Mary Gaffney

Fashion Columnist

It’s getting down to crunch time, y’all, and we all know that semi-formal events are around the corner.

With all of the holidays coming up, I need to elevate my outfits. I love being able to look nice as I avoid my family members for Thanksgiving or try my hardest to talk about anything else but what I’m going to do with my future over Christmas break.

Plus, with semi-formal season creeping up for those who are attending dances, what better time is there to get all dressed up and fancy-looking?

Whether it’s for date night with your partner, with your friends or even by yourself, looking your best helps you feel your best.

I’m all for one to start playing with textures. Velvet is one of my favorite fabrics, so naturally I gravitate to that more often than not. My go-to semi-formal look is a classic slip dress, dressed up with a coat, my personal favorite being faux fur, and block heels.

I also love combining skirts into a semi-formal outfit. If it’s a bit chilly outside, try putting on a turtleneck and tucking it into a skirt. The rule for me is that if one article of my outfit is tight, the other should be loose.

Skirts that have a nice flow to them but are tight at the waist are my favorite to style for semi-formal looks.

Textures and fabrics aren’t the only things that you can play with when you’re finding your semi-formal look. For date nights, I love wearing darker colors. Emerald green is the best color for me, but I love color blocking with simple neutral colors. Black and white are a staple for me.

If your outfit is looking a little plain, you can always make a statement with jewelry. Just remember not to overload on the jewelry. Keep it classy and interesting.

Throwing on a red lip can also instantly class up any look, just beware of lipstick on your teeth.

With all the semi-formal events that are coming up, go out and enjoy your time, but enjoy it in style!