how to DRESS for a CHARITY EVENT

It can be so hard to decide what to wear for a charity event; especially if it is unclear how formal the event will be. At this stage of life, I tend to overdress because I am so excited to be invited to something I can dress up for. I do like to follow the rule of, “It’s better to be overdressed than underdressed.”

Phone A Friend

When in doubt, phone a friend! If you are unsure how formal you need to go, it’s always a good idea to consult a friend who has gone to the event in years past. If she went to the event the previous year, she will be able to give you tips on what to wear or how dressy everyone was. Sometimes, it’s a new event, or at least new to your circle, but at least you can phone a friend who is attending the event in the current year so that you can coordinate your level of formality. At least you’re both in it together! Do not be afraid to ask the coordinator of the event for guidelines either. I was once invited to an event called the Red Dress Collection. It was a fashion show to raise money for the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” initiative. By the title of the event I was not sure if they wanted the guests to wear red or some other color. I emailed the event coordinator and it turns out that they only wanted the models in the show to wear red. I was so happy I checked because I would have felt a little silly showing up in a red dress.

Look For Something You Already Own

I love to buy something new for an event but if the event is more formal, and you buy a more formal dress, odds are that you are not going to get much use out it. Of course, if you know you have a bunch of events coming up that you could wear it to, that is a different story, otherwise, it’s not generally worth spending the money on. I always start by looking for a little black dress which you may already own. Maybe there is a bridesmaids’ dress in your closet that you could wear again. Adding a shawl to it can really change up the look.

Accessories

The concept of “doing basic well” can be so elegant because nothing takes away from your overall look. Wearing a black dress, a great pair of pumps, stud earrings, a bold lip color, and a necklace or bracelet can really be a show stopper. Accessories can really take a look to the next level and are a great way to achieve a trendy look without breaking the bank. Don’t forget to bring a scarf to wrap around your shoulders if you think you’ll get cold. If you are wearing heels and do not think you can make the whole night in them, bring some ballet flats or sandals. You can always check them with your coat if the event you’re attending has a coat check.

don’t betoafraid rock a skirt

Sometimes it’s easy to think you always need to wear a dress to events but wearing a skirt can be cute and appropriate for the event too. I find that I can get more use out of a skirt because you can dress it up or down. I love a pleated skirt because you can wear it with a dresser top for an event or with a chambray shirt for a more casual look.

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When you do what you love, it's more than a job; IT'S A CAREER FUELED BY PASSION

Beauty and color have no age. Stylist and owner of Bucci Salon, Connie Bernabucci, has continued to prove that through her cosmetology work and expertise in this industry. “I want to make people feel good about themselves and boost their self-esteem,” says Bernabucci. “When you make someone feel great, there is nothing that they can’t achieve!” Bernabucci grew up in Ashley, North Dakota, and started her journey at a beauty school in Jamestown; she then continued her exploration into hair in Atlanta, Georgia, and La Crosse, Wisconsin, before settling in Fargo.

She found her niche in life at the young age of 13 when she would design and make her own clothes from scratch. From the love of creating clothes came the love of creating hair designs. “My vision was already in pattern mode,” says Bernabucci. “So I took it from patterns in clothing and shapes and moved it to a head of hair.” Her inspiration comes from everything with color, art and nature. As well as her travels around the world that include five hair shows abroad in Greece, Italy, Paris, Portugal and the Mediterranean. After 25 years in the industry she told herself that she would go to the Paris Mondial Hair Show, which was pinnacle in her career and the largest hair show in the world. “It was breathtaking for me because I’m sitting in this huge auditorium with artists from all over the world and I felt so engulfed in creativity and that this small prairie North Dakota girl is sitting in all of this,” says Bernabucci. After that it drove her to keep learning as the industry is ever changing and always transforming.

Along with the industry always changing, women are always changing. Every age comes with different looks and has different styles and colors that are popular among them. The 20 and 30 year olds want styles that are trendy and quick and easy to maintain. A fresh balayage, ombre and long layers are popular. The 40 and 50 year olds want a fresh cut to make them look and feel younger. “My usual go-to is a textured bob with long layers,” Bernabucci says. For 60s and beyond Bernabucci said that everyone can be gray and beautiful as long as you sport a sassy haircut. Bernabucci makes sure that every guest has an amazing experience when they step into her salon.

Seasons always play a part on what magic Bernabucci will create. She likes to stick with three colors, which is the high light, low light, and a burst of color section. She wants the haircolor, skin tone and eyes to all come together as one. With that she makes a spring/summer look and a fall/winter look for her clients and changes up one of the three colors to fit the season and keep things fresh.

Some questions that she seems to get a lot include: What’s trending right now? How do I combat the grow-out stage? How can I keep my platinum hair from turning brassy? Why doesn't my grey cover? How to help hair thinning?

Right now, pastel/metallic and vivid colors in balayage are incredibly popular and can add fun to any style. To battle the dreaded grow-out stage there are sprays, powders, and Redken take-home kits that can be used to keep hair looking fresh. To keep platinum hair from turning brassy, Bernabucci foils in blue/black haircolor and recommends toning shampoo and conditioner to confront the brass. To cover grey hair it's a higher developer and more pigment. Hair thinning can be helped with minoxdil; as well as laser treatments, vitamins, and other topical treatments may be helpful to restore hair’s full-body potential.

“I’ve been able to stay in this industry for as long as I have with this much enthusiasm as I’ve had because of the feeding of the art in my mind,” says Bernabucci. It is clear as day that Connie Bernabucci is here to stay in a career that betters lives all around her. “The sky is the limit when it comes to coloring, like art!”