When I got invited to Jay-Z’s 40/40 Club 10 year anniversary event (#humblebrag), the first thing I texted my friend Jane, who was attending as well, was “What are we going to wear??” Yes, I’m a stylist, but I have those days too, where I feel like I have nothing in my closet!
That’s the best time to re-accessorize something you have to make it feel fresh again instead of impulsively buying a new frock. Of course I thought, “What would Beyoncé wear?” Something more classy than clubby of course.
Sure enough, Beyoncé looked more elegant than I even imagined in a beautiful white cut-out dress. She was equally as gracious when we asked her three times over the music what she was wearing.
“Roberto Cavalli,” she kindly replied.
dress: Parker NY (Rent The Runway sample sale) / necklace: E.Kammeyer / shoes: Christian Siriano for Payless / bag: Zara
STYLIST TIP: Have you ever received an invite for something and it says “cocktail attire” and you’re totally stumped as to what’s appropriate or not? It happens to the best of us.
Here’s a fool-proof way of dressing for that:
1. Pick a dress that’s above the knee—essentially a “cocktail” dress, but stay away from casual fabrics like jersey cotton or linen.
2. Generally opt for something that’s a bit more demure than something you may wear to say, Vegas or a bachelorette.
3. Add a statement piece of jewelry (one necklace, bracelet or earrings) to coordinate with your dress. Stay away from day-time jewelry like earthy beads and go for anything with a bit of sparkle or shine instead.
4. Heels are key for your look, but they don’t need to be sky-high. Go for something a bit fancier than you may wear to the office. A nude or black pump is always safe and in the summer, metallic heeled sandals go with just about any dress you may own!
5. Finish your look with a clutch. You can even tuck in the straps of a small purse like I did here.