We had a fundraiser for work tonight. Normally I hate these things: the small talk with strangers, the lukewarm hors d’oeuvres, the odd discomfort of an ill-fitting dress or treacherous shoes. These things send me into a small state of anxiety and I inevitably end up hiding out in my office or the kitchen until the end.

Tonight though, I nailed it. I wore a fun, springy/summery dress with my go-to wedges and my favorite (so simple!) hairstyle. More importantly, I knew a ton of people at the gathering — colleagues at my institution, former staff members supporting our cause, volunteers from the museum, and old and new connections from my fair, little city — so I had the chance to catch up and connect when I usually guiltily hide out. The evening was a success, both for the overall establishment and for me personally. I was beaming as I walked out.

Dress: Julian Taylor via TJ Maxx website

Cardigan: LOFT

Shoes: Clarks

Belt: Target

Watch: Fossil

Jewelry: Larry Nelson of Global Odyssey

Headband: LOFT

The shots aren’t the greatest (this is what you get when I’m left to do the photography alone after a 12+ hour workday and two glasses of wine). The evening was cool and damp, so I decided to throw a cardigan on, hiding the low, squared back. The pink of the sweater was a perfect match for flowers in the dress though, so it was a good decision. I wore a gold, glittery belt and picked that theme up again in the shoes and earrings. To pull everything together, the headband I wore is beaded with small seed beads in white, pink, and gold. I like both the in-your-face connections (the bold florals paired with the sweater) as well as the subtle ties (gold belt to golden highlight in on my heels to gold hairpiece) because it keeps it interesting. Can’t wait to style this dress differently next time though; I’m thinking maybe a teal sweater?

What do you wear to big (work) events? Do you stick to neutrals? Bold prints or colors? Do you have a fallback outfit or do you buy a new piece for such things?