Walking into a formal event often brings a quiet question with it: Who do I talk to, and how do I start?

If you have ever walked into a formal event and felt unsure how to act, it is worth remembering that the room can teach you something in real time. When the room feels open, confidence follows.

Star power does not eliminate vulnerability. It often reveals it.

Awards season is not really about dresses. It is about confidence in public.

Can you Rewear a Gown to Multiple Formal Events? Yes. Sometimes. Unless you’re Nicole Kidman. It actually depends on the kind of formal life you live.

Even if you are just carrying a clutch, you need a few things to exist comfortably in the room.

If you arrive on time, you get the benefit of entering the room calmly. You can orient yourself, find the coat check, locate your table, and settle into the atmosphere before the formal moments begin. You can have conversations, and enjoy them.

A seat filler story, and what it taught me about access, etiquette, and the rooms everyone wonders about

Some charity galas adhere closely to traditional black tie expectations, while others adopt a more modern or relaxed interpretation. The key is recognizing the cues that shape how formal the evening is intended to be.

Creative Black Tie allows a little more flexibility on colors, silhouettes, and fabrics, but is still a formal affair.

It's important to pick the right shoes for a gala, and they need to be both comfortable and stylish

Sometimes you can wear a midi dress to a gala, depending on whether it is evening appropriate

Black tie isn't about perfection. It's about intention.

You don't have to be wealthy to go to a black-tie gala, you just have to find the right event, and celebrate life!

I have always admired Kathleen Turner for her acting and her activism. She has had some great movie roles and got away with murder in Body Heat. Her work with Planned Parenthood helped elevate that organization to the world stage. So when I heard that she was appearing at the Chicago International Film Festival Summer Gala, I thought it might be an opportunity for me to actually meet one of my favorite celebrities. At the Chicago International Film Festival Spring Gala Many p