Accessorizing the Classic Winter Formal

Here’s the story:

After endless hours of fruitless shopping for shoes to go with the intense blue evening gown, we gave up and headed home. The plan was for dd to stop at the following last-ditch possibilities on her way home from work the next day:

  • Target
  • Goodwill (which is where she found the dress for $9 last week)
  • Value Village
  • Classy Rack

Since the mall she works at is out on the edge of the known universe, almost to Idaho, I rarely get to these particular branches of these stores, but if she takes the main drag as opposed to the freeway, it’s a straight shot past them all. Trouble was, this particular day, that when she came out of Target … her car wouldn’t start. And dad was in a meeting. So off I went.
imgp4608.JPGAbout the time we were pulling into the parking lot of the final store on the list, the phone rang. Our hero! We had just enough time before he could get to Target to quickly check this one last store and that was all the time we needed!

These shoes were only $6.

Yes, I know silver would have been better, but these are simple basic shoes which she will be happy to have in her permanent wardrobe for years to come.

And the jewelry? Even at 40% off she spent almost as much for it as she did for her dress and shoes (actually more, but if you count the dry cleaning …). But without it, actually without the necklace, it’s just a generic outfit.

But a generic $45 outfit is alot less painful than a generic $350 one. And that would not have been hard to do.

(Tip: a reader sent in this link for modest prom dresses and I found the clearance dresses are even affordable. LDS Bridal & Prom clearance prom dresses.)

6 thoughts on “Accessorizing the Classic Winter Formal”

  1. She’ll look lovely. Beautiful family effort in pulling this off.

    Looked at the modest prom dresses. Some of them really pretty and dignified, some of them
    overembellished and tacky, matronly. Really liked the combination of the severely plain satin short sleeved top with the full tulle skirt. Ballerina! So: pretty, dignified and young!

  2. Interesting about the tulle, which I would have shunned in my youth (60’s). Now approaching my own 60’s, there’s a style I definitely can’t see myself wearing. 🙂 Even if I think of an aging ballerina, doesn’t cut it. I recently read that white eyelet is a No for older women. Interesting to think of fabrics being generational. They used to say that persian lamb was too old for a younger woman.

  3. I can’t wait for the pictures of DD all ready to go!

    Silver shoes would be trendier, but the black are likely much more useful overall. And I think you’re right, the earrings & necklace are the finishing touches that will set the outfit apart.

  4. Vildy – I guess maybe the idea is that certain fabrics are associated with children, so they seem too youthful. Not certain what the deal is with persian lamb. ?

    dcrmom – they do look almost silver in the picture, but that is just the black reflecting the flash. And the inside of the shoes is silver.

    This should be interesting. We have an accumulation of snow on the ground, which is not going anywhere before tomorrow, and 80% chance of more snow tomorrow. This event is going to require lots of miles on the road: we live significantly out of the area where her friends live and where the dance is, and they are going to a place out of town, actually – out of state, for dinner.

    I say all that because I am just wondering what time it will be when I can take a faceless picture. 🙂

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.