Five Best Places To Dress Up To The Nines

Five Best Places To Dress Up To The Nines

During this modern day and age, it’s increasingly rare to find an event or venue where it’s appropriate to dress in your finest clothing. Typically, weddings and award shows are about the only places where it’s not frowned upon to wear a floor length gown. Unfortunately, getting married and being an Oscar nominee doesn’t happen everyday, which means most of the time your most gorgeous gowns remain hidden away in the back of your closet.

There are some places that welcome guests dressed to the nines, from renown performance venues to iconic restaurants. We’ve picked out five of the best ones in the world to keep in mind next time you take a trip and would like to bring that gorgeous gown along.

Kennedy Center

Nothing says you’re cultured quite like attending an event at the Kennedy Center. The performing arts center holds over 200,000 performances each year, so it’s definitely feasible to see a show or two if you are in the Washington D.C. area. If you’re feeling super glamorous, be sure to check out the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington National Opera.

While the Kennedy Center doesn’t have a specific dress code, and does occasionally host more casual events it is considered a black tie venue for main attractions. This comes as no surprise when you consider the celebrities and high-ranking government officials known to attend these events. For an event at this American landmark, consider wearing an elegantly embroidered gown with a dainty diamond necklace.

Per Se

Owned by the legendary chef Thomas Keller, Per Se is one of the trendiest, most expensive restaurants in New York City – a place known for excellent cuisine of all kinds. The delicious dinners start at $355, which should give you an idea both of the quality of the food and the heightened nature of the atmosphere. When visiting, make sure to match the acclaimed restaurant’s chic quality by putting on your slinkiest black dress and highest stilettos. Since New Yorkers tend to be a bit edgier, you can also toughen up the look with a fitted leather jacket, hoop earrings, or a bold red lip. Elegance with edge is the name of the game.

Casino de Monte-Carlo

It would be easy to assume classic casinos are going out of fashion, given the astronomical rise of their digital counterparts. From Europe to New Zealand, gaming sites are matching the entertainment of in-person casinos, and offering appealing sign-up bonuses to boot. While they may be attracting gamers though, these sites don’t have the atmosphere of a truly classic venue, like Monaco’s Casino de Monte-Carlo. An iconic and absolutely gorgeous, old-world casino, it remains a major draw and one of the best places in the world to dress up. Given that this casino is often associated with none other than 007, you might have fun drawing style inspiration from one of cinema’s “Bond girls.” Naturally a bikini in the vein of Halle Berry in Die Another Day is best saved for one of the city’s beaches; Eva Green’s dress from Casino Royale, on the other hand, might be perfect…

Royal Ascot Horse Races

The Royal Ascot is a horse racing event just outside of London that is traditionally visited by Her Royal Highness the Queen of England. So naturally, in case you happen to rub elbows with some British royalty, it’s in your best interest to wear something that makes an impression! Beyond this notion though, the Royal Ascot does adhere to a rather strict dress code, and formal daywear is prefered. There’s a slightly wacky nature to the attire, which is typical of horse racing crowds (particularly in Britain), but it’s all in good taste, and ultimately it’s better to be the most dressed-up person at the event than the least.

Sydney Opera House

It really doesn’t get any fancier than the Sydney Opera House. In general, opera houses are perfectly fine with guests who wear semi-formal outfits. In this regard, the Sydney Opera House is no different. That being said, at this venue it’s absolutely fine if you want to go with a classic, elevated look and pair an elegant dress with some Opera gloves. Particularly if you’re visiting for the first time, the pure beauty of the venue itself will likely make you want to dress for the occasion anyway.

Clearly, there are more places than these five to dress your best, even in modern times. But if you’re a true fashionista longing for those rare occasions to really go all out with your look, these are places to add to your bucket list.