Cocktail Attire for our Galentine’s Celebration
Quote of the day: “No person trying to take responsibility for her or his identity, should have to be so alone. There must be those among whom we can sit down and weep, and still be counted as warriors.” Adrienne Rich
And these people are the ones we call friends. Such came the term Galentine’s Day to celebrate our girlfriends whom we love and trust so deeply. It may be a new “term” and idea for those of us our age, but I certainly think it’s valid. Of course, it doesn’t automatically mean wearing cocktail attire.
The cocktail attire was Lesley’s idea awhile back, and considering how casual life has gotten, I loved the idea. Thus I thought it’d be a perfect time to get all fancy and go out together. And if you happen to read my monthly highlights, the fact, we’ve been watching classic movies makes me want to dress up more. The fashions of the times back then were so elegant.
I know before I was married, I didn’t get all excited about Valentines Day. But considering that it’s Rob and my anniversary, we do love making it an occasion now. You’ll get to see us on date night in the next post.
Yet our girlfriends can be the love of our lives too. That’s why this Galentine’s idea just floats my boat. Going out in appreciation of love that comes in so many forms. What more could you ask for?
Jodie’s (50+) Outfit
Dress: Yishiqui c/o Vipme (similar here)~~Shoes: Sam & Libby-thrifted (similar here)~~Wrap: Restoration Hardware (shocking, I know) (similar here)~~Earrings: Bauble Bar (similar here)~~Purse: Aldo (similar here)
Why I Wore This Outfit
This is one of those summer dresses that seems fancy to me because of the shape. Yet it’s sleeveless. And even wearing this faux fur wrap over it wasn’t going to cut it for this girl. So luckily I had a burgundy long sleeve t-shirt that worked perfectly under the dress. We’ve styled white button down blouses under dresses before, so why not a t-shirt?
I only wish I’d removed the wrap so you could see the ensemble better. We had hoped to take these photos in the bar area of this hotel, and had even reached out to them beforehand. But it wasn’t meant to be, so we had to punt. And thus it messed up all my plans for our photos.
Interesting Tidbit
For this occasion, I brought my big purse. I figured, if I was really meeting up with my friends, I’d need a bigger purse for everything. When I go out with my hubby, I’m lucky enough to only need the essentials.
Yet in saying this, I think many of our “normal” purses can be glamorous for this type of occasion. This metallic one easily works for errands yet still looks great with our cocktail attire too.
Lesley’s (60+) Outfit
Pants: Chicos (similar here)~~Top: Ann Taylor, Borrowed from her daughter (similar here)~~ Shoes: Lifestride (similar here)~~Scarf: (similar here)~~Purse: from her vintage collection (similar here)
Why Lesley Wore This Outfit
Lesley is in the middle of selling her house and moving, so I’ll have to answer this question for her. She was telling me that she and her daughter were looking through much of her daughter’s closet to find a great outfit for this post. And this black, crochet top is actually her daughter’s top.
I just have to say how delighted I was that Lesley wore pants for this topic. I know many women don’t wear skirts and dresses much so wearing pants is a fabulous idea. Even though she’s wearing all black, it’s the scarf and shoes that make the entire outfit pop. In fact, I feel like she steals the show.
Interesting Tidbit
I know many of us struggle with how to wear scarves and wraps. That’s the reason I created a YouTube video about this exact subject recently. In fact, I even added a video tab at the top of my website to make it easier to check them out. Of course, I’d appreciate if you subscribe to my channel and give any video you like a thumbs up.
Lesley showed up for our reunion post this summer draping her wrap scarf this exact same way over her shoulder. It’s proof that you don’t have to get all fancy with your scarves for them to make a big impact. And then adding those red shoes….oh la la!!
Nancy’s (70+) Outfit
Dress: JMD (similar here)~~Jacket: Laura Ashley (similar here)~~Shoes: (similar here)~~Necklace: (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)~~Purse: (similar here)
Why Nancy Wore This Outfit
When you say cocktail attire, I think it can be the perfect time to pull out those pieces you don’t normally wear. That’s exactly what Nancy did with her beaded and sequin black dress. You can read more about it in the Interesting Detail part.
