Wear Where Well Nordstrom Missoni little black dress_0002 Wear Where Well Nordstrom Missoni little black dress_0001 Wear Where Well Nordstrom Missoni little black dress_0006 Wear Where Well Nordstrom Missoni little black dress_0003

Wear Where Well Nordstrom Missoni little black dress_0010 Wear Where Well Nordstrom Missoni little black dress_0009 Wear Where Well Nordstrom Missoni little black dress_0007 Wear Where Well Nordstrom Missoni little black dress_0013

Exciting Alternatives to the Boring Little Black Dress

I’m not sure how your city operates, but in Houston, the charity and social event scene really dies down in the summer. Because of the Houston heat, everyone evacuates the city for beach vacations and / or cooler temperatures. But as the fall season nears, the social calendar begins to heat up in Houston. Every charity holds some sort of luncheon or gala to support its endeavors.

When the question arises of what to wear to these charity social events, many people fall back to the tried and true little black dress. While there is nothing wrong with an all-black dress, I’m here to remind that there are appropriate yet fun alternatives! Try using black as your background, but adding in some color, pattern, and texture in the forefront. This will ensure you stand out in a crowd – in the best, my stylish way!

For instance, I chose this M Missoni dress. The dress features a classic a-line shape, but mixes things up a bit while adding in some ribbed texture and of course signature Missoni colorful zigzags. As a side note, in case you are not familiar, M Missoni is the “little sister” of Missoni, meaning you get the same great Missoni signature quality, but at a slightly lower price point.

Our Favorite Non Boring Little Black Dresses

Thankfully, Nordstrom has something for everyone,both style-wise and price-wise. Here are some of our favorite alternatives to the standard, boring little black dress:


What do you think? Do you dare to be bold? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave us a comment.

As always, thanks for visiting Wear + Where + Well!

Photos by Maritere Rice

Thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this article. Strategic partnerships like this help make Wear + Where + Well possible. Thank you readers for supporting our sponsors. 

Details of My Look

M Missoni v-neck zigzag a-line knit dress | Alexandre Birman ‘Clarita’ sandal (older; similar options here, here, and here) | Chloe small ‘Faye’ shoulder bag (older; same style here) | Fendi cat-eye sunglasses | Dior pearl earrings (similar inexpensive option here) | OPI nail polish | Nars ‘heat wave’ lipstick

21 comments

  1. How fun! It’s definitely a nice spin on the LBD, those walls are so cool too!

    xx
    Lauren
    http://www.shoesandsashimi.com

    1. Carrie says:

      Right? Thanks so much, Lauren!

  2. Sydney says:

    I love the idea of using black as the background and adding a colour onto it! What a great idea, this is perfect for stepping out and standing out ! Great wall Carrie, I love the colours it is so happy! Have a wonderful Wednesday!!

    Sydney | http://styledbys.ca

    1. Carrie says:

      Big thanks, Sydney! Glad you liked.

  3. Bella B says:

    You look gorgeous, These pictures turned out so nice! I still love that dress a ton!! Sending you lots of love

    Bella

    1. Carrie says:

      Hee! Look familiar? It was so fun having you here.

  4. La Bijoux Bella | by mia says:

    Oh la la . . . Such a cute and fun look. Summer is definitely still here! Just fabulous! 🙂

    La Bijoux Bella | by mia

    1. Carrie says:

      Thank you! Have a great day.

  5. Nan says:

    Love this whole outfit and location — perfect backdrop for that dress! So fun!
    xo Nan // Simply Elegant Blog

    1. Carrie says:

      I really appreciate that! Thanks so much, Nan.

  6. Anastasia says:

    I love adding some color to my LBDs as well! Also, perfect for those who’re used to wearing all black and are trying to get our of their comfort zone. PS The Faye bag in this color combination is a Dream!

    http://www.appelezmoiana.com/2016/08/fragments-paris.html

    1. Carrie says:

      Thanks for chiming in, A!

      And thanks for your comment on the bag. I’m surprised they haven’t brought this blush color back this season.

  7. Merritt Beck says:

    Laughing at the idea of a BLBD- the boring little black dress, love this twist on the classic style, this is so you!
    xx, Merritt
    The Style Scribe

    1. Carrie says:

      Ha! I’m glad you saw the humor. Thanks a bunch, Merritt.

    1. Carrie says:

      Thanks so much, C! 🙂

    1. Carrie says:

      Thanks so much, Carrie!

  8. Alyssa Renee says:

    This dress is so cute! I love it for transitioning into fall! However, those blue heels drew my eyes straight in! Love how they pop! =)

    ~Alyssa~
    shesalyssarenee.com
    
Follow Me:
    Instagram
 | Facebook | Bloglovin

  9. Mara says:

    obsessed with that dress!! And your hair looks so amazing! I LOVE it!!

    xox
    Mara

    1. Carrie says:

      Thanks a ton, Mara!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *