4 Essential Black Tie Style Tips for Women:
Elegant Dresses & Stunning Jewelry
If you have a black tie coming up, you’re in the right place! We have put together a guide for women who are attending a black tie event, including what to wear, how to accessorize, and beauty tips! Whether it’s a luxury housewarming with a dress code or a formal event, it can be quite daunting if you’ve never been to a black tie event before, so we’re here to make life simpler. From what black tie means to the style of dress and, of course, your fine jewelry, hopefully, our guide takes the guesswork out of this dress code and helps you find the perfect look.
What Does Black Tie Mean?
Everyone has a slightly different interpretation of what “black tie” is, which can make things quite tricky; however, it’s pretty universally agreed that it means your hosts want you to wear an elegant and refined evening dress, which should be floor-length or near floor-length. Loud patterns are typically avoided, and instead, complementary colors and beautiful fabrics are favored, including silk, chiffon, lace, tulle, or velvet.
And no, unless the invite specifies, the dress doesn’t need to be black, so you can choose something unique that you would love to wear again. The main thing is that the dress feels formal, then outside of this, you can use your creativity and style to craft the perfect look, unique to you.
Avoid Short Dresses
Our first tip is to avoid short dresses. Traditionally, for black tie events, knee to floor length evening gowns are worn. More recently, women also opt for palazzo-style pants with a jacket for black tie, although long dresses are more common. The most important thing to remember is to go for something classic and sophisticated, so going for a minimalistic look with more of a focus on the material and fit should be a priority! Invest in a great evening dress, and you will be able to wear it over and over again.
Keep The Color Palette Neutral
Next, you should try to keep the color palette neutral. Bright colors are rarely seen at formal black tie events; instead, black, dark green, navy, white, and neutral colors are favored. Although bright colors are seen more often now, the more traditional look is simplistic in terms of color. If you opt for a dark-colored dress, you could add a pop of color with your handbag or lipstick, without it overtaking the whole outfit. Adding vintage jewelry is also a great way to add detail to an outfit, which we will look at next!
Wear Spectacular Jewelry
A must for any black tie event is spectacular jewelry! This is your opportunity to take any outfit to the next level, particularly when you’re going for fewer patterns and textures, typically, but remember to keep it classy. Whether you choose real jewelry or costume jewelry, your jewelry is likely to be the centerpiece of your outfit.
If you have a blue dress, you could pair it with striking blue sapphire jewelry to tie the whole look together and to make a statement. If you have a lower cut dress, go for a bold statement necklace to finish the look, with diamonds always being a favorite. For high-neck dresses, a striking pair of earrings with matching bracelets will be beautiful. Many people leave the jewelry choices to the last minute, but as soon as you have your dress, start having a look around because it can transform your outfit!
Keep Your Hair and Makeup Simple
If you’ve followed our tips, your outfit is likely to make quite the statement, so you should keep your hair and your makeup relatively simple! Go with a fresh base for your foundation, add some glow with a highlighter, and then go with a simple, thin, black eyeliner and understated false lashes. Choose a neutral lip, or as discussed, you could add color with a bright fuchsia or red lipstick.
The same goes for your hair! Either a simple updo or soft waves will look beautiful when paired with a decadent evening dress. Of course, if you want to go for something more statement, absolutely go for it, as this is a chance to have fun and really showcase your style.
Final Thoughts
With these tips for your outfit, you will be the belle of the ball at your black tie event! The most important thing to remember is to keep it simple when it comes to your look, as simplicity is the ultimate sophistication after all. There are so many different directions you can go in, so we’d recommend going to a department store and trying on different brands, silhouettes, and color palettes to start getting an idea of what you’re looking for, then this can make your search all the more simple!
Photo by cottonbro studio
