On Tuesday, I attended the Gizmodo Happy Hour event at The Cat & Fiddle in Hollywood. The happy hour was set up by the LA-based writers of Gizmodo so that readers, PR people, tech developers and others could meet and network with Gizmodo’s writers.
Dressing for this event was tricky. For one, it’s always great to look a little more put-together and conservative for work events. On the other hand, the Cat & Fiddle (and all of Hollywood, really) is super dive-y and casual, so being super over-dressed would make you stand out like a sore thumb. Also, even in 2014, most of the people with tech startups and companies are male, and their standard uniform is t-shirts or button-downs and jeans.
I opted for this pinky-mauvey long-sleeved lace dress from Forever 21’s fall opener sale. It was only $13, and I just couldn’t resist! The fit is perfect – short but not too short, tight but not too tight. The lace on the sleeves is sheer, but the rest of the dress is lined with the same color liner, so you’re not revealing anything at all. I am also a sucker for long-sleeved dresses, as I think they work for literally any occasion and make everyone’s arms look sleek and toned.
The dress is a little dressy, but I didn’t want to wear sandals or flats. I also felt like nude heels would work really well with the dress, but didn’t feel like being typical. So instead I chose my favorite brown wedges from Target. They have two thick brown straps, and cork/wood print wedge sides, so they are great for daytime and for casual nighttime outings.
As the outfit was already pretty overdressed for Hollywood’s bar scene, I didn’t wear any jewelry – just made sure that my hair was en pointe! Pro beauty tip: I just discovered Loreal’s Advanced Hairstyle Lock It Weather Control Hairspray! It blocks against humidity (so your hard-earned curls don’t fall flat) but also keeps hair super-soft and bouncy, not stiff and crunchy like most hairspray.
What do you wear for after-work, work-related events? How do you reconcile dressing for work with dressing for casual venues?
Let me know in the comments!
