Style Me! Formal Wear

I got a request from my sister's friend, Val to help style her dress for Navy ball, and my sister thought it was a great opportunity to add a new segment to the blog. I thought that was a brilliant idea! So, I bring you the first installment of Style Me!

She bought this dress in burgundy:



By the way, this dress is absolutely GORGEOUS!

Val said she was looking for suggestions on handbags and shoes to match. The biggest stipulation was that the shoes couldn't be too tall. I'm not super familiar with shorter heels so it definitely took some digging. In my opinion, for a formal dress, standard pumps aren't exciting enough. I think a good peep toe or open toe is great, and anything with some added detailing like bows or glitter is even better.  *Disclaimer: all prices are based on what is on the linked site presently. Prices may change*

My first find I absolutely fell in love with and thought they were perfect!



This is Unlisted Bliss List. They are gorgeous and perfect for a formal event (and only $44). Unfortunately, at 3 1/2 inches they were still too high.

Here's the rest of the options that I came up with. I was surprised that I could find so many cute heels in a shorter height. All are 2 1/2 inches.

We'll start with the most expensive and work down.



This is Luichiny's Best One Yet. They retail for $71. They are cheaper elsewhere but not in the right size. I love the bow and the peep toe. I also think it's a very classy looking heel, and the satin gives it a more formal feel.



This is Circa Joan & David's Zorita. Same concept, bow and peep toe but with leather instead of satin. These retail for $59.99.



Lastly, this is Vaneli's Maela. They are currently selling for $30. I actually love the sling back on this and I definitely love the price. This is definitely my #1 suggestion. The MSRP on these is $100 so these are an absolute steal.

Now onto bags. For a formal like this, I definitely recommend a clutch with either a satin or lace finish. I've picked out a few below.



This is Nina's Laramie and it costs $31.99. It has a nice satin finish and a classy jeweled buckle detailing.



Here's Jessica McClintock's Soft Floral Frame Snap Closure. It currently costs $27.99. I absolutely love the lace detailing and think it would go well with the floral sleeves of the dress.



Lastly is Jessica McClintock's Flap with Stone (clearly the company goes with more descriptive names than cutesy ones). Again satin finish with jeweled detailing. The best part about this on is the price at $17.99.

These are all my suggestions. Hopefully there's something in here that Val likes or at least gives her a better idea of what to look for. I can't wait to see pictures of the final product!

If anyone needs help with styling suggestions, I'd be happy to help! Just let me know. You can contact me on Twitter, Tumblr, or through email at shopwithbethblog@gmail.com.