No coat. Warm wrap you keep with you. Coatcheck retrieval will take hours. Yes to walkable shoes.

Anonymous wrote:What do women wear to these? I have to go to one for my job.

Long dress, tennis shoes, winter coat.

What do women wear to these? I have to go to one for my job.

Try the State societies.
No coat.
Shoes you can walk in until you get an Uber.
Never ever put your purse down anywhere.

They are not hard to get into unless it’s one the president is going to show at, and even if you get into one of those, the event and access to VIPs will be tiered like any other fundraiser.
If the idea is just to dress up and go to a party, just pick one at a venue you like that seems well planned.

Many moons ago I attended Clinton 2 at the Kennedy Center. It was overrated. There is no food and a cash bar. The music was good 10,000 Maniacs and Aretha Franklin were among the entertainment. I was ready to go home at 10:00 but my friend, who bought my ticket, wanted to stay.

Had Kamala won I would have braved the cold to be on the Mall but I wouldn't want to attend a ball.

Anonymous wrote:They are awful events (some years more awful than others, like this one).

Best one we attended was several Presidents ago at a friend's home: The Toddler's Inaugural Ball. It was a preschool event, and the kids were dressed to the 9s. Very DC thing to do and actually really fun.

This is the way. If you don't already have an invite to one you have a connection to, just make your own and make it fun.

They are awful events (some years more awful than others, like this one).

Best one we attended was several Presidents ago at a friend's home: The Toddler's Inaugural Ball. It was a preschool event, and the kids were dressed to the 9s. Very DC thing to do and actually really fun.

Wear old, comfortable shoes. (They won’t be seen because of crowds. They will get stepped on/spilled on for the same reason.)

Don’t check a coat. Coat check at the end of the night resembles the queue for the Titanic’s last lifeboat.

Don’t even think about trying to get a drink.

If you want to brag to your friends back home in Missouri, go ahead. But no one local is going to be impressed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's a good Inaugural Ball to go to this January? Big group of friends in late 30s

Inaugural balls more resemble cattle calls than anything else. Nothing glamorous about them, not matter who is getting into office.

This. It’s like a big NYE party with more insufferable people.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's a good Inaugural Ball to go to this January? Big group of friends in late 30s

Inaugural balls more resemble cattle calls than anything else. Nothing glamorous about them, not matter who is getting into office.

+1
I went to three when I lived right there as a grad student. They let anyone in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's a good Inaugural Ball to go to this January? Big group of friends in late 30s

Inaugural balls more resemble cattle calls than anything else. Nothing glamorous about them, not matter who is getting into office.

And there’s a huge wait in the coat room to get your fur back.

Anonymous wrote:What's a good Inaugural Ball to go to this January? Big group of friends in late 30s

Inaugural balls more resemble cattle calls than anything else. Nothing glamorous about them, not matter who is getting into office.

Go to any ball you can get into. It is not that easy to get tickets.

What's a good Inaugural Ball to go to this January? Big group of friends in late 30s