I love that Nancy added in more sparkle with this silver jacket and shoes. After we styled our sparkly outfits for this New Years Eve, I’ve been wanting to incorporate this detail more. Why? Because it’s fun and a change from the ho hum of every day. I’m sure most of us save these “dressier” items for dress up, but one of these days, I’d love to see Nancy wear this jacket and shoes with blue jeans.
Interesting Tidbit
I love the story that Nancy told me about this black dress. My dad bought it for her to wear one New Years Eve, so over 20 years ago. Nancy says that she didn’t have anything fancy enough for his taste so he took matters into his own hands by getting her this dress.
My dad definitely liked nice things. And Nancy even says, he taught her to like them too as opposed to things that looked cheap. Not that we always have to overspend, but quality can make a difference.
Charlotte’s (80+) Outfit
Skirt: Summit Hill (similar here)~~Jacket: R&M-thrifted (similar here)~~Shoes: Anne Klein (similar here)~~Scarf: (similar here)~~Necklace: (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)~~Purse: (similar here)
Why Charlotte Wore This Outfit
My mom has a plethora of sparkle and shine in her closet. Even though it’s not something she wears everyday. And while black does not look great with her complexion, I’m so glad she added in the gold to be close to her face.
As for the pleated skirt, it’s been wonderful to see them back in style everywhere. My mom’s is from 24 years ago (I have no idea how she remembers that, LOL) and it’s a great feminine touch for a cocktail party.
Interesting Tidbit
This gold material around the collar of the black jacket is actually a scarf. The “v” part is supposed to be the back of the neck, and then there are long ties as the main part of the scarf. Those ties are now extending to my mom’s back. She actually tied them in a knot at her low back under the jacket.
If it’s one thing that my mom is, she’s clever with making pieces work in almost any situation.
Tips & Tricks
Everyone’s definition of cocktail attire is different. And like I always say….”that’s a good thing.” So while most of us tend to think fancy/schmantzy, I love how even your black pants could be totally perfect.
Even though most of us think black for the formal affairs, let’s just look at how Lesley’s red scarf really adds so much brightness to the mix. It makes me wish I had worn something brighter. Because if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times, I think every woman I meet has fabulous qualities. And for some strange reason, I think those qualities ought to show in our clothing.
While I do love the idea of having easy pieces for certain occasions, if you’re not one to go to cocktail parties regularly, it seems silly to have a ton of these kinds of dresses. So get creative. A column of color like Lesley did works perfect. Or a jumpsuit. Or your little black dress. Or even a red, t-shirt dress with a metallic topper. Or go thrifting.
So many options really. But the worst thing is to have the event come up and you feel lost. So pin this. Or go buy something now that’s a great deal. And then put together your own cocktail party. Don’t forget to invite me. I’d love to come.
Berkshire Legwear
Let me give a shout out to Berkshire Hosiery and the team at Lipton Publicity that sent us these hose. My mom is the hugest fan of the toeless hosiery especially for her sandals. So when they reached out to ask if we wanted to sample their new line called The Easy On by Berkshire Legwear, I had to say yes. That means these were gifted to us, but no money was exchanged.
As an aside, you may think that all hosiery is the same. Maybe that’s because I was usually buying the cheapest ones I could find. Over the years, I have learned that some are really better than others. Not that I want to spend a ton on them. But my first pair of fishnets were more than $10 and ended up lasting for over 5 years….and I wore them a ton.
These “The Easy On” variety from Berkshire are definitely more upscale. They are more than $10, but even Nancy commented on how they were easier to pull up and down during the evening. I didn’t notice that as much as I loved how sheer they were. My mom really liked the shaping feature.
So if you’ve sworn off hose because they are too uncomfortable, you might just reconsider with the right pair of hosiery.
The Facts
I’m so glad to report that you should be able to Pin these images to your own Pinterest now. So I’d love it if you help me out and pin away!
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