Long winter evenings don't have to be that long. The ball season is a great invitation not to let your evening dress or suit lie idle for too long. You can head out for culture to the theater or traditionally to a ball, where you will enjoy a pleasant evening spent with friends in good company.
Although some cultural institutions are more tolerant of formal wear, a visit to the theater or a ball remains a festive event. Formal wear in the form of a suit or tuxedo for men and a dress for ladies is still a must, without which you cannot do without when attending. Especially if you are heading to a more official event in a larger city, do not forget about etiquette or the rules of social behavior.
Ladies' choice
Ladies should keep in mind that evening dresses no longer have to be exclusively floor-length. Dancing is expected at a ball, so a knee-length will suffice. The best choice is a solid-colored dress without distracting patterns or prints, which can be embellished with elegant lace details or trim on the sleeves and the bottom of the skirt.
For evening events, dresses in darker shades are preferred. They can be easily spiced up with bold jewelry, a brooch, or costume jewelry. Red or burgundy colors are perfectly acceptable today, as are cream or gold with a metallic sheen. Pure white dresses in a cut that resembles a wedding gown are still considered inappropriate.
Heels are an essential part of the dress. They should be either black or matching the color of the dress. Summer sandals are more suitable for informal occasions, so they should rather stay home in this case. Your mini handbag should also match. A popular type for evening events is a clutch, but you can also take a small handbag or a handbag with a shoulder strap.
Handbag for a ball and its contents
A handbag for a ball should hold everything you might need during the evening. Apartment keys, a wallet with documents and an insurance card, a mobile phone, and tissues are the basics, to which you should add a small perfume atomizer and basic beauty essentials like powder, lip gloss, or lipstick.
TOP 6 handbags for a ball
TIP: Not sure how to choose a handbag? First aid is provided by the article How to choose a women's handbag. You can find more models in the women's handbags section.
The perfect gentleman
The most common formal wear for men is a suit, which consists of a jacket and dress trousers. You can also go in a tuxedo, but that is more the domain of luxury rental shops than a typical item in the wardrobes of Czech men. Preferred suit colors are dark blue, black, and dark gray. More elegant suits are often made of fabrics with a metallic sheen and may include a vest. You can decorate a jacket pocket with a white pocket square or perhaps a small flower, and you can also pin a stylish badge to the lapel.
Under the jacket, wear a solid-colored long-sleeved shirt, which should be white or a darker shade. A tie or bow tie should not disrupt the overall look. If you choose a white shirt and a black suit, you can emphasize your style with a bolder color; with colored shirts, it is better not to experiment too much. If you have cufflinks, don't forget to pull up your sleeves so your accessory is clearly visible.
Classic footwear for men are lace-up formal shoes - leather patent shoes or dress shoes, the color of which should be either black in combination with a classic suit or brown if you are wearing a dark blue one. Also, don't forget dark high socks. Your belt and men's wallet or document holder should also match the shade of your shoes.
Wallet for a ball or rather a document holder?
A proper gentleman should always have only the essentials at hand. Cash and documents usually fit into a wallet, where you can also insert a key. The mobile phone can be hidden with a handkerchief in the jacket or trouser pocket. However, if the inner pockets of the jacket are not large enough to hold everything without unsightly bulges, it will be useful to have either a special wallet or a small handbag for the hand - a so-called document holder.
TOP 6 tips for wallets and document holders for a ball
TIP: Not sure which parameters are most important when choosing a wallet? The selection will be made easier by the article How to choose a wallet. You can find the complete offer of men's wallets on our website.
Grand finale
Before preparing for a ball, always ensure that your formal attire matches the valid dress code on the invitation. The same naturally applies to your accessory bag. If a specific color is designated for the event, do not be afraid to add this shade to your outfit. Ladies can use costume jewelry, a scarf, or a shawl for this matching, while men can use a bow tie or tie, a pocket square, or even a vest. You can choose the same approach if you want to color-coordinate with your partner.
Photo source: pixabay.com
