Formal occasions: the events we all love to hate. We love the glamor and glitz of it all, but we hate all the trouble we have to go through to achieve the glitzy, glamorous look. Part of the reason that so many of us dread dressing for formal occasions is because we simply don’t know how. Then there’s some of us who don’t only don’t know how, we think we know how, but end up with a less-than-glamorous look that could have been avoided, had we only taken the time to do a few simple things. The next time you’re dressing for a formal occasion, follow the handy tips below to make the transition to glamorous easier.

1. If you’re going to a wedding or other event where the focus is supposed to be on a particular person or group of people, don’t wear anything that’s going to upstage them. You can still be elegant, yet glamorous without sticking out to the point of stealing the show. Also, refrain from wearing the same colors they will be wearing, if you know this information beforehand.

2. If you must carry a bag at all, carry a small handbag with only what you absolutely need in it. Some cash, your ID, a debit or credit card, keys, cell phone and a couple of cosmetic items are really all you need to put in your bag. Notice we said handbag, so that means one you will be holding all night long, not one that’s strapped to your shoulder.

3. Let your jewelry reflect your outfit. If you’re wearing a dress worth hundreds of dollars, you want your jewelry to match. That doesn’t mean you have to buy real diamonds and pearls. There’s plenty of costume jewelry that’s quite affordable and almost indistinguishable from the real thing.

4. No matter how cold it is outside, never ever put a bulky, casual jacket over a formal dress. If you can’t afford a formal, more elegant and longer style coat to wear, opt for a shoulder covering sash or shawl instead.

5. If the invitation says “Black Tie Event” – always wear black. This should go without saying, but so many people overlook the small details and end up making some fashion mistakes that could have been easily avoided.

6. This next tip may take some professional alterations to accomplish, but you will be glad you took the time. If your dress calls for a strapless bra, be sure that your undergarments do not “fall out of place” over the course of the evening. You might want to have the bra sewn in some way or opt to put pieces of Velcro on it and your dress. An easy way of avoiding this is opting for a dress that has some kind of built in support inside the bodice so that additional bras and such are not necessary.