Dress Stories: Clients Share Their Special Occasions • One Night Stand

How to dress for a Diplomatic Ball at Buckingham…

Every year Buckingham Palace holds their Diplomatic Ball. The Dress code is very White Tie. This event is where jewels, gloves and the-less-black-the better are de rigueur.

A Diplomatic Ball really does imply full-on, floor-skimming evening gowns, either with full skirts or with straighter lines. Those of us with fuller figures may look better in waisted gowns with full skirts, great camouflage for bigger bottoms. If you have a generous bust line and cannot deal with strapless bras, then gowns with cap-sleeves or long sleeve will enable more support from a bra with a strap. I like the French soutiengorge, which literally means “hold up under the chin”, always makes me smile.

Shoulders should be covered, so strapless bustiers may not work unless they have a stole or shawl to preserve your modesty! These days gloves are no longer essential, but they often finish the look with a worthwhile, elegant flourish; you don’t need to keep them on all the time, and of course you mustn’t eat while wearing them.

Alternatively, ladies can wear formal National Dress, but as you can imagine many prefer to get beautifully gowned and coiffed. Don’t forget, unless you are attending a formal diplomatic dinner or banquet, it’s often going to be a buffet: lots of standing around, albeit in glorious surroundings, so remember that comfortable shoes are very important.

One Night Stand Advice: golden or silvery ballet pumps can work really well!

Read More: Debrett’s White Tie Dress Code guide

Advice

Christmas time – ways to stay covered up at…

December brings more formal events than at any other time of the year.

There’s a plethora of black tie Army and Navy dinners, where your shoulders must be covered as you dine. We advise using a shrug, or even a shawl in a light fabric such as tulle or chiffon, it’ll also stay put whilst you eat!

Alternatively, why not fix it in place with a small diamond broach, this will add some colour and light to the wrap.

Guide

Tips On Shoes For Evening Dresses

Cocktail dresses call for beautiful footwear but shoes for evening dresses are slightly less on show and you can prioritise comfort. They should always be pointy with a delicate heel, never clumpy.
Don’t wear tights or stockings with an open-toed shoe and remember to get those tootsies nicely polished!
If your shoes are heavily embellished with diamonds, sequins or brocade they may catch on the hem of a long gown, so be warned! Check them over for bits that will catch. A tiny dab of superglue can sometimes smooth out potential hazards.
You could dress up a court shoe with some shoe clips, or a pair of inexpensive diamante clip earrings, they work well, but they are easily lost on the dance floor, use cheap jewelry whose loss you won’t regret. You could always super-glue them for extra strength.

Guide

Planning to accessorise? Read some of our useful tips

Brrrrr – It’s cold out there: If granny won’t lend you her mink stole, there’s plenty of faux fur that does the job, not quite as warm, but certainly adds a certain glamour to an evening outfit. Alternatively, a dark winter coat around your shoulders, cape-like will work just as well. Evening pashmina’s are a good accessory if you are being dropped and collected right at the entrance, otherwise you’ll need something warmer when standing around late at night searching for a cab.

Handbags at dawn: Nothing will ruin you outfit more than a handbag that’s not fit for purpose. Invest in a simple black evening clutch with a shoulder strap. Why the shoulder strap? Because you can’t put your bag down and you may be holding a glass and want to nibble a canapé; a difficult manoeuvre with purse clutched in your arm pit.

Jewelled evening bags are gorgeous, but often so tiny that they’ll only hold your house key, lippy and the all important £20 note for emergencies. Forget the phone and the fags! Worth a thought beforehand, no?

To bra or not to bra: Tonight’s the night…..you’ve got the strapless dress lined up and go to the office wearing your usual soutiengorge – (I love this French word for a bra – literally meaning hold-under-throat). The you remove your bra later in the day whilst getting dolled up you notice the indentations on you shoulders – not a good look with a strapless dress. So always remember when getting up in the morning – strapless dress means either no bra or wearing a strapless bra during the day.

Spanx versus support hose: I’m not a great advocate of heavily fortified undergarments. That extra flesh has to go somewhere and you need to be careful that it doesn’t just spill out ruining the line of a close fitting dress at mid thigh or giving a back roll. We advise just simple hold-in tights resulting in no VPL and gives a super smooth silhouette. Tip: always wear a new pair (Wolford are best) as once worn they lose their elasticity.

Jewellery tips: Watches – don’t wear one, unless you have a delicate evening watch,.

Bracelets: Diamante bracelets, beware! They are often sharp and will catch on satin or chiffon ruining the evening dress.

How to dress for a Diplomatic Ball at Buckingham…

Christmas time – ways to stay covered up at…

Tips On Shoes For Evening Dresses

Planning to accessorise? Read some of our useful tips

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