neutrals in action special occasion
the week of neutrals is coming to an end. tuesday kicked off with neutrals in action weekend style. yesterday we took a look at neutrals in action for the workplace. today, it’s all about neutrals in action for special occasions, especially weddings. many emails land in my inbox asking what to wear to a wedding? today’s post answers that question. this isn’t a specific post about the mothers of the bride or groom. instead, we’re taking a look at a neutral dress that can be glammed up for any special occasion with the right accessories.
if you’ve heard me say it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times – accessories are a girl’s best friend. and you thought it was diamonds! accessories unleash your personal style, taste, and preferences. but they also offer unlimited opportunities for clothes. take a white shirt. it’s a blank canvas. add a pair of jeans, and you have an ordinary, everyday outfit. but add a fabulous handbag, a pair of heels, a statement necklace or scarf, and now you have a polished ensemble. accessories are always the icing on the cake. don’t be afraid to invest in a silk scarf, luxury handbag, or jewelry. these are the items that stand the test of time and will be on rinse and repeat for years and years.
neutrals in action special occasion
today’s ootd starts with a simple dress in a neutral color from Ann Taylor. it’s non-descript, so think of it as a blank canvas, just like the white shirt. it’s an off-shoulder dress, so special lingerie is necessary. a strapless bra from Wacoal suits my purpose. since this dress will reveal lumps and bumps, a pair of high waist shaper shorts comes to my rescue. shapewear has come a long way, baby. long gone are the days when you felt restricted when you slipped into shapewear. Spanx is my go-to brand for shapewear that slims my silhouette. no, you won’t go down one size, but it will give a smooth appearance with no visible panty lines. exactly what i wanted. a gorgeous jacket with a subtle pattern is the pièce de résistance as it adds instant glamour. it is no longer available, but it’s from Max Mara, an Italian luxury brand that’s worth the $$$. luxury retailers like Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, and Saks carry this brand. and, yes, this is when i shop on sale. blazers and/or jackets are an opportunity to add pizzazz to an outfit much like accessories. i love to have one or two special blazers on hand for special occasions. look for patterns or texture like bouclé or tweed.
now onto accessories. since this is a special occasion outfit, i pulled out all the stops. statement earrings (similar here, here, and here), a gold link bracelet (similar here, here, and here), and gold sandals (similar here, here, and here) all add interest and personality to this outfit. Oscar de la Renta, Lulu Frost, Alexis Bittar, Julie Vos, and Nest are a few of my favorite fashion jewelry companies. the earrings in today’s post are by Heidi Daus, available at HSN. i purchased these last year after i discovered this jewelry brand during a collaboration with HSN.
dress | shoes (similar here, here, and here) | earrings (similar here, here, and here) | bracelet (similar here, here, and here)
dress | shoes (similar here, here, and here) | earrings (similar here, here, and here) | bracelet (similar here, here, and here)
What about the jacket? It coordinates with the dress well but you don’t mention anything about it. With indoor air conditioning, etc., we all need something such as this for an event. Tell us why you choose a jacket and more about it. Thanks.
i briefly mentioned in the blog post the jacket is Max Mara.
ABSOLUTELY STUNNING, Beth!!!!! The dress, hair, makeup, and accessories are oh so perfect. I missed if you said where you purchased your dress. I’m in love with that color!!!
yes, it’s mentioned in the blog post the dress is from Ann Taylor.
This is perfection on you!!! You look stunning…it’s very elegant!!!
thanks so much for stopping by!
They only have it in black. I do like the eggplant color better. The fabric might not be thick enough for me. I’m more lumpy than you are but you look fabulous in it.
That Samsung pop up is getting in the way of comments.
there are limited sizes in both black and eggplant but both colors are available.
Beth, could you comment on the proper length for various types of pants? I’m 5’4”, so i’m too tall for petites, but regular length pants always need to be hemmed. I’m stymied about the proper length for boot cut, straight legs, crops, ankle pants, etc. Thanks so much! Rebecca
Beth, you look fabulous, and you carry the banner beautifully for those of us over 50, 60, and beyond. Thank you.
Beth I am speechless!!
the sandals, the purse that you mention you did.
Sandals and the blazer, but the model was stoning!!
The hair up looks lovely on you.
Thank you Beth
Beth is the bracelet, that you are wearing with the watch pearls or something else?
that is a tennis bracelet.
Hi Beth, absolutely love your outfit and the colour is beautiful, xoxo
Another out-of-the-park post! Gorgeous. I zipped over to the Ann Taylor site and ordered the dress before I finished reading! It’s non-returnable, but 50% off, so I figured I couldn’t go wrong. You are an inspiration!
Wow! The dress is such a gorgeous colour and the jacket is amazing. Himself said he doesn’t know where you’re going but he’d love to be your date!
Wow, special undergarments, spanx, high heels—I think I’m just over all of that. Cheers to you— I’d rather be comfortable. How the heck do you go to the ladies’ room with all of this?
if i am invited to a special event or wedding, i always honor the occasion with a special outfit. comfortable? this outfit is 100% comfortable.
Spanx works the same way as underwear in the ladies’ room as it is a special kind of underwear.
Hi Beth,
Absolutely gorgeous dress! Just FYI to others, Saks provides Klarna as a payment option so items a bit more pricey can be paid in payments. Anyway, great post and you look awesome as usual!
You look lovely! Jacket is outstanding. Really makes a statement. Earrings are impressive and am wondering if they are a little heavy.
I look forward to seeing your emails.
Beth you look gorgeous in this outfit! Well done!
that’s very sweet of you to say, judy. thank you!
Love the color of that dress. Everything creates such a rich look. Love it! I have no special occasions until December. I’ll be looking this post up again when it’s time to shop!
i have several special occasions coming up and this outfit will do nicely. this rich neutral is such a flattering color to so many skin tones.
You’ve knocked it out of the park with this outfit! Really stunning and accessorized perfectly. The one-shoulder silhouette is very flattering.
This outfit is breathtaking!