Save Me From Style Parody
January 16, 2011 7:49 AM   Subscribe

Quick, MeFites! In less than an hour I'm dressing to go to the Cirque du Soleil. I'm determined to wear my vintage black velvet strapless evening gown with flamenco ruffles. How do I style it tongue-in-cheek without trying too hard?

So yeah, Cirque du Soleil, black velvet evening gown, vintage, strapless, ruffles across the top, flamenco ruffles around the hem and vented up to the knee. Obviously, way too formal for the theatre. Don't care, I want to wear this dress. Life too short, etc.

I thought of wearing it with my distressed lace-up brown military boots to add to the flamenco theme while dressing it down with Insouciance and Wit, etc., but I'm not sure if that's just too 1991.

I thought that, in lieu of a wrap, I would throw a soft, straight-cut, collarless leather jacket over it, the kind that when you wear it on its own makes you look like an assassin. I fear that this is escalating the Trying Too Hard to mega proportions, though.

I also thought that I'd stick a tortoiseshell peineta with rhinestones in my hair, to link to the brown boots and add to the flamenconess of it.

How bad would that be? If it's as bad as I think it is, what else can I do? I have closets full of nearly everything, so I defy you to suggest an accessory I don't own.
posted by tel3path to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (13 answers total)
 
Pink flip-flops, if the weather where you are right now permits?
posted by sueinnyc at 7:51 AM on January 16, 2011


top hat and cane.
posted by pencroft at 7:55 AM on January 16, 2011 [2 favorites]


Best answer: Me, I'd go with a little-bit shrunken schoolboy blazer and a soft, floppy beret. And of course, these.
posted by thinkpiece at 7:59 AM on January 16, 2011 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Friend, for better or worse, the 90s are headed back around.

Throw long chambray button-up over it, unbuttoned and with sleeves rolled.

Then put a bunch of long, chunky stuff around your neck. Also, you could wear a giant circle scarf so that the necklaces nicely peek around it.

The shoes? I think combat boots would be fun. Or Chucks
posted by functionequalsform at 8:05 AM on January 16, 2011 [1 favorite]


Best answer: I really like the boots and tortoiseshell peineta with rhinestones idea! The boots are less obtrusive than the jacket, but signal insouciance. Rock it with confidence and people will be in awe. Enjoy!
posted by ldthomps at 8:08 AM on January 16, 2011


Response by poster: I think I'm going with the boots and the peineta.

Not sure what to do about the jacket though. I don't have a chambray shirt (that's a win for functionequalsform but I do have a denim jacket. But I think that would be kinda trying too hard in this case, and I've realized the soft leather one, being also black, would be the less try-hard option. However I don't think it would hang right over the dress.

So, any suggestions for jackets/sweaters/etc?
posted by tel3path at 8:15 AM on January 16, 2011


Response by poster: How about a brown leather blazer? Maybe with a large white flower corsage?
posted by tel3path at 8:42 AM on January 16, 2011


Do you have a dude in the house? A good neighbor? Steal something. :)

If it's too big, tie it around the waist.
posted by functionequalsform at 8:47 AM on January 16, 2011


Response by poster: ...I'm adding large cross earrings, either tortoiseshell or black marcasite...
posted by tel3path at 8:55 AM on January 16, 2011


Response by poster: I am worn out from all that insouciance. I could not get a chambray shirt but I threw on my denim jacket and divers chunky necklaces. Thanks, MeFites! Now I can go to the circus in a velvet flamenco gown and remain totally inconspicuous.
posted by tel3path at 10:25 AM on January 16, 2011 [1 favorite]


Photos needed of the final ensemble!
posted by penguin pie at 10:44 AM on January 16, 2011


Agreed!
posted by functionequalsform at 10:47 AM on January 16, 2011


Response by poster: Alas, I can't post a photo and preserve anonymity. But the outfit was amazingly low-key [1] and amazingly fitted to the occasion, which is what I wanted AND to have an excuse to wear the dress.

Why, by the second half the flautist was ALREADY copying my outfit. I magnanimously wave this aside as the sincerest form of flattery.


[1] I considered a beaded cocktail dress, but the tel3mum objected because it was too shiny and might "distract" the performers. Well, the first character to appear was wearing a disco-ball zentai suit, so although I took the point I cannot believe I would have posed a threat.
posted by tel3path at 6:01 PM on January 16, 2011


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