It was a beautiful night to climb the elevator to the 74th floor of the Columbia Tower. Upon entering into the Seattle Opera BRAVO! Club event as a guest fashion judge on Wednesday, July 18, I was impressed with an astounding view of Seattle. Soft clouds blotted the sky allowing rays of light to pierce the atmosphere shatter diamonds of light across the surface of the Puget Sound–what a gorgeous backdrop to an eventful evening!
Guests entered the space to sip on wine, enjoy a colorful spread of tapas, and mingle will fellow-opera enthusiasts. Their actions and appearance were being watched, as John McDowell, former owner of Oslo’s boutique, and I scanned the room for the evening’s best dressed. Floor length gowns, colorful silks, sparkles, and an array of suits brightened the venue. Not only were the fashions intriguing, so too were the guests! The fun couple pictured below were standouts. If a person isn’t comfortable in the clothing they are wearing, the ensemble can lose its luster. These two were anything but dull.
John and I also looked at how a person styled themselves–the right accessories can make an outfit, but too many bobbles or the wrong colored shoes can make a look unappealing. The fun lady above could have easily overdone her outfit, but she chose a simple, one-shoulder dress and made it modern and unique with a bright strappy shoe.
Sparkles were a theme amongst the guests. The woman on the left wore her sheath dress very well–again not choosing to over-accessorize, but pair it with a simple black shoe and colorful nails. The gentleman in the middle photo was another stand-out. His suit fit him well, his shoes polished and well-chosen, and his accessories bright and tastefully coordinated (fun note: his pocket square was vintage a handkerchief once belonging to his mother). Lace was another trend worth noting in the evening’s fashions. The black lace dress with dark blue slip featured on the far right is perfectly proportioned, highlighting this guest’s great legs and covering just enough skin to maintain sophisticated style.
Let me not forget to mention the reason for the evening’s celebrations; BRAVO! Club united their members for a preview of the Seattle Opera’s upcoming show Turandot.
After some words from Speight Jenkins and a few inspiring solos by two featured performers, John and I appointed the night’s most fashionable under the categories of “best dressed male”, “best dressed female”, and “overall best dressed”.
Our best dressed female waltzed into the event with a long red gown–two large bags weighing her arms. She had obviously changed at work and proceeded to walk down the street to the Columbia Tower in a training strapless dress–I would call this bold elegance.
The best dressed male was appointed his title with an ease of style and personality. He wore a plaid suit jacket, striped tie, black pants, and yes, chuck tailors.
Our winner? She was chosen a few minutes prior to the announcement (it was a tough call!). A strapless deep blue silk dress with a gathered skirt fit our winner perfectly. Her necklace was a neutral statement and her shoe and clutch shimmered against her simple dress like the sun reflected onto the water. Perhaps we were inspired by our surroundings, as the ‘overall best dressed’ blended effortlessly with the surrounding landscape–naturally shining.
Seattle brought forth style–all for the sake of the arts! Be sure to check out Turandot August 8-18.
Photography by Mike Adams
