Happy new year! I hope this new year will be joyful and peaceful for you. At 40+Style, we will continue to inspire you so you can look and feel your absolute best in 2016. Thank you so much for being here!
In the first instalment of our favorite looks from the 2015 Valentino Gala, we eyed fabulously bold colors and animal print. We sobered down in this part with our favorite dark and elegant black tie looks.
Contrasting colors
If you’re looking for a tutorial on how to wear black and white well in the evneing and cause a few heads to turn, here is the perfect example. This attendee offset her black and white dress with an eye-catching embellished red clutch and green heels that just pop. Not overtly matching, the contrasting accessory and shoes (with some not at all subtle jewelry) are well balanced on the black and white canvas of her romantic dress. She does not look overdone, yet definitely steals the show.
Embellished looks
Society page mainstay Lisa Falcone offered a fantastically dewey complexion to offset her gold embellished dress. This is a great example of selecting the type of dress that showcases your body’s assets (in this case Falcone’s toned arms)
Evening pants
Pants were also a refreshing sight in a sea of dresses. We love her statement necklace, the striking red lip, and her jeweled flats.
Classic and chic
Classic and simple is key in this look. A flattering black gown with a striking bracelet and coordinating clutch pull it all together quite well.
Bold red lips
We’re once again treated to a tastefully done bold lip on Linda Fargo (pictured with Valentino ambassador Carlos Sousa) and a very chic approach to black and white with a highly covetable coat.
Black and blue
Dame Joan Collins expertly mixes textures (large sequins and fur) as well as expertly showing how to integrate blue and black. We also love her jeweled pumps.
Lace
Evelyn Lauder’s lace dress is a very flattering length and cut, and pairs very well with statement chandelier earrings.
Eye catching touches
Julia Koch added liveliness to a black dress (and made its length compete quite well with the longer gowns) by going with a heavily textured dress that is hard to ignore and even stronger statement making peeptoe heels. The coordinating clutch is the icing on the cake.
Vintage inspired touches
This attendee added texture and color over a black and very flattering canvas (another great example of selecting the perfect dress for your body shape) of a dress with vintage inspired touches.
Which one of these looks is your favorite for a gala?
Photography by Denton Taylor
Sylvia is 40+style’s editor-in-chief and has been helping women find their unique style since 2011. An alumni of the School of Color and Design, she is devoted to empowering women of any age to look and feel their best. Read more about Sylvia and 40+style on this page.
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Oh the first photo for sure! Black and white with the red purse and green and white shoes! My favorites colors all in one fashinable statement. #stylegoal2016 !
Sylvia, when I opened my email I thought that was you in the black and white dress, sporting a new hair style. It wasn’t until I clicked on the link and read your commentary that I realized it wasn’t.
It certainly would have been fun to there there 🙂
The women all look lovely.
In the Julia Koch photo there is a man with what looks like a velvet coat on. In the lower right corner it looks like another velvet coat. Is this a trend in menswear? Please say it isn’t so.
I so agree with Greetje’s comments. All the looks were fabulous. Thanks for sharing all that glamor. Happy 2016 to you.
My favorites are the first look and the last look. I love the black and white striped dress with the green and white shoes. Love that pop of unexpected color at her feet. I also loved the last dress velvet with all the bling. It was a very flattering cut and style for a woman of her age but fun too.
Oh that first outfit…. to die for. I would never in a million years have come up with green/white shoes with a red bag. But it works so well. I think it deserves an award.
I would definitely go for that one (Denton doesn’t happen to have a front picture of the dress too, has he?)
Then the evening pants… the way her hair is cut is also brilliant.
Does Linda Fargo ever goes wrong? Splendid coat.
Joan Collins’ dress is spendid, as are her shoes. But I would like this dress with a bit more coverage at the top.
And I hardly ever say anything negative about somebody elses choices, but I would not have advised Evelyn Lauder to wear this dress.
Julia Koch’s dress is stunning but she could wear a binliner and still look fantastic. The last dress (vintage inspired) is a very nice one too.
Greetje that first picture is far and away my favorite of the evening. In addition to a lovely outfit the way I caught her stride is perfect. I don’t, unfortunately, have a photo of her from the front. She was very late (in fact that was the last photo I took of the evening) and she just rushed in without a word or a glance. Nice Valentino bag but I don’t recognize the shoes. And yes that took talent. Most people would have worn red shoes.
As this is the party season I can see why you have been concentrating on party clothes. However, I hope you will soon show everyday clothes for older women to wear while living their ordinary lives.
All of them look wonderful..but I love the classic and chic style. Happy New Year, Sylvia…may it be full of joy!!