Asking for a photo at a formal event can be tricky. On one hand, these moments feel special. On the other, the setting matters. Context matters. Timing matters.

Walking into a formal event often brings a quiet question with it: Who do I talk to, and how do I start?

Sharon Stone and the Timeless Award at the Astras At this year’s Astra Film Awards, Sharon Stone received the Timeless Award. What made the moment memorable was not just the honor, but how it unfolded. Stone arrived late and sat at a table that had already shifted as the evening progressed. Some earlier guests had left, and new attendees had taken their seats. When her highlight reel played and she stood to accept the award, she addressed the moment directly with humor, jokin

If you have ever walked into a formal event and felt unsure how to act, it is worth remembering that the room can teach you something in real time. When the room feels open, confidence follows.

Star power does not eliminate vulnerability. It often reveals it.

This year, two elements stood out clearly: metallic fabrics and statement shoulders. Metallics were everywhere, but not in a loud or novelty-driven way. The most successful looks used metallic fabric as texture rather than spectacle. Soft golds, silvers, and muted finishes showed up in clean silhouettes that felt intentional rather than attention-seeking.

The ASTRAs are a special kind of night because they still feel like a gathering, not a machine. The energy is more personal. You see people talking to each other, congratulating each other, and actually enjoying the moment. Even on a hectic night, that spirit still showed up, and that is what I keep coming back for. This year, the dress code was listed as semi formal, and I will admit, I expected that to translate into fewer gowns and more cocktail silhouettes. That was not w

Awards season always feels like it arrives all at once. One minute you are still thinking about the holidays, and the next minute there are red carpets and speeches and velvet ropes, and suddenly the question is not whether people will dress up. It is what kind of dressing up will we see. This week is especially interesting because we get two very different rooms back to back. The Astra Awards are on January 9, and the Golden Globes are on January 11. They sit close together,

Awards season is not really about dresses. It is about confidence in public.

The Beverly Hilton has always had a role. It is not simply a place to sleep in Beverly Hills. It is one of Hollywood’s most enduring “company town” stages, built to court the film industry in the 1950s and then immortalized by decades of award shows, galas, and televised events. When awards season arrives, it becomes something more than hospitality. It becomes infrastructure.

Can you Rewear a Gown to Multiple Formal Events? Yes. Sometimes. Unless you’re Nicole Kidman. It actually depends on the kind of formal life you live.

Even if you are just carrying a clutch, you need a few things to exist comfortably in the room.

Gloves can look beautiful with a strapless or sleeveless gown There is something quietly powerful about gloves. They feel old-world, elegant, and slightly mysterious, which is why people still ask about them. They also trigger uncertainty, because gloves can easily read as either timeless or costume, depending on how you wear them and where you wear them. The short answer is yes, gloves can still be appropriate at formal events. The longer answer depends on the dress code, th

If you arrive on time, you get the benefit of entering the room calmly. You can orient yourself, find the coat check, locate your table, and settle into the atmosphere before the formal moments begin. You can have conversations, and enjoy them.

A seat filler story, and what it taught me about access, etiquette, and the rooms everyone wonders about

Awards season is not really about one dramatic look. The real question is what keeps repeating once no one is trying to shock anymore. That’s where the signals appear.

The Astra Awards, hosted by the Hollywood Creative Alliance, take place January 9, 2026, and if you are not tracking them yet, you should. Not because they are trying to compete with the Oscars or the Globes, but because they offer something those bigger shows rarely do: a sense of closeness and sincerity that makes the entire event feel human.

Jewelry completes a formal look, but it should rarely overpower it. At black tie and formal events, the goal is not to sparkle as loudly as possible. The goal is to look cohesive, polished, and intentional, like you understood the assignment and enjoyed it.

Some charity galas adhere closely to traditional black tie expectations, while others adopt a more modern or relaxed interpretation. The key is recognizing the cues that shape how formal the evening is intended to be.

Creative Black Tie allows a little more flexibility on colors, silhouettes, and fabrics, but is still a formal affair.