Editor’s Note: Please welcome back our contributing blogger, Patricia Mitchell! Patricia Mitchell is a southern California blogger for Blue Lilly Pad who enjoys writing about fashion, vegetarian cuisine and more. You can find her on Facebook and Instagram. We hope you enjoy, and please share your thoughts in the comments below!
By Patricia Mitchell
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Formal wear is a must for proms, winter balls, black tie parties, weddings, or if you’re feeling extra fancy, a night at the opera. Whatever the occasion, we all want to stand out and make an impression. That’s why many celebrities who go to formal red carpet events like the MET Gala or The Academy Awards always compete with each other for best dressed. Allow me to give you some helpful tips to be the best dressed at any formal event you may attend.
Vintage
Let’s take you back to old Hollywood glam where beautiful ladies wore silk and beaded dresses with fur coats to the red carpet events. I am wearing a tube top, black beaded, long silk vintage dress with a mink coat that screams glamorous. I also wore a strappy dusty pink flapper inspired silk beaded dress that just flows in the wind. Both dresses were borrowed from The Fashion House.

Vintage inspired formal wear

Vintage inspired formal wear
Cocktail Short Dress
If want to show some legs, make sure you put on that sassy short cocktail dress. Here’s a not so secret… You don’t always have to wear black! I am wearing a white and black ombre, Sugarlips fringe dress. To show how great color is, I also wore a colorful tribal print Cache tube dress that will keep the outfit memorable, and you the life of the party.

Formal Wear: Cocktail Dress

Formal Wear: Cocktail Dress
Gowns! Gowns! And More Gowns!
Ahh! That beautiful elegant gown that makes you feel like a million bucks. Both gowns are from The Windsor Store. My sister and I, we both love the different selection of dresses. The black halter dress hugs each curve and makes you feel like the queen of the ball. Let’s not forget about the nude lace dress that gives you that “Va Va Voom” appeal. One of the things that I love about black or lace gowns is that they are timeless for any formal event.

Formal Wear: Gowns

Formal Wear: Gowns
Please share in the comments below on which type of formal wear you would wear and to what formal event would you go?
Credits
Photography by Bobby Mitchell
Hair by S. Lindsay Bonilla
The Fashion House
Windsor Store www.windsorstore.com
Sugarlips www.sugarlips.com
About Patricia from Blue Lilly Pad
I was born and raised in the beautiful beaches of Monterey Peninsula and am currently residing in Southern California. During the day I work as a career counselor/young adult advocate for an awesome non-profit company where I help young adults meet their educational goals and connect them to a variety of job opportunities in the IE.
I grew up with a very mature palette, being able to cook delicious somethings out of nothing, and vegetarian at that! On top of that I was always very adventurous with my fashion. Being able to travel to Italy in high school helped broaden my fashion senses. My seven favorite fashion essentials are prints, studs, neutrals, denim, leather, florals and lace. My hope is to be able to bring you food ideas and fashion tips to try out, and please feel free to share your ideas. Please contact me at bluelillypad7@gmail.com
Blue Lilly Pad Blog is a journey into my three loves: fashion, vegetarian cuisine and letters to encourage you! All three of my gifts and passion all collaborated in one.
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” Romans 12:9