What To Wear To A Gala

Mr. Andrew got a last minute invite to a gala for the 100th Anniversary of the Winter Garden and Elgin Theatres and I got to go as his plus one. After Googling “What Do You Wear To A Gala,” I learned that one should carry a clutch, which gave me an excuse to carry my Anna Dello Russo for H&M minaudière.

Finding a dress was a little more complicated. Gala etiquette calls for formal wear. In this case, not quite ball gowns, but hemlines that sweep the ground are preferred. I only have one frock that fits that bill — a satin number by Ghost which fits a little snugly. And since I tossed out all my Spanx a year ago, I was worried that I would bust a seam if I ate more than a canapé. Fortunately, I found a site that said you could get away with a mid-calf length, so I opted for a sheer green by Carin Wester. It’s a little on the plain side, so I dressed up by wearing as many bracelets and beads as possible. As luck would have it, the drop waist and the flapper necklaces were perfect because there was a roaring twenties theme that had not been communicated to us.

The improvised outfit was a hit. One woman actually stopped my to tell me that my dress was the best one at the fête. The minaudière was also much admired. Gala style also requires having ones hair and makeup done and your nails did, but the bag and the bling seemed to distract passerby from noticing that I had no nail polish on.