You Can Nicely Dress for a Ball in Winter and Stay Warm

To dress for a balls in regions with cold winters is quite a challenge. Cold weather and evening attire seem like wearing a bikini on the beach in rainy weather. On top, when you are in midlife, it’s not a given that last year’s gown will do the trick. Read what is best to do to look your best at a ball in cold weather.

Contents

A Ball Means Dressing Up
Why Women in Menopause Should Check the Fit of Their Gown
How to Dress for a Ball in Winter
Wearing a Top Under an Evening Gown to Stay Warm
Check Your Boots at the Coat Clerk’s
Indoors – Another Side of the State of the Great Outdoors
How to Stay Warm in a Ballgown on the Way Home in Winter
Book a Hotelroom When You Take Long Rides for a Ball in Winter
Dress for a Ball in Winter in the Restroom at the Location
Examples of Fairbanks Formal Style to Dress for a Ball in Winter
Further Outfit Ideas Related to How to Dress for a Ball in Winter

Updated: 1/1/2022

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A Ball Means Dressing Up

My husband surprised me with an invitation to the 40 Below Ball. He was lucky to get some tickets last minute. Thus, I didn’t have time to browse the thrift stores or online for a gown. Well, there is always shopping the closet. Even though doing some shopping for the perfect dress without breaking the bank is some pre-fun of the upcoming event.

Always be aware of the type of ball. What to wear to a military ball differs from what to wear to a white tie, black tie, formal or semi-formal ball.

This ball was organized by the Fairbanks Ballroom Dancing Club and had turned from a Black Tie dress code event in the zero years to a Fairbanks Formal dress code. Thus, any of my date-night dance dresses would have met the dress code just fine. But I wanted to take this great opportunity of being able to dress up like Princess.

Why Women in Menopause Should Check the Fit of Their Gown

Ball attire is among those clothing items that have a long tenure in our closets. One wears them only now and then. While in our 20s and 30s this fact wasn’t a problem, when we had kept our weight constant, it would fit as great as the last time.

However, in menopause, keeping the same weight is no guarantee that a robe that was a perfect fit last year, still will fit this year. Somehow the meat/fat just shifts around and yep fails to resist gravity. 🙁 It turns south. To be in control of your life, not menopause, you would need a lot of shapewear to turn it north – read up. While I love shapewear, it’s no great for dancing the night away.

Thus, I tried my old gowns on in the morning before the event to know which one fits best. Well, also to have time for an alteration of a high-low hem if needed, i.e. when none of them was still looking great right away.

This menopausal body changes are also the reason why you always should try everything on before taking pieces from last year back from storage into your closet during your seasonal closet overhaul.

How to Dress for a Ball in Winter

In Fairbanks, heating is very expensive because it’s so cold outside. Thus, rooms that are not used and garages often only get heated to 40F (5^oC) to save money and protect the environment. Therefore, I how to dress for a ball in winter requires to have a shawl, evening jacket or cape to stay warm between dances, just in case the room is chilly.

Even with a fake fur coat just sitting in the car with sandals and a chiffon gown is a recipe to catch a cold and having to pay a medical bill. It’s just not how to dress for a ball in winter.

It does not need 40 below, but just temperatures in the negative digits (colder than -18oC) to make attending a ball already a challenge. Oh, no it is not the drive to the ball. Then your car just came out of the garage and is warm inside. It is the drive home. Your body is heated and may be sweaty from dancing, and the car stood 4 hours or so outside and adapted to whatever the temperature is outside.

Style blogger shows how to dress for a ball in winter in a nude and black gown — Short evening gown

over 50 years old fashion blogger posing on the dance floor in front of the buffet in evening dress and matching sandals — Front view of short semi-formal dress

Nicole walking in strappy sandals in a lace chiffon gown carrying a fish pearl embellished wrist bag — Outfit details: Unbranded nude fishnets, festive jewelry, Very Fine Dance Shoes strappy sandals (all own), a fish pearl wrist bag c/o Bellorita and lace chiffon below the knee gown c/o JJ House

Being sweaty after a night of dancing requires a warm coat. Of course, I first went to the restroom to towel myself dry. Freezing sweat is a recipe at least for a cold, but can even lead to hypothermia. Recall the car is damned cold standing outside at 10F (-12.3^oC) for a couple of hours.

For an Alaskan that’s considered warm in January. Thus, I wore my oyster color long leather coat with faux fur trim. You can see it hanging on the coat rack in the background in the photo below. If it had been colder like 0F (-18^oC) a faux fur coat would be a no-brainer. At 40 below, a thick down coat. A shearling would spread hair all over your attire.

black velvet ball gown with opera length leather gloves at part of staying warm at a winter ball — Side view of black velvet ball gown

Nicole of High Latitude Style wearing a black velvet evening dress — Long velvet dress with leather gloves and stole

This sleek dress in the photo above is my velvet gown that I had worn at the Governor’s Inaugural Ball in 2015 and 2003. In 2003, I had styled the gown with a burgundy necklace and bracelet and wore a satin belt with a Swarovski crystal buckle. In 2015, I opted for an edgy look with the studded belt. This time I styled the gown with an eastern vibe regarding the accessories for a different look. I also swapped the bolero jacket for a caplet for an on-trend look.

Wearing a Top Under an Evening Gown to Stay Warm

The following videao shows how to style an evening gown with a halftee or top underneath to add some extra “warmth”.

Check Your Boots in at the Coat Clerk’s

The women put their sandals or dance shoes on and check the tote and boots with the coat at the coat clerk’s. After the ball, women pull on the leggings or jeans under the gown in the restroom, while the guys go starting, and idling the car for about 5-10 minutes. The women wait inside until their guy drives their car in front of the door. They hop in, and feel cold until the car warms up. Those who also bring a blanket, wrap themselves in the blanket, and their guy helps them to get into the car. Have you ever tried to climb a SUV or truck when being wrapped in a blanket? Note that the blanket has to be brought inside to not be cold. In other words, you will have to also leave it with the coat clerk.

Indoors – Another Side of the State of the Great Outdoors

Alaska is not just the great outdoors, tough men and women mushing dogs thru a blizzard of snow, and mining for gold. It is not all about subsidence lifestyle with hunting, trapping and fishing. And it is not just hiking, snow-shoeing, skiing, and snow machining for fun. A regular event is the so-called “40 Below Ball” organized by the Fairbanks Ballroom Dance Club.

real woman dressed for a ball in winter in a long sleeve lace short prom attire — Babyboomer wearing a brown with gold metallic threads long sleeve lace dress with statement heels

They changed the name of the ball from “Moonshine Ball” to “40 Below Ball”, because it was below -20F (-29.8^oC) so often when they held their winter ball. However, ever since the renaming, the night of the ball was never 40 below zero. Such low temperatures are a logistic problem from a dressing point of view for the ladies. This year’s 40 Below Ball missed 40 below zero by about 10 days. 🙂

How to Stay Warm in a Ballgown on