I recently went to an awards event where everyone was very dressed up. Looking around was a revelation. Doesn’t anyone have a full-length mirror? If they do, don’t they look in it?
A full-length mirror is an absolute essential for any well-dressed woman. Another absolute essential is the proper underpinnings.
I think bikini panties are one of the worst evils visited on women’s bodies. No matter how thin you are, you still aren’t thin enough for bikini panties. I wear bikinis but only with pants or skirts. When I wear a dress, I wear a light girdle even though I weigh less than 90 pounds! The trouble with bikinis is that you can see their entire outline as even the slightest amount of fat on your body always rolls over the top.
One woman was wearing a bandage dress. Unfortunately, she had about 20 pounds too much for the bandage and you could see a roll of fat at the waist.
Sitting in front of me was a very thin woman wearing a lovely long gown in a slip style. In the front she looked sleek and smooth. In the back she looked as if she was either wearing a whalebone bra or a Middle Ages torture device which was trying to poke through her clothes. You could actually see a ledge under her dress. If only she had turned around when looking in the mirror. I have no idea what she was wearing, but my attention was riveted on her back for the entire performance.
Another thing I noticed is most women look and feel very awkward and uncomfortable in a long, dressy gown. This isn’t surprising since few women wear long gowns or have the occasion to.
The women who looked best were either wearing pantsuits or short cocktail dresses. I think it’s always best to be slightly underdressed than over.
Another problem is sandals. I love them—we all do. But so many women do not have feet that look good in them. I saw one woman wearing sandals on feet that were unusually wide and misshapen. Just because you can find them in your size doesn’t mean you should wear them.
While on the subject of sandals, evening dresses need special shoes and purses. You can’t pair an evening dress with casual or day shoes and carry a purse that you'd wear to the office. If you’ve gone to the trouble of dressing up, carry a small clutch and wear dressy shoes with it.
Now, go forth and wow them!
Miriam Silverberg is a freelance journalist and owner of Miriam Silverberg Associates, a boutique publicity firm in Manhattan. She may be reached at [email protected]
(Photo of woman via Shutterstock)
