Show Stopping Fashion for Special Events
What should ladies wear to a black tie event?
Gorgeous fishtail satin peacock gown a great dress which adheres to that all important black tie event dress code!
From now to December the social calendar is awash with black tie events, and many of our first time customers come to us having just received a black tie invitation and are in a panic as to what to wear. The black tie dress code has been modernized over time, but one thing has stayed the same: black tie events are gorgeously sumptuous, important social events! So, before you dip into your wardrobe, just make sure that you are aware that black tie means formal event and you will be expected to dress appropriately. However, don’t feel daunted by this concept; instead, see it as your big opportunity to show yourself off in a stunning gown and some statement pieces of jewellery.
Compared to men, women have to go through a much more complicated process when choosing their black tie outfits, but the staff at Walk in Wardrobe are here to help. Outlined below are a few tips and tricks to help you shine at your black tie event.
Can I wear a cocktail dress to a black tie event?
Black tie events usually mean that you will need to wear a full length gown, but as time has gone on, there has been some relaxation to this rule and some women prefer to opt for a knee length dress. However, caution must be exercised if you decide to go for a short black tie dress as cocktail dresses can be considered semiformal and you may feel underdressed in a short dress. If you do go for a short dress, make sure it’s as glitzy and glamorous as possible, and do not go for a minidress. Do remember though that it’s not every day you get to wear a floor length gown – so if I were you, I would take full advantage!
Do I have to dress conservatively for a black tie event?
Do not limit yourself to a conservative dress, try to keep modern and sexy whilst maintaining a touch of class. A plunging neckline or a backless dress can definitely be styles which are appropriate, but try to steer clear of anything too revealing, e.g. a backless dress with a plunging neckline and a thigh high slit, remember, it’s all about looking classy!
What colour dress can I wear to a black tie event?
There are no limitations for colour when it comes to choosing your black tie dress, so you can be pretty daring when it comes to the colour you pick, so be confident and play with colour, bold colours can be really attention grabbing!
What accessories should I wear to a black tie event?
At black tie events you can really show off your jewellery, but it’s really important not to go overboard and to accessorise well. Choose a necklace and a pair of earrings which go with the outfit or a complimentary colour. If you are unable to find a good match, go for a nice neutral colour for your jewellery, for example, clear sparkles or silver or gold jewellery. Choose a clutch bag which matches any embellishments your dress may have or matches your jewellery, but try to stay away from an exact match to the dress as it can blend in too much with your outfit. A stole to go around your shoulders works fantastically for a winter event, giving you that touch of Hollywood glamour whilst keeping you warm.
Our team at Walk in Wardrobe are very well versed in what to wear for a black tie event, if you have any other questions just leave it in the comments box below!
Exclusive Club 15 Event at Walk in Wardrobe!
We at Walk in Wardrobe opened our doors once again to host an exclusive 15 Club event on the 7th December. We had a superb evening filled with bubbles, snacks, cakes and of course, sensational, show stopping dresses! The 15 Club is a group of business women in Brighton and Hove, committed to a sharing of ideas, networking and support for one another, pioneered by Sam Foster who arrived at the boutique looking glam with darling little twinkly diamantes around her eye. Guests were asked to choose a dress from the boutique and to participate in a fun fashion show competition, with glitzy hair candy and tasty prizes up for grabs! The lucky winner was Justine, who wowed the judges with her fun, flirty catwalk. Please see the slideshow for our pictures!
Thank you to all who turned up and for providing such a wonderful atmosphere, we had a great time and hope you did too! Thank you also to Stuart Butcher (www.cameyera.com) for agreeing to be our photographer for the evening and to the very dashing Dave at La Cave a Fromage (www.la-cave.co.uk), our favorite luxury cheese shop at 34-35 Western Road, Hove for providing the most gorgeously delicious cheese macaroons as a fashion show prize (I know the concept of a cheese macaroon sounds strange, but believe me, it really works!)
[slideshow]
The 15 Club members present:
Sam Foster of Miss Fit – www.missfitbrighton.co.uk
Karen Hamer of Purely Pilates – www.purelypilatesstudio.co.uk
Mags Ousby, Acupuncturist – http://www.acupuncturemassagebrighton.co.uk/
Faye McDonald of Wet Paint Productions – www.wetpaintproductions.co.uk
Natalie Foster, Graphic Designer – www.natfoster.com
Gaynor Williams of the Big Beach Hut, Video Producer – www.bigbeachhut.co.uk
Louise Eaton of Tranquility in the City – www.tranquilityinthecity.com
Jenny Barrett of Babyblack – www.babyblack.co.uk
Justine Wortsman of Madame Peaches – www.madamepeaches.com
Show Stopping Christmas Party Dresses at Walk in Wardrobe
Christmas is just around the corner, I know this because they have been playing ‘I wish it could be Christmas everyday’ by Wizzard on the radio. So this can mean only one thing, your Christmas party will be coming up soon and you will be wondering what to wear. The big trend this Christmas is sparkle and glitter, which is fabulous because they go together like glitz and glamour!
There are lots of decisions to make when choosing your Christmas dress; full on sparkle, understated sparkle, mini, long etc. Fortunately at the boutique we have so many different styles in for Christmas you are spoilt for choice! These dresses will make you feel every inch the Christmas glamour puss and gliding around at the party in one of these is the surest way to get yourself noticed under the mistletoe this year!
Cause a stir at your James Bond themed party!
A sexy, classy, elegant little number, perfect for a Bond themed party!
