Get A Helmut

That moment when you have an event and need to figure out what to wear in a pinch but, ugh, you hate everything in your closet—you know that moment. The worst! Luckily, there are easy fixes for that besides spending an arm and a leg on a new outfit.

I recently tried Rent the Runway for the first time and I don’t know why I didn’t use it sooner. I would never pay the retail price for this dress, but renting was easy. No fuss, you can search by price and it’s stocked with great dresses. A girl couldn’t ask for more!

I was drawn to this dress because it seemed very different than what I have seen before. The cut is odd and not my usual pick. I stepped out of my comfort zone, took a gamble and loved the result. Trust me, this number was horrid on the hanger. My philosophy when shopping has been that if it looks bad on the hanger, it is guaranteed to look good on the body. Try it out the next time you are shopping. The result might surprise you. The mud color appealed to me for a reason I cannot explain, but it reminded me of gold muscadines when they are at their most ripe. They change from their vibrant gold to a darker shade similar to this. It’s the prettiest.

Accessorizing a dress this unusual was tricky. I debated going ultra glam with big jewelry or Greek goddess with statement cuffs, but eventually decided that a delicate touch would give the dress the chance to shine. When you are petite like me (5 feet 3 inches tall), you generally have to pick and choose your focal points. Some looks are better with accessories as the focus and others should be the clothesthemselves. Deciding which element to feature can help balance the body so you don’t look overwhelmed with things.

The goal is to still see you in the clothes—always.

Dress: Helmut Lang via Rent the Runway
Shoes: Ralph Lauren (similar)
Clutch: Kate Landry (similar)
Rings and necklace: vintage (similar)