April is upon us, and if you’re like me you’ve got wedding invitations practically coming out your ears. The younger set, too, is probably looking forward to graduation and milestones that involve looking nice. Spring is a season of events, and that means dressing up. Many of us lament formalwear for its stuffiness and discomfort. The main problem, I think, is that almost no one identifies with formal clothing, so we don’t know how to make it our own. Then the pictures turn up after the fact and we say, “that’s me?” But it doesn’t have to be so hard, or uncomfortable. So here are some styling tips you might not have thought of in preparation for your upcoming spring events, ideas for how to make the “dressed-up you” reflect your personal style. Take a look.


Try a shorts suit. There’s nothing quite so easy to wear as a shorts suit. It’s unexpected, but definitely not informal, especially for an outdoor occasion. People understand that it’s hot, so all you’ve really done is cut some suit pants off into shorts, essentially. The bonus is showing off your lovely legs. If you’re feeling the need to tone it down a bit, go easier on the pattern, go for longer shorts, or just opt for a pencil skirt, but the silhouette won’t let you down.


Wear exciting shoes. Again, when it comes to looking nice, no one is going to fault you for donning some fancy heels. Maybe don’t go for spikes and feathers to the point that it upstages the bride, but there’s nothing wrong with having a little fun. So spring for some pumps you’re excited about. All shoes from Asos.

ASOS Midi Summer Dress With Floral Cut Out Waist, $68.04 from Asos

Cutouts are magical. Sure, you can overdo it on cutouts, but a couple of them, carefully placed, can be the subtle detail that makes your wedding-attendee attire that much less frumpy. Also, cutouts provide ventilation — gotta love that.


Get fancy with jewelry. Statement jewelry is the quickest way to dress up an outfit you might have otherwise just worn to work. Think about it: you throw on a pair of cropped pants and a sleeveless blouse and then what? If you were going to work it might just be flats and a cardigan. But if you opt for some bright heels and some chunky jewelry, you’ve just made a dressy outfit without going out and spending a fortune on a one-off dress. Besides, you can wear jewelry again and again, no dry cleaning necessary. Necklaces from J. Crew, Asos, bracelets from Forever 21.

Wear your hair the way you’re used to. Nothing sends my clients into a fit of panic faster than how to wear their hair for an event. Here’s the secret: take whatever you normally do, and pump up the volume. Are you a fan of gentle waves? Make sure they last all day with some good firm hold hairspray and some root boost. Are you a friend of the braid? Get on Pinterest and look up different how-to’s on braiding your hair for an event. Add a delicate accessory (like a fascinator?) to your style. Hairdressing expertise is really just a lot of practice, not magic. So master your hair, and you’ll look your best every time.
Dressing up should be fun. It gives you the opportunity to experiment with clothing, accessories and styling you wouldn’t wear, say, to work, but that are still just a pumped up version of your personal taste. So treat yourself like the incredible individual that you are, and opt for a look you’ll love to wear, and love to see in photos.

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