Diary of a Mad Masquerader

Dear Diary,

The wait is over. Tomorrow marks the date for the Museum of Fine Arts Boston's Summer Party Masquerade, and my wardrobe is finally ready. It hasn't been an easy task, let me tell you...

First and most importantly, there was the question of the dress. My infuriating quest for a dress ultimately became a battle of Milla vs. Palma. Last Saturday, I held both dresses in my possession and weighed my options. It is worth noting here that both J. Crew and Diane von Furstenberg seem to favor models measuring under 5'11". I know this to be true, for these two gorgeous, floor-length gowns transformed before my very mirror into ankle-length dresses. Even without shoes on.

I settled on Milla, whose straight silhouette is far better suited for an ankle-length fit--which brought me to my next hurdle: the shoes. Such is the life of a fashionista. You should know that I don't mess around when it comes to shoes for formal occasions (just ask Kristen Stewart), but my gown brought me to a tricky crossroads:

On the one hand, I could go with flats so as to avoid calling attention to the fact that my gown fell a bit short (literally). This would mean playing it safe--something in the gold Tory Burch Reva Ballet Flats genre.

On the other hand, I could embrace my height and crank up the dial a bit with a pair of killer heels. This would mean taking a risk, which is the responsibility of every self-proclaimed fashionista. Do you even have to ask what I decided? As a wise friend reminded me, the dress is too short, regardless, so buy a pair of fabulous shoes and let 'em show! Obvi.

With this in mind, Lizzie and I hit the Burlington mall on the hunt for a pair of outrageous gold heels. With metallic being so hot right now, you would think this would be a snap. Not so much. I was forced to admit that a girl should never call Nordstrom for a Bloomingdale's job. Empty-handed, we headed towards the light (or, in this case, the black-and-white-tiled glory of Bloomie's).

What you might not realize is that "gold" is not as straightforward as it would seem. Shiny gold, matte gold, warm gold, cold gold--and nothing quite right. Feeling a little like Goldilocks, all grown up and shopping for shoes instead of porridge, the "It" shoe was just beyond my reach...

On the verge of hyperventilation came Lizzie's epiphany: why not choose something totally outrageous and actually earn my fashionista title? YES. And this is how I fell in love with Tory Burch's Anamarte Strappy Wedges. These industrial chic wedges feature dark pebbled leather the color of a coconut shell, criss-crossing every which way across the foot, and closing with a sturdy buckle at the ankle. And if you thought 5'11" was tall, just add the 4.75" cork wedge! Who needs floor-length gowns anyway?

Oh, Diary, it's amazing that, with just a simple shoe purchase, my masquerade look was completely transformed! While I was originally channeling demure elegance, now I'm all about blending aesthetics. My statement shoes will just the right amount of edge to my look, and my accessories will--of course--bring it all together: gold heirloom bangles a la Lizzie, a vintage-inspired charm necklace handmade by Talyn, simple hammered gold hoop earrings from Belmont's Bessie Blue, and my grandmother's vintage beaded clutch. Absolute perfection.

XOXO,
Lolly

Images: (1) Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) Boston, photo from www.mfa.org; (2) Tory Burch Anamarte Strappy Wedges $310 (on sale now!), available at Bloomingdale's (www.bloomingdales.com).