I’m trying to think up a name for this new “column” here at Musings of a Housewife! People are sending me pictures and fashion questions. SO FUN!!!
Monica writes in:
I hope your readers might be able to help with my dress for the reception. It is custom made by one of my friends who (I believe) is an up and coming Perth fashion designer. It is a long flowy red dress. My first time wearing a red dress too! 🙂
And so far, I am thinking – tear drop gold necklace with a gold clasp belt (I am not pregnant although I seem to look it in the picture) and gold earrings. The gold theme stems from my gold coloured heels. Lol! I have no idea what other colours to match so I have just gone off from the gold coloured heels! 🙂
What would you and your readers recommend? Tips for hair/makeup and nail polish would also be much needed.
Going through all this because I am the emcee for the reception. Gotta dress to impress if all else fails! hehe!
First of all. MONICA! You look A-mazing in red! (And you SO do not look pregnant!!)
I think accessorizing in gold is definitely the way to go — a matte gold, though. Nothing too shiny.
Jewelry: Since a red dress is so powerful, I would go easy on the jewelry. I might look for a necklace that fill in the neckline, rather than a long pendant. If you go for a statement necklace, then opt for smaller earrings.
Shoes: I like the top ones best, I think. It’s hard to be sure, though, without seeing the heel on the bottom one. I don’t think you can go wrong with either.
Bag: Don’t forget a handbag! A cute clutch of course.
Check this out:
Rehearsal Dinner Glam by allthingschic featuring pave earrings
Hair: What about pulling the top and sides back into a fancy clip, and teasing the back a bit to give it some height? Or a sleek up-do would be gorgeous.
Nail Polish: Have fun with it! A dark navy blue
Or even brown or gray. You Don’t Know Jacques! is one of my absolute faves. You can’t go wrong with that.
Makeup: I’d go with a smokey eye – thick black eye liner, and then nude lips a la Jessica Alba. (photo credit: People Style Watch)
You could even go to a makeup counter and have it done for you. I’m always tempted to do that when I have somewhere special to go, but I’ve never actually DONE it.
I reached out to my stylish friend, Grace, who is Korean, to make sure I wasn’t giving you bad makeup advice. She agreed with the makeup advice, and added this:
Like your idea of smokey eyes and nude lips.
Here’s a smokey eye tutorial. We have the same kind of eyes and I find that as the evening wears on, the dark shadows fall onto my cheek bone. To prevent that, she needs to wear mascara. And to keep the mascara from giving her raccoon eyes, she can wear clear mascara over the black.
Tell her NUDE lips for an olive skin is not the same as for white girls. We have to go for something that actually has a color for it to LOOK nude. AND how about nude nails too?
Did I forget anything?
What do you say, oh faithful Musings readers? How should Monica accessorize her gorgeous red dress!??
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I love the necklace you picked out. And I think the gold nail polish is the way to go. You have given her some great advice on ways to accessorize her already gorgeous dress!
Jo Lynne I think your suggestions are right on! I especially like the gold nail polish.
Thank you so much for the post Jo-Lynne! It looks great!
I went to the shops right after your post and started looking for the accessories you suggested. Bought an OPI nail polish – the Brisbane bronze. Tho now I am thinking whether I should have gotten the gold coloured one instead. Lol!
It was good that you pointed out to go easy on the necklace. I went to over 10 shops, did lots of referring back to your post on my iphone and after three hours of intense shopping, I bought a gold necklace that fills the neckline and matching earrings!
Ooo… smokey eyes and nude lips. A friend of mine will be helping out with the makeup and I cannot wait to show her what you have suggested!
Oh yes, I bought a champagne coloured clutch purse that was similar to what you posted. It has gold and cream coloured beads on it. Very noice 🙂
Thanks again Jo-Lynne. And I am always open to more suggestions.
Have a great weekend!
Mon
YAY! So glad you like it! Will you send us a picture of you on the night of the rehearsal dinner? That would be so fun!
Beautiful color Monica! I love your choice of gold vs silver with the red. Gold is making a comeback–something I’m happy about. It sounds like you have already found some great pieces thanks to Jo-Lynne’s advice. Accessorizing can be difficult–how much is enough/too much? I advise my clients to add their ‘bling’ in 2-3 places with one of those being the focal point. If you love big earrings, the necklace and bracelet are simple and vica versa. I’m a jewelry person so I don’t always follow this rule to the letter! With this dress with an open neck, my focal point would be the necklace, simple earrings. If you put your hair up–larger earrings, simple necklace. I also really like bracelets with sleeveless. Accessorizing gets fun when you can start pulling together pieces that don’t typically go together but have similar elements–takes a little practice. Enjoy! You wil look wonderful with all the fun pieces you have added.
Thanks Karen for the very handy tips! Matching items that do not usually go together definitely takes good practice. I always admire how some people can pull it off without it looking like much of an effort.
Jo-lynne, it would be my pleasure to send through a picture (or two) of myself at the wedding reception this evening. Thanks again for the great suggestions and for helping a gurl in need of fashion advice from across the globe. You are a super mum aka. Fashionista!
Hope you have a SPECTACULAR time!!! 🙂 Can’t wait to see the pix!
Hi There! I hope I’m not too late here! I’m a sucker for a beautiful red dress. You look adorable! Before I scrolled down, I immediately thought that some sort of pearl and gold necklace would look great. Love the top gold shoes. Personally, I love red nail polish–can’t go wrong with it. Updo’s are so nice if you can find someone to do it for you. I never get the right on my own. Otherwise you have a great haircut that would look very classy with neat, side part. How fun to be an emcee. You’ll look so beautiful! Have fun. 🙂
Have fun, Monica! I can hardly wait to see the pictures from the reception. Please send us close-ups of the make-up and hairstyle!!
Hey Jo-Lynne [and awesome readers],
I have sad news to tell you… I did not wear the red dress for the reception.
It became apparent over the course of the day/evening that it would be best to remain in my bridesmaid dress especially since we [the bridesmaids] were wearing the same dress and no one [guests included] were changing out of their dresses for the reception.
Plus I would hate to steal the show on my best gurlfriend’s special day.
Whilst saying that, I could always dress up anyway and show you what I had planned to wear? 🙂 I incorporated Jo, Grace and Karen’s suggestions.
Otherwise, I can send it through when I finally wear it for an occasion? 🙂
Mon
Oh definitely send it on! Can’t wait to see it. 🙂
Interesting that everyone wore the bridesmaids dresses for the rehearsal. Here, we don’t do that. The bride surely didn’t wear HER bridal gown, did she??
Lol! Lost in time translation 🙂 It was actually for the wedding reception – the celebratory dinner after the wedding 😛
Photos to come I promise 🙂
OOOOOOOH. LOL. I totally thought it was rehearsal dinner. Ha!
Thanks for the nail polish pics;-)