How many black tie gowns for 2-3 events per year?

[Anonymous]

Just rent the gowns op.

[Anonymous]

Ross dress for less is where prom dresses go to die. Check it out

[Anonymous]

Up to 6 dresses. Classic pieces that can be dressed up with different accessories. Caveat - you make sure not to put on weight or lose weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Up to 6 dresses. Classic pieces that can be dressed up with different accessories. Caveat - you make sure not to put on weight or lose weight.

You do not need more dresses than you have events. This is silly and wasteful. And you can certainly wear the same dress more than once.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have two dresses - one black and one blue. They were expensive - over $1,000 each. But both classic and low key enough that I can wear them again and again. I would love to get more dramatic dresses but figure it is for work and so need to be more practical.

+1 agree with this, these events are far apart and no one will remember what you wore.

You can style them differently with shoes, shrug/wrap, jewelry etc for different events and seasons as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Up to 6 dresses. Classic pieces that can be dressed up with different accessories. Caveat - you make sure not to put on weight or lose weight.

You do not need more dresses than you have events. This is silly and wasteful. And you can certainly wear the same dress more than once.

You repeat your dresses, every two years, so it is neither silly nor wasteful. If you are poor or really don't go to black tie events, then wear what you want.

Incidentally, my experience has been that I bump into many of the same professional contacts and business clients at black tie events. Most of them are not repeating the same outfit frequently enough for me to notice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have two dresses - one black and one blue. They were expensive - over $1,000 each. But both classic and low key enough that I can wear them again and again. I would love to get more dramatic dresses but figure it is for work and so need to be more practical.

+1. Chiara Boni, one that's more suited for F/W, the other S/S. Neither is really over the top, the really important part to me is hair/makeup/jewelry/shoes. This is going to sound like I'm joking, but depending on the event I do opera gloves as well, Cornelia James. Nothing is better than an opera glove with a tennis bracelet.

[Anonymous]

As another small person, have you verified that they don't have any petite gowns on Rent the Runway? I've always had trouble finding clothes that are petite and not for old ladies, and I discovered ThredUp recently and it's kind of amazing to have actual petite selection from multiple brands.

Don't get a midi dress and wear it as full length. Unless you're 4'8" that will look really goofy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re attending events for work, maybe it matters more? I think it really depends on the nature of the work. Is it development? Or PR? If so, you probably need to try harder and make rent the runway work.

More like high level exec — so looking good matters, including fit, not showing too much skin etc.

I mean only you know how much this part of your job matters. But if you’re highly paid to be a visible representative of a company at these events, you’re going to have to buy dresses, probably one or two a year. You can repeat, of course, but you should probably try for some rhythm like not back to back and not the same event two years in a row.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Buy one fabulous black gown that you love and wear it to each event. Nobody cares. Your goal is to look and feel good. Period.

This 100 percent.

You could always add a belt or just change your purse .

I do this all the time. I wear same dress gets compliments because it fits me well.

[Anonymous]

I would just get two and rotate. Change accessories and you are done.

[Anonymous]

I just bought a jumpsuit to mix it up. Can dress up with jewelry/wraps.

[Anonymous]

You can get designer gowns on the real real for less than 100$. Just sort price low to high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do rent the runway. Unless you have a very unusual body you can too. You just have to try a number of styles and find what works. If you’re having everything tailored you aren’t trying the correct size.

Otherwise buy one black one navy and one lighter (maybe floral?) long dress in a classic style and rotate with different accessories.

I attend at least a dozen black tie events every year and have a few classic dresses I keep in my closet and use 1-2 times a year when I don’t feel like renting.

Rent the Runway is hard for some body types or if too tall or too petite. I’m 5ft tall, there’s no way most of the gowns would be my size.

[Anonymous]

I don’t feel like rent the runway is all that good value. Buy one amazing black dress that fits perfectly and you will wear it a lot over several years.