Although Daniel Craig was partially responsible for getting my heart racing at the Skyfall Premier this month, I must confess, the main cause of excitement for me was seeing all the ladies at the event looking so glamorous in their gorgeous dresses! Bond fever seems to have struck the nation and our lovely customers are no exception; over the past few weeks we have witnessed a sudden surge of ladies coming into the boutique to find dresses for Bond themed parties.
When looking for your dress for a Bond themed party, you must look for dresses which are glamorous, sexy, but definitely not tacky. The other thing to bear in mind is that you must never try to be something that you are not. The Bond girls are all uniquely different in personality and each have their own wardrobe to reflect this, so all you need to do is pick your favorite Bond girl and steal her style! At Walk in Wardrobe we can help you achieve both of these very important factors for your Bond party, it’s probably the reason why we are the first port of call for the local ladies attending Bond themed events!
So once you look drop dead gorgeous, all you need to worry about is making sure that the drinks are shaken and not stirred….
Showstopping long dress, great for a Bond girl!
Shopping with Walk in Wardrobe vs. The High Street
I would like to start off by saying that this blog entry is not a criticism of high street chain stores as they provide an important function for consumers by providing us with affordable everyday clothing. Instead, the aim of this blog entry is to highlight the benefits of shopping in a boutique such as ours when choosing a dress for a special occasion.
If you are looking for an outfit for a special occasion, you will need to look for good quality clothing. We wouldn’t settle for anything less, so why should you?! The dresses we provide are uniquely hand picked by our exceptional buying team, who look for: unique designs that are not mass-produced, good quality workmanship, good quality fabric. Our rule of only providing quality items means that if you look after your dress from Walk in Wardrobe well enough, it can last for years, meaning that you are getting true value for money and you will have a distinctive and unique dress which will really make you stand out from the crowd!
You only have to look as far as the Internet to find blogs and comments on the customer service in high street chain stores. If you are going to part with your very hard earned cash, surely you would want an above and beyond customer service? The customer service culture amongst high street chain stores is very different than the customer service culture at our boutique. Our staff have clocked up many years of experience in the industry and we create a fun, relaxed and friendly atmosphere. We like to take the time the time to assess the individual customers needs and get to know them personally so we can help customers choose a dress which will reflect their personality and will be perfect for their special occasion.
Likewise we are careful not to neglect our online customers who we will probably never meet face to face! Online shopping, done well can leave you with a great sense of satisfaction. We strive to extend our outstanding customer service to our online customers and ensure that if you purchase or hire a dress with us online, you will receive the same personal service that is offered to our customers who walk through our door. Check out our testimonials here!
Unlike the high street chain stores, we also offer a hiring service, which means that you can get that fabulous designer look for a fraction of the cost! We also never release the same dress to the same function, so shopping with us also means that you will never be in that embarrassing situation where you turn up to a function and someone else is wearing the same dress as you!
As the cost gap between ‘high end’ high street chain stores and independent boutiques is most certainly getting smaller, the benefits of shopping in high street chain stores appear to be minimal. Much better to check out our unique little gems and take full advantage of all the benefits we offer!
Stunning fashion for the Race Days!
The summer social calendar is positively bursting with race day events. If you are lucky enough to be a ticket holder for any of the races across the UK, not only will you be experiencing the excitement of the racing, you will also be experiencing some of the most exciting, theatrical fashion events of the year! It’s not only the dresses which will grab the attention, but also the dazzling array of ostentatious hats and fascinators! At these events, ladies are given the perfect excuse to indulge themselves and dress up in the most flamboyant, glamorous dresses and accessories, it’s the time where you are able to take a real fashion risk! However, we know that choosing your outfit for the races can be daunting and tricky. Fortunately, our experienced team of in-house stylists are well versed in dressing ladies for their race events and know what outfit will suit your shape and flatter your best assets. We will also keep in mind your personality and will help you find a dress that you not only look great in, but also feel comfortable in.
This style with a jacket (left) is always a popular style for the races. This dress with it’s sparkly detail looks breathtaking teamed up with one of our large fascinators and will give you that air of elegance and chic.
For further details about this gorgeous outfit please click here.
If you are more comfortable with a plainer dress that is no less elegant, what about going for one of our flattering and comfortable Waspie Corset dresses (right)? These dresses cinch in the waist to give a wonderful shape, and you can go completely over the top with flamboyant, sparkly accessories. For more information about this dress please click here.
A hat or a fascinator will be your crowning glory, this is your chance to wear something totally outrageous to set off your outfit. These events are the perfect chance for you to get away with something completely over the top, so indulge yourself and have fun. We have such a wide range of hats and fascinators at the boutique you really will be spoilt for choice! To view our range of fascinators and hats please click here.
Make sure you go for some drop-dead gorgeous shoes – we have many different styles of shoes at the boutique (and so many in sale at the moment!) and have a wide choice of different heel heights and heel thicknesses. We have high stilettos for ladies that can elegantly totter along on skyscraper heels, and lower or thicker heels for ladies who are not so confident in this area. We know that having to wiggle your stilettos out of the grass at the races is not a good look, so best to be safe and team up your shoes with some of our stiletto stoppers to ensure that you don’t get that sinking feeling!
Be mindful not to leave your accessories as an afterthought – our 
glittering bangles and bags have been a huge hit this summer with our customers and celebrities alike, and there’s no reason why these shouldn’t be a fashion statement at the races also!
One last point which I must make is that all this does not have to cost the earth. Many of our dresses and fascinators are available to hire as well as buy, so if you are working to a budget, do consider this an option as you can get that fabulous designer look for a fraction of the cost!