Accessories Can Help a Repeat Performance

You got a great deal on a velvet dress that you wore to the corporate Christmas party. Now you’ve got an event in the middle of January scheduled, one at the end of February and, do you dare wear it New Year’s Eve?

It’s the age-old question of how much mileage you can get out of one dress. Considering the cost of evening and formal wear, you’d better get more than one night out of it.

You can usually get away with wearing the same dress twice if the same people aren’t going to be around for both events, if you’re able to remove the cocktail sauce stain from the first night and if you put a little effort into changing the look.

“Take some time to experiment,” says clothing designer Ellen Corcoran of Yorba Linda. “Add a scarf or take away a pin. If you don’t have anything that looks like it will work twice, get a plain, inexpensive dress that will.”

Says Sandy Miller of Twice the Style in Costa Mesa, “Simplicity is in style right now. Clean lines, nice fabrics, classic looks--these are all what you should be looking for in an evening dress or outfit. Then, with the right dress, you can accessorize to change the look.”

The beaded shawl collar, which can add new style to a simple dress or jacket, is a popular way to get clothing mileage.

“It’s especially good for women who have to go to a lot of functions when they travel. They can take the collar and other accessories and just have to carry one dress,” Miller says.

Because jewelry is a great attention-getter, you may want to highlight some accessories to front for your simple outfit.

“One night, you could wear the dress with a long pearl necklace and great earrings,” Miller says. “The next night, you’ve got a necklace that’s tight around the neck and a fabulous belt.”

The accessories you need to stretch your outfit don’t have to be jewelry.

“If you have a short, bolero-style jacket, that can be worn over the simple dress,” Miller says.

“You can also try different shoes and stockings,” says Stephanie Grani of Stephania in San Juan Capistrano. “These smaller touches can transform an outfit.”

“Many women like clothing that can be layered,” Grani says. “With a two-piece outfit, you can always go with a different top for the second night. It adds some versatility to your wardrobe.”