What to wear to the opera

[doutzen]

Ahh, well have fun and take pictures to post!!

 

[Melisande]

BTW, I decided to keep both! The jacket ended up getting reduced further to less than $50. And I fell in love with the cape. I know both will come in handy even though they are both black. Now, Victoria Beckham is making me want a faux fox. . .

Photo from tFS

Congratulations! I am sure you will find that the two have very different uses.
What's the opera? Know who's singing?

 

[Melisande]

Hi there! Last year, I frequented the opera, courtesy of great networking and a season pass. However, it was in DC at the Kennedy Center and not the Met.

I can say this about DC opera - dress code rigidity varies greatly. Mostly because the crowd is so diverse, specifically when it comes to age range. The biggest dispersion is between the old, wealthy formally dressed (usually gowned) women and the new society, young up-and-comers. They can include privileged college students, social-climbing socialites, and ambitious Hill staffers.

The attire of this crowd is usually "creatively dressy." The first outfit described would be a perfect example. I got away with black pumps, a simply cut black v-neck long sleeved dress, my hair in a posh-looking bun, dramatic lipstick, and strings of pearls to glam it up. And don't be afraid to wear a short dress at the DC opera either. Interludes among the new society crowd look like a picture-perfect cocktail party, and no one looks out of place. Many of the "hip" crowd like to adopt the "I-just-got-out-of-work-and-still-look-fabulous" technique. Taking a "day" work outfit and transforming it into something stylishly irresistible at night. A classic rule of thumb: if you feel you might be under-dressed, accessorize. Another: whatever you do, don't look like you're going to prom.

And for the men, a bowtie is not necessary but a jacket and tie always, always, always is.

I like your advice of "creatively dressy", it is always a good idea . I have been going to the opera all my life in the US, Europe and Japan, and I will add this: the only performances you really cannot go in jeans, or for men without a jacket or tie, are private dinner parties and fundraisers with a written dress code. The reason I say this is that at the opera there are certainly the patrons of the opera dressed in furs, especially at the galas, but there are just as many artists and opera insiders, who often do not dress up much if at all. It's all fine. If you enjoy dressing up great, but if you just want to catch some amazing music with no time to change, that is more than great.

That said, the company you're attending with may also be a factor. If you are invited to a gala together with a group of patrons, you definitely would do well in evening attire.