Preparing for a Military Ball

Once again, another Ball is right around the corner. There were 2 in the month of May (Florida and Kansas)...and 1 in Colorado in August. I thought I'd detail the process of preparing for a Ball or Formal and document that here...enjoy:)

A formal invite for a military ball should come out about 4-6 weeks before the Ball, but the date of the Ball or Formal is usually known much earlier in advance. If I had one piece of advice to offer here, it would be: start preparing as far in advance as possible. I learned this lesson the hard way last year when I sauntered into a local bridal store - 2 weeks before the Ball - and expected to pick out the perfect formal gown. When I spoke to the owner of the store, I told her what I was looking for...she asked my time line...I told her...and then she laughed. It was then that my hopes were crushed...who on earth knew that it took as long as 8 weeks to order a bridesmaid or party dress?! Well, now I do...and so do you. So start planning early.

Places to look for a gown or dress:

• Bridal store
• Local swaps on Post - while I have never done this, I do know someone who has. My concern is sizing - could it be like trying to find a needle in a haystack?
• Friends - one of my good girlfriends in Memphis had a beautiful purple gown (she wore as a bridesmaid in a wedding) that would be perfect!
• Online - please be very careful on this; the sizing varies greatly! I have ordered a size 4 that fit too loosely...and a size 8 that fit too tightly! It can be frustrating and costly (returns & shipping).

Here are some of the things I think about when picking out a dress:


Think about LENGTH & STYLE:
If it is a formal event or occasion (Ball, Dining out, etc), it is a given - in my mind - that I'll be sporting a long dress. At every Ball I've attended, there's been some poor woman walking around in a tight, ultra short mini - Yikes. Not only do all the women look at her and exclaim, "Bless her heart!" but the soldiers also notice (and this is especially not good if your soldier's Chain of Command takes notice). People are usually gracious enough to not make those ladies feel uncomfortable, but you do not want to be the attendee who looks like she also works in a gentleman's club. Some of the younger ladies will reuse their prom dresses - while cute, this is also not the most appropriate. Shorter tutu skirts, lots of sequins and frill are totally fun but, again, not formal. If you're unsure about your dress, ask yourself this question, "If I were attending a formal dinner at the White House, would I feel comfortable and confident that this choice of dress communicates respect for the event, the hosts, the venue, my date and myself?" If the answer is a confident, "Yes!" then, by all means, go with your dress choice. And rock on with confidence. :)   


Think about FIT:
Will you be able to sit, stand, dance for several hours without having your circulation cut off? The goal here is comfortable and flattering. There are some dresses I just love...and they look amazing....on other people. It's important to always try on the dress to see if it really is a match for your body shape. I've seen dresses that look amazing on a hanger yet look totally wonky once worn. No kidding. Try that dress on...walk around, even sit in it. Does the dress complement you?...or stress you out? A formal ball is no place to feel insecure or nervous so, if you do not feel confident and beautiful in the dress at the store, then put it back on the rack. 

Think about COLOR:
Many ladies try to pick out a blue that will match their date's dress blues. I typically avoid blue...for that very reason. When taking formal photos, my fear has always been that I would "disappear" next to my date. Not to mention that it's always kind of fun to be a standout in a crowd full of Blue:)

The only thing that I'd caution against here is a print...prints, although lovely, are typically not considered formal. So try to select a good primary color that looks great with your complexion and makes you feel beautiful.

A word about SHOES:
Shoes have never been high on my priority list....because no one ever sees them. For me, shoes simply need to meet one criteria:

1. Comfort (for extended wear and for dancing)

Some ladies really love getting fun & sassy shoes - and that's great! It's just not ever been super important to me. In fact, I can't recall anyone's shoes from any Ball that I've ever attended.

ALTERATIONS:
You're getting a long dress, and chances are you're going to need some minor alterations...most likely on the length. Plan to put this in front of your seamstress at least a week before the event (to allow for enough time ...and just in case additional length needs to be hemmed up!)...Allow for additional time if your event falls during a very busy party season (think: wedding and/or prom season!). And, when you go visit the seamstress, make sure you know what shoes you'll be wearing. You must bring the exact shoes you plan to wear with your gown to your alterations appointment, otherwise how will your seamstress know the proper amount of length to hem when you plan to wear heels yet show up in some fabulous flats?!

HELPFUL TIPS:

• If you find a wonderful dress in a store, but feel faint when thinking about paying retail price, find out what size you need and then turn to eBay or Craigslist! I just bought my dream dress, brand new, which normally retails for $390...for $90 on eBay.
• Jewelry - like everything else, it should accentuate your look and not detract. Try it on and make a decision in advance.
• Hair & makeup - some ladies have their hair & makeup professionally done, and they look amazing. But I've never done this and don't feel that it is, by any means, a requirement. If I did do this, I'd definitely feel the need to do a "test run" before the event. Someone I know had her teenage daughter do her makeup - and she looked fantastic!!  
• Try everything on! Of course you've already tried your gown on in the store...but try it on again, with shoes, when you get home. Waltz around in it. Stand in front of the mirror. You'll feel silly, but this is one less thing you'll have to worry about when getting ready for the evening. If you've tried it on and given yourself a thorough "checking out," you can get ready quickly on the night of the event and you'll feel confident. The alternative is that you'll feel rushed or, worse, arrive late to your event. No bueno.

 
 
Hope this helps!

If anyone has any good tips or "Do"s and/or "Don't"s, please feel free to sound off in the comments, or link to another blog posting. If I receive any other amazing tips, I'll be sure to share:)