▎❝ Style with me: masquerade madness. ❞

I’m starting harvest season off right with the most libra look I have ever worn and I’m bringing you with me! I recently got invited to a masquerade ball for a local foundation that supports mental health and suicide prevention. I’ve never been to a masquerade ball before but always dreamed of attending one so I had immeasurable fun putting everything together for my first time! You can find a post with the makeup tutorial here and below I’ll be sharing all of my outfit details.

Autumn is absolutely magical with it’s kaleidoscope of leaves dancing in the crisp autumn breeze. Mother nature turns up her saturation into glorious shades of rich warmth every fall for one last colorful grand finale before the land is covered in opalescent winter frost. The velvet curtain of stars begins to fall earlier and earlier kissing the sun goodbye until days balance like the scales of libra itself. This visage of seasonal beauty provided all the inspiration I needed to style myself accordingly. Who needs to be Cinderella when you can just be the pumpkin, am I right?

Orange Sequin Art Deco Dress

The dress that I wore was actually a backup dress for another one that didn’t come on time but it worked out! I got this dress for free (yes, you read that right) from Fashion Nova during their semi annual buy one get one free dress sale. They have these promotions pretty regularly and I’ve gotten a lot of free dresses this way! With formal events that I attend regularly, I’m always on the hunt for affordable evening wear and you don’t get much cheaper than free!

The dress itself is neon orange with yellow sequins arranged in a geometric art deco style of beading that’s seen a revival in recent years especially in evening gowns. It has adjustable thin straps and a plunging neckline with padding and wire to keep you in. Not backless, it does have a lower straight back and is floor length. Double lined, it wasn’t sheer at all and kept me covered while complimenting my curves. Sequined and with just enough stretch, it was one of the more comfortable gowns I’ve found myself in.

While the color was difficult to match, the dress is true to size and made incredibly well considering the original retail price which was around $69.00. It’s worth mentioning that I really struggle to find dresses that fit me properly and almost every Fashion Nova dress I’ve gotten has fit with the exception of one made of satin. Their size chart is accurate and the measurements are what you would expect for each letter size so I highly recommend shopping their gowns if you’re in the market.

Sterling statement necklace

In keeping with my autumnal theme, I wanted a necklace that reflected some of my favorite fall flowers, Chrysanthemums. The necklace that I envisioned also needed to share the same neckline shape as my dress so that the two complimented each other rather than competed. As I always do when I’m searching for a one of a kind addition to my wardrobe, I turned to the vintage jewelry section of Ebay and started my adventure!

After several rejects, I found this perfect unbranded statement necklace for $7.99 that came to $11.49 with local shipping costs. Made of sterling silver that desperately needed a good cleaning and orange gems arranged into flowers, it was everything that I was looking for! The bezel shaped stones were such a lovely touch that made this necklace appear much more expensive than it actually was and caught the light beautifully.

An added feature of this necklace was that if I had needed to use an extender, I definitely could’ve. It had many different hooks so that I could find a perfect length that was comfortable as well as stylish. Not going to lie but I would get this necklace in so many other colors; red for winter, yellow for spring, pink for summer? This piece of jewelry is crafted with so much versatility that I’m sure I’ll be getting a lot of wear out of it!

Purple & Orange Trench Coat

My original vision was to wear this dress with an matching orange faux fur coat but I couldn’t find one that was just the right color. Trust and believe that I searched the darkest chambers of the internet to find one. I always reach for faux fur when I don’t know what to wear with an evening gown—the textures of fur and sequin compliment each other the best in my opinion. If it’s not giving red carpet, I don’t want it! We love that old Hollywood glamour around here.

I knew that I didn’t want an evening wrap because of the season, temperature, and weather so I decided on a reliable trench coat. Again, I struggled to find just the right color until I remembered this very specific coat from Christian Siriano’s C Wonder brand that had every color of orange imaginable woven into it’s print. The satin fabric made it luxurious enough for evening wear and I was sold! That’s what I got and you can see it pictured above.

When it came to sizing, I purposefully sized up because I wanted to be able to cover my dress. Sizing up when it comes to coats is always smart for layering purposes. Trench coats are easy to wear in larger sizes due to their belts which cinch the waist regardless of numerical size. I wore mine loose so I could get in and out of it and just used the sash to keep it closed. The options are limitless here, babe.

Silver Block Boots

Last year, I attended a formal event with an unpaved entrance and almost broke my neck walking across the gravel in stilettos. I went from an elegantly moving swan to struggling flamingo on stilts and that is not an exaggeration! Obviously I’m a stiletto girlie at heart but sometimes your shoes can be treacherous and they’re not worth breaking bones for. In these precarious situations, I always ask myself if I would rather wear more a supportive—but still cute—shoe or spend a fortune on reconstructive surgery from falling on my face.

This past spring when I went to the annual event again with the same death trap of a parking lot, I was prepared! I snatched these stylish silver block heel boots for $23.99 from the amazon! They give me the height I need for the length of my gowns without the hassle of navigating a thin heel on unexpected terrain. The high enclosed shoe also ensures I won’t be walking out of my shoes or stumbling out of them either! Honestly, it’s a fantastic alternative that’s much easier to maneuver in a heavy dress.

These shoes were also much more affordable than most pairs of pumps and can be worn twice as many places. They are fine for fair weather or rain as I found out the first night that I wore them. The elastic around the ankle provides support while still giving enough to not be uncomfortable. Since I always wear long evening gowns, my dress conceals them so just the silver toes are visible, making them appear like any other regular good pair of heels!

Mask, Gloves, & Bag

Finding a mask was one of the hardest parts of this outfit because this dress is such a distinctive shade of orange. I couldn’t decided whether I wanted to honor my Venetian roots with a traditional stick mask or not but in the end I went with ribbon. I picked a metallic lace mask from the amazon for $8.99 with several different shades of orange in the hopes that one would match. I didn’t feel like it was a perfect fit but it was a good one and the silver tied into the rest of my outfit.

l never attend an event like this without my signature elbow length opera gloves. Opera gloves have made a glorious return to evening wear but I wear them because my autoimmune diseases make me very sensitive to temperature changes—much like fish—and I get chills easily. Keeping my arms covered with these gloves means that I’m not stuck wearing long sleeves constantly and can still enjoy the fashion that I love with a little adjusting. My favorite opera gloves are these classic elbow length Dream High ones from the amazon for $6.98.

My entire look was saved by this bag! I had planned to use my Bijoux Terner orange beaded clutch but the tickets to this event were laminated and therefore unfoldable. This is the weirdest reason why I’ve had to switch handbags but luckily my beautiful mother gave me this silver quilted Jason Wu handbag from Goodwill Colorado early instead of making me wait until my birthday. I’m not going to give away much else about this bag because it will probably be featured in a later post but all of the proceeds went to charity. Thankfully, it was just the perfect size!

Last Call

Well, as we finish up today’s post with the final look, I sincerely hope that this lovingly curated look resonated with you, maybe even offering a touch of inspiration for your own wardrobe. More importantly, I truly wish that you’re experiencing the sheer magic of this autumn season with as much delight as I am. There’s something uniquely enchanting about this time of the year that truly invigorates the spirit—or spirits—as we approach Halloween.

Beyond the personal joy of seasonal dressing and my love of sequins, my heart is always especially full when I have the opportunity to merge my passion for style with a deeper purpose. There’s an undeniable fulfillment in stepping out, not just for fashion’s sake, but when that effort contributes to a good cause. Whether it’s a charity gala, a fundraiser to uplift a community, or simply an event dedicated to making a positive impact, these are the occasions that truly resonate with me and I hope they resonate with you too.