Be the Best Dressed at the Lowest Prices

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of attending the New York City Ballet spring gala — a $10,000-a-plate affair that, let me quickly add, I was invited to on someone else’s dime.   

Did I fret about what to wear among the likes of ballet company Chair Diana Taylor (the longtime paramour of Michael Bloomberg), actress Rosie Perez or ABC TV’s Robin Roberts, or the other glitterati who had coughed up that $10K apiece for their tickets? No. I reached into my closet for the midi-length, black-lace A-line skirt that I’d bought nearly 30 years ago from Anthropologie for $60; a sequined top that I’d picked up in the teenage department of Bloomingdale’s; and the trusty pair of satin Prada shoes that I’ve had for over a dozen years — the exact same outfit I’d worn two years before when I was the mother of the bride.

And frankly, folks, I looked stunning. With summer weddings, garden parties and other elegant events on the horizon, here are some tips for "tuxedo dressing," or putting together some fabulous yet frugal outfits and looking like a million bucks.