What Makes Budget Black Tie Work?

There, on your hall table. The envelope. It's thick, uniquely-shaped, with lustrous paper. Inside, an invitation. And there, somewhere near the R.S.V.P., sit the words, dreaded or welcome, Black Tie Requested. Now what? 

For movie stars, high-level socialites, and other red carpet denizens, time to call the stylist, buy a new outfit, or maybe, just maybe, remix an outfit from the closet. For most of us, time to fret. We know that black tie usually means long. You can get away with a cocktail dress, but if everyone else will be dropping their hems you may feel more comfortable following suite. Few of us have closets full of long. If you've got all the money in the world, no issue. 

I'm particularly fond of Lanvin at the moment. But my fading family fortune would screech like a toddler losing an ice cream cone were I to try and pry loose enough to invest in Mr. Elbaz's creations. So what to do? You have a couple of options. 

Option #1. Rush off to a prom gown store like Cache, or the "dressy" department of Macy's. I can't recommend this route. High WASPs don't even wear "gowns." We wear dresses. I don't know why. But I do know why not to follow the mass-market-dress-with-some-bling strategy. You may not feel right amongst the Lavin-clad throngs. Of course, if you don't care, then go ahead. If you are one who does care, and I confess I am, all is not lost. Learn from those who do this for a living. Option #2. The crowd who treat black tie like a tennis match have helpfully established some uniforms. 

Uniform #1, the Asian cheongsam/qipao/salwar kameez. A cheongsam calls out for toned arms, glamorous cuffs, and jeweled sandals. I'd do this one in aubergine, with pale blue trousers, or maybe navy with a very off green. You want a striking color palette. Perfect for the Artsy Cousin who has done service in Asia. Oh, and I'd shake my ShakeWeight. A lot. 

Uniform #2, the Carolina Herrera. Carolina, for short. After all, the woman has made this look so much her signature that stylists photograph similarly dressed models in homage. The Carolina suits those with lovely necks and bust. Frames a beautiful necklace well. Helps the long-waisted.

Requires high heeled peep-toe pumps or ballerina flats. Your choice, but you need a little heel and a little toe to show.

Must avoid the Full Dowager. Grandes Dames are not quite the same as dowagers.

The genius of these black tie strategies is that you should be able to pull them off for far less than $2000. I haven't tried myself, yet, but I've done a fair amount of research. To locate a Cheongsam, in most major cities, and many of their associated suburbs, Indian, Pakistani, and Chinese communities search out the last few talented tailors who provide homeland garments. If you like tunics and pants, find a resource for salwar kameez. If you prefer the more fitted cheongsam (this is the Cantonese word, quipao in Mandarin), Chinatowns all over America create custom-fitted wedding outfits. You can have anything made. Of course, having anything made in America will still cost a fair sum of money. A much cheaper alternative would be to take something off the rack and have it customized. Or venture offshore, and try one of the many online boutiques.

• Make sure to secure a fabric swatch and samples of closures, etc. in advance.
• The success of designing your own lies in impeccable materials, and scrupulous fitting.
• You will probably need to finish tailoring locally.

And the 'Carolina?' How to recreate for less? Here, Etsy will be your friend. You want a skirt in silk, satin, or velvet, with detailing and some volume. Find one with a waist suitable for display, or sash it yourself. For the white shirt, you want a substantial cotton, fitted, with an interesting detail at neck or cuff. Alternatively, a cotton lawn shirt, transparent, embellished. This short sleeved blouse moves the look younger, towards the land of Boho, and Little Women. Can't you just see some beautiful unknown girl, in Victorian skirt and this blouse, hair up on her head, sweeping into a room full of fancy people? Capturing everyone's imagination?

When all is said and done, we might be able to get to our event for just over $300, without accessories. Leaving you room for a cuff by Alexis Bittar. And certainly some serious faux pearls.Yes. For this occasion it's just fine to go big and go fake. You're carrying it off. You're Sabrina, only you didn't sew your own. It's possible to find even cheaper long black skirts. But I suspect they lack volume.

Most importantly, you will want to try this all on. Everything. Wrap, bag, shoes, jewelry, makeup. There's no point unless you arrive at that feeling of, "Ta Da! I'm here!" Otherwise you're only fulfilling societal obligations. And there are lots more of those way more important than wearing appropriate clothes to a gala.

One could, of course, avoid folderol and donate the money to whatever cause your black tie event supports. Or, one could, calling upon the entrepreneurial spirit that has served this country well, round up 10 friends to buy an entire table, thereby contributing and dressing up. Both. Doing both well.