Ask Belle: What Happens in Vegas

Hi Belle,

I’m going to Vegas this summer for a bachelorette party. We are (thank God) not wearing any type of matchy matchy outfits or printed tshirts, and were just advised to dress up for the night.

I’ve never been to Vegas, and I’m more of a dive bar girl than a clubber, so I don’t have any sparkly Vegas type clothes in my closet.

Should I wear a dress? A fun skirt and top? How should I accessorize?

Thank you!
DB

I had never been to Las Vegas until last summer when my parents and I did a drop in on the way home from Jeopardy.  I had always had a picture in my mind of what I thought the Vegas crowd would be like: glitzy, slinky clubgoers and pool side loungers.  What I got instead was a lot of men in Ed Hardy, women in Juicy Couture and tourists with short-shorts and fanny packs.  All in all, I was pretty horrified by what people were wearing so, I consider this my chance to save Las Vegas, one poorly dressed tourist at a time.

For nights out, I like dresses because they’re just easier and if you’re comfortable being spangled with sequins then I say go for it.  After all, when else will you be allowed to wear head-to-toe liquid beading without drawing attention to yourself?  But even if it is Vegas, there’s no reason you can’t be sparkly and classy right?

Malene Birger Kace Tank Dress (The Outnet, $93)

Rare Iridescent Sequin Dress (Asos, $103)

Both of these dresses have more than their fair share of sequins, but they’re not too shiny.  Well, at least I, Capitol Hill’s Unofficial Queen of Sequins in the Workplace, doesn’t think so.  To accessorize both dresses, I would use gold jewelry.  A couple of long chain necklaces for the first dress and some chunky bracelets for the second dress.  You could also think about adding a skinny metallic belt to dress number two, metallic leather or actual metal, your choice.

But whatever you do, please don’t accessorize your outfit with a penis pendant necklace.  I really have no idea how this trend got started, but there is nothing trashier than 15 drunk bachelorettes stumbling down the streets in tiaras and penis regalia.  Some people might think it’s funny, but frankly, it horrifies me.

As for other advice, bachelorette parties usually involve alcohol consumption.  Thus, I would recommend some seamless, nude boyshorts if you choose a skirt or a dress. It’s embarrassing enough to fall down, it’s more embarrassing if said fall leads you to flash your girly bits at unsuspecting tourists.  And considering the prevalence of the cell phone camera, what happens in Vegas might not stay in Vegas.