cole haan men's dress shoes brown Harmon Grand Plain Toe Oxfords - British Tan yet lightweight Cole Haan Men's Originalgrand Remastered

Here is a practical breakdown of the most common shades and how they interact with black trousers

Sandals vs

Alterations are available, with dresses beginning around $250

While the requirements of the black-tie dress code do mean that your choice needs to have a modicum of respectability (this is not the chance to go crazy with cutouts or aim for a really short hemline), here is your big excuse to bust out the bold colour, fire up the ruffles, do a smash and grab on the sequins, unleash your inner lam addict, brave something backless, go va-va-voom in velvet and, well, I think you get it

Try the Somerset dress on for placement and sew a hook and eye onto the placket about halfway down using a needle and thread