ON THE SOCIAL CIRCUIT; SO MANY GALAS, SO MANY GOWNS...Byline: Barbara De Witt Daily News Fashion Editor Black tie. Black tie preferred. Creative black tie. Whatever the invitation says, it means he wears a tuxedo and you wear a formal. This year, with so many hot tickets in town - from the opening of the new Getty Museum to the arty Divine Design fete - the gala gown has made a dazzling comeback, along with mink stoles and feathery finery. Got a gala and need a gown? Not sure what's hot or not? Long and sleek silhouettes with a '20s influence are back, especially with a draped front or back. Slit skirts and one-shouldered gowns are still around, but poufs are passe pas·sé adj. 1. No longer current or in fashion; out-of-date. 2. Past the prime; faded or aged. [French, past participle of passer, to pass, from Old French; see . Ball gowns with long, full skirts are a classic, especially when they're strapless strap·less adj. Having no strap or straps, as a dress or an undergarment. n. A garment having no strap or straps. strapless Adjective with a matching jacket or stole. Velvet, solid or burned-out with chinoiserie chinoiserie (shēnwäzrē`), decorative work produced under the influence of Chinese art, applied particularly to the more fanciful and extravagant manifestations. patterns, is fashion-forward, as are sheer slip dresses with bugle bugle, brass wind musical instrument consisting of a conical tube coiled once upon itself, capable of producing five or six harmonics. It is usually in G or B flat. bead designs. But don't rule out iridescent pantsuits for those Hollywood-style parties. More details. Hair is up again, accented with feathers, tiaras and cocktail hats. Jewelry is hefty (or none at all); shoes are stiletto-heeled; purses are tiny, often jeweled and sometimes with a drawstring. And makeup is bright, so rethink pink on the cheeks and bright red nails. For more help, see how we've paired galas with gowns. CAPTION(S): 13 Photos PHOTO (1 --2 -- color) Go for the glam if you're attending a Salute to Hollywood, the star-studded gala Saturday night at the Beverly Hilton Hotel sponsored by the Associates for Breast Cancer Studies to the John Wayne Cancer Institute. Sure to turn heads is this white velvet sheath with bugle beads by Kay Unger, $530, accented with a faux mink stole, $160, by La Maison de la Fausse Fourrure. According to event chairman Martin Roth, this year's Spirit of Hollywood Awards will be given to Cyd Charisse and Tony Martin. All fashions courtesy of Neiman Marcus. (3 -- 4 -- color) Opening night at the opera is always a fashionable affair, but add a little Gypsy flair for the Viennese operetta operetta (ŏpərĕt`ə), type of light opera with a frivolous, sentimental story, often employing parody and satire and containing both spoken dialogue and much light, pleasant music. ``Countess Mariza'' Saturday at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is one of the halls in the Los Angeles Music Center (which is one of the three largest performing arts centers in the United States). The Music Center's other halls include the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and Walt Disney Concert Hall. . The party after the performance will feature traditional Hungarian dining and dancing, says party planner Claire Segal, so you'll look the part in this opulent gold embroidered em·broi·der v. em·broi·dered, em·broi·der·ing, em·broi·ders v.tr. 1. To ornament with needlework: embroider a pillow cover. 2. strapless gown with matching jacket by Victor Costa, $750. Her beaded bag by Samantha Heskia is $350. (5 -- 6 -- color) Perhaps the hottest tickets are those coveted invitations to the Getty galas. Invitations for the December round of galas at the Getty Center in Brentwood haven't even been mailed yet, but society's A-list is already shopping. An art-worthy choice is a nonbasic black gown covered in jet beads by Carmen Carmen throws over lover for another. [Fr. Lit.: Carmen; Fr. Opera: Bizet, Carmen, Westerman, 189–190] See : Faithlessness Carmen the cards repeatedly spell her death. [Fr. Marc Valvo, $1,995. (7 -- 8 -- color) The San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. Chapter of the National Charity League's ball on Nov. 29 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel is an excuse to buy a Cinderella gown, as pants and cocktail dresses are simply not allowed, according to Jan Agens, president of the local chapter. She suggests a sweeping ball gown for the formal affair, which will introduce 11 debutantes to society. To make an elegant entrance and sweep across the dance floor in style, try a gala gown like this Victor Costa design in chocolate brown satin with lavish fox trim, $725. (9 -- 10 -- color) The annual Fire & Ice Ball to benefit the Revlon/UCLA Women's Cancer Research Program is a fashion-forward gala Dec. 3 at the Paramount Pictures lot. Saks Fifth Avenue Saks Fifth Avenue is a chain of upscale American department stores that is owned and operated by Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises (SFAE), a subsidiary of Saks Incorporated. It competes in the elite luxury department store market with Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys New is planning a fashion show featuring Isaac Mizrahi's spring '98 collection, so wear something sassy. Think of it as a chance to paint the town red, with Fire & Ice polish on your nails and a slinky slink·y adj. slink·i·er, slink·i·est 1. Stealthy, furtive, and sneaking. 2. Informal Graceful, sinuous, and sleek: wore a slinky outfit to the party. red gown, like this design by Halston for Neiman Marcus, $2,325. (11 -- 12 -- color) Divine Design '97, the gala that celebrates the interior and fashion world on Dec. 7 at the Pacific Design Center calls for something outrageous. At this event, which will honor designer Tommy Hilfiger and Banana Republic stores, as well as numerous local celebs, you'll see plenty of glitter and glitz, advises Beverly Morgan, spokeswoman for Neiman Marcus, which is participating in the event benefiting Project Angel Food and Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS/Los Angeles. She suggests this metallic pantsuit by Gianfranco Ferre, $3,790, teamed with a fuchsia fuchsia: see evening primrose. fuchsia Any of about 100 species of flowering shrubs and trees in the genus Fuchsia (family Onagraceae), native to tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America and to New Zealand and Tahiti. feathered cocktail hat by Jack McConnell, $410, and pink satin gloves by Neiman Marcus, $38. (13 -- color -- cover) 'tis the season (black bow tie) Photos by Tina Gerson. Styling by Barbara De Witt. |
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