We all know black-tie means elegance and opulence, but it also leaves plenty of room for interpretation, especially if you've never done black-tie before
Mary Stremlow, author of Free a Marine to Fight: Women Marines in World War II, when female Marines uniforms were designed and fielded from 1943-1952, ailored femininity was the goal, and by all accounts, it was achieved. Dress blue uniforms for women, which came into wear in 1952, maintained the tailored femininity, with a figure flattering coat and A-line skirt
The good news is that after placing your order, there is still time to make up your mind
If you typically wear suits or a sport coat and need an overcoat to accommodate that, make sure youre looking at coats that are not too close fitting so youll have room to move