light blue dresses Girls Christmas Dress Audrey Dress line gown in soft sky blue tulle is a perfect blend of elegance and whimsy Baby Blue Serenade Gown– Teuta

Its not casual or semi-casual: Sundresses dont qualify Casual midi dresses in cotton or jersey miss the mark Anything youd wear to brunch or shopping feels too relaxed Its not the same as cocktail attire: Black tie optional is slightly more formal Fabrics and overall polish matter more The formality ceiling is higher (full gowns work) Its not a suggestion to underdress: The optional part means you can skip the floor-length gown It doesnt mean you can significantly dress down Maintain elegant, special-occasion styling Building Versatile Options Smart shopping for black tie optional events considers future wear

There were so many things I dreamt of doing as a little girl I got to do this year that felt like such a cool, sweet, little bucket-list moment for my younger self, she said

I recommend making it a day ahead of time so the flavors have a chance to blend

"Jumpsuits and separates can work just as well as tried-and-tested ball gowns with the added bonus that you'll likely get tonnes of wear out of these pieces well beyond the black-tie event circuit," she adds

After that, I started treating the armhole like a key design feature, not a small detail