Black tie in most places means tuxedo and below-the-ankle evening dresses. In Singapore apparently it means ‘wear whatever you find in your closet’.
To the shock and horror of my husband (who rented a less-than-perfect tux for the occasion) and I (you know the story of my struggle by now), entering the ballroom at the Sentosa Resorts World last night there was hardly anyone in black tie attire. To be specific, maybe around 40 out of the 500 guests were wearing tuxes or evening dresses. On the other hand, patterned shirts, suits for men and short cocktail dresses and what I’d view as day dresses were aplenty.
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| Black tie enough? Safe to say so apparently! |
Honestly I don’t see the logic behind that. I mean how many times do you get the chance to dress up smartly for a once-a-year event which features an exceptional dinner and guests from around Asia who flew specifically for the night? It’s not just about looking nice. It’s about looking appropriate for the occasion and showing the hosts some respect to the effort they’ve put organising such a glamorous event.
Not that my dress was anything glamorous but it was the right length which makes such a difference in formal wear. I actually felt very comfortable and thanked God I didn’t go for a dressier look. I felt bad though for the two ladies who have rented their gowns (naturally I identified the dresses right away) and put so much effort for the occasion. Imagine how they must have felt! Slightly over-dressed? Not their fault though!
I’m sure Singapore isn’t the only place in the world where some people don’t adhere to dress codes. But when you are invited to such an event, it means you are above a certain age and have a social status which enables you to afford even a simple long dress (or invest in a tux if you’re a guy) just to at least look the part.
So ladies and gents, tuxes and evening dresses next time please!
As for my dress, as I said, it's very simple and plainer than I would have liked but have managed to grab it for SG$95 on the sale, wore it with my black Louboutins (not visible really) and accessorized it with simple diamond accessories and a red clutch I bought for SG$30. To spice it up a little, I put on some serious smoky eye makeup and left my curls down and slightly loose. So all in all, although not my most stylish look, I'm happy with the outcome considering the tight time and budget I was on, and the dress code misunderstanding.
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So this blog post doesn't descend into maudlin let me accentuate the positives. Namely, that those people who did make the effort were more often than not, a hit. There was a high elegance percentage amongst the dressier guests, none more so than one of the evening's hosts Tan Su-Lyn from Ate Consulting. She looked very elegant and regal in her one-shouldered red pleated chiffon gown and beautiful necklace which looked like it was taken from Elizabeth Taylor’s impressive collection. It was indeed the look of the night and suitable for a host of such a grandeur event.
Apart from that, the Miele Guide gala dinner launch was a great success and the food was just unbelievable! With the best chefs in Asia as guests (and some cooking the dishes on our menu) I had high expectations and it’s safe to say they were definitely met. At one point, I was happy my dress was stretchable because with this food it was impossible not to eat everything!
And for next Tuesday’s cocktail party, judging by this event I think a day dress will do but luckily I’m not short on cocktail dresses so why not dress the part as well?