Hem length help (and shoes!)

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Found this dress for $50 at Marshall's for my company's annual holiday party. Considering DH can't go, I felt like it was nice to get something lower priced. Party is black tie but cocktail dresses are acceptable, not everyone does floor length gowns.



Questions: does it need to be hemmed? I think yes but I'm not sure. If so, to what length? And what shoes?

I have $50 gift cert at zappos so that's basically my shoe budget. I have no desire to spend more and I wouldn't appreciate nice shoes anyway.

Fashion mavens, please help!

[MsSassyBaskets]

Yes to the hem--I would go right at the knee, maybe to the bottom of the kneecap to keep it sort of demure. I'm having a hard time coming up with good shoes, but I'll post later if I find anything. Maybe a gray pump?

[MrsK]

I love the dress on you; it really flatters your figure. I'd definitely hem it so that it hits at the thinnest part of your leg above the calf. I'd probably go for a high heel -- at least 2.5" if you are comfortable walking in heels. Maybe something metallic and open-toed or, if color blocking is still "in" (I think it is but I'm in the deep midwest and your firm is on the East Coast so I may be behind the times) I'd consider a brightly colored party shoe in a color other than blue.

[houseelf]

gorgeous!

[MrsK]

Shoe options:

http://www.zappos.com/product/7946245/color/767

http://www.zappos.com/annie-engagement-gold-satin

http://www.zappos.com/rsvp-pretty-fuchsia

http://www.zappos.com/bouquets-trish-apple-green-satin

[Curegirl]

Yes, hem for sure. Love the color! I'd pick shoes without straps to elongate your legs like one of the pumps MrsK put up links to or black if you want something safer but versatile.

[samssugarmomma]

You look awesome! Once that is hemmed it will be perfect!!

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Hem about 2" to the middle if your kneecap. If you go over the knee you have one option too many : tight and long, or loose and short, but never loose and long or tight and short.

Elongate the leg w a nude heel. Pick one you may wear again instead of a shimmery one. Can't go wrong w a patent. Also by nude I mean YOUR skin color. So you could need a blush colored shoe instead of pale tan, etc.

Off to looking at some of MrsK's options. I like the idea of sparkly but LSW is right, I may never wear it again.

Yeah my legs definitely need elongation.

Nude heels scare me though - and I'm not sure I've ever seen a blush colored nude shoe. Does nude work in December?

[MrsK]

Educate me. I had thought of a patent nude pump too but I decided it was too informal for a black-tie. If some of the other women are wearing evening gowns, I'd stay away from anything that you may wear to the office. Am I misinformed? As for party shoes, I've worn shoes that are silver, red, or black over and over for dressy occassions.

[MsSassyBaskets]

Educate me. I had thought of a patent nude pump too but I decided it was too informal for a black-tie. If some of the other women are wearing evening gowns, I'd stay away from anything that you may wear to the office. Am I misinformed? As for party shoes, I've worn shoes that are silver, red, or black over and over for dressy occassions.

I'll be honest, I don't generally like dress shoes/heels that are what you might think of as "cocktail" or "dressy"--satin, strappy, sparkles--I think it's a really fine, blurry line between that and tacky. I think a patent pump is basically always appropriate. I was thinking something like these in either the gray or the nude: http://www.zappos.com/product/7631215/color/372354

I also like your idea of color-blocking, but I think it would work really well with a patent pump as well: http://www.zappos.com/gabriella-roch...-purple-patent

[HouseofWool]

What about these?
http://www.zappos.com/madden-girl-tartt-blush-patent

[MsSassyBaskets]

What about these?
http://www.zappos.com/madden-girl-tartt-blush-patent

Nice!

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I'm still not convinced that they're fancy enough - though I do like them!

[HouseofWool]

I'm totally a fashion don't, but they seem to fit the guidelines put forth... I just follow our fashion mavens somewhat blindly and hope for the best (and know that they won't actually see me in capris.)

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Yeah, I want more maven confirmation that a nude heel is ok for a December black tie event!