my stomach any day. So there’s nothing bodycon or skintight in this edit. I want to eat lots, have a drink, dance and enjoy myself in something that looks awesome and feels comfortable all night. Stylish and comfortable – surely we’re allowed both.
And then there are the shoes. I have very little tolerance for uncomfortable heels these days, so anything I’m considering needs to pass the “could I actually dance in these?” test. We’re aiming for elegant. Not clomping around barefoot by the end of the night with my shoes in one hand (though I also think that’s kind of a vibe and a sign of a good night).
Anyway, here’s what has caught my eye on the occasion wear front:
Clockwise-ish from top left: Anna Quan draped dress, Anna Quan silk and lace dress, Gimme chain earrings, Gimme chain earrings (longer version), By Wren burgundy heels, Gimme sphere hoop earrings, Bared Footwear gold woven heels, Bared Footwear strapped snakeskin heels
There is so much excellent yellow, gold and champagne around at the moment and I am very much here for it. It personally works well on my skin tone, which is why I’m constantly filtering for these colours whenever I’m having a browse. I’ve tried on both dresses featured above in a size 8 and can confirm they are excellent. This draped lemon dress has such a beautiful shape and moves beautifully when worn (and a prime example of strategic draping working very much in our favour). And then there’s this champagne silk and lace dress, which is totally out of this world and so flattering. The silk, lace and longer silhouette make it feel particularly special without it being overly fussy.
L: Anna Quan draped dress; R: Anna Quan silk and lace dress
On the shoes front, I’ve found these low burgundy heels, which are from a new-to-me Aussie brand, By Wren. That open-side cut-out feels very Dries Van Noten-esque to me and I say that as someone who bought a pair of DVN heels on sale for more than five times the price (see here). I also really appreciate the sensible heel height. They come in black too if you’re after something a little more versatile.
Bared Footwear is firmly in my regular work shoe rotation, but their event shoe collection this year is stellar. I love the slightly vintage feel of these woven gold heels. I tried them on in store and the sizing notes are right here – you’ll want to go up a size (I’m normally a size 37 would opt for a 38). Meanwhile, these snakeskin strappy sandals are SO good. They’re 8cm high, which would ordinarily have me approaching with caution, but they’re remarkably comfortable and all of the straps are adjustable. Very useful when your feet inevitably decide to expand as the evening progresses.
And then, some bling. You’ve all seen these sphere hoops approximately 705 times by now because I’m constantly wearing them, but I’ve also got my eye on these chain drop earrings. There’s also a shorter stud version if you want the same drama in compacted form.
Clockwise-ish from left: Bared Footwear silver block heels, Gimme sphere charm necklace, Scanlan Theodore pink dress, Manning Cartell blue draped dress, Bared Footwear black heels, Loeffler Randall clutch, Gimme chain hoops, By Wren white heels
Moving onto the other tones that caught my eye. This pink dress immediately spoke to me. Shoulder pads! Long sleeves! Draping in all the right places! I also love the fact that you can look incredibly stylish without being too revealing. This blue dress is another excellent example of draping doing the lord’s work. There’s plenty of shape and interest, but the fabric isn’t just clinging to every contour of your body. Precisely what I’m after. I also love this little clutch. It’s simple enough that you’d get plenty of wear out of it across different events, but the texture makes it feel much more interesting than your standard black evening bag.
Now, shoes. Don’t be intimidated by the height of these black strappy heels. I was very pleasantly surprised by how comfortable these are when I popped into Bared to try them on. They’re the sort of event shoe you reach for when you still want the wow factor but the classic black means you can also style them in less formal ensembles. These silver heels are also very comfortable. The block heel makes them a much friendlier proposition and I love silver as an easy way to add something interesting to an otherwise simple outfit.
Bared Footwear knows how to party! L-R: Snakeskin strappy heels, Gold woven heels, Strappy black heels, Silver block heels
And I had to include another pair from By Wren because these white heels are just so refined. Delicate and strappy from the front, but with a proper heel cup at the back – which, to me, speaks comfort. Or at least considerably more comfort than two tiny straps attempting to hold your entire foot in place.
Finally, a couple of simple but impactful jewellery options: these tangled chain hoops and this sphere charm necklace. Both are interesting enough to do some of the heavy lifting if you’re wearing a simpler dress, without veering into full statement-jewellery territory.
So that’s where my event wear search has taken me thus far. Lots of draping, sensible coverage, a bit of colour and heels that I have some reasonable prospect of surviving an entire evening in.
As for what I’m actually wearing to my cousin’s wedding? Still TBA. I shall report back.
Thanks for stopping by!
P.S. Check out my daily outfits here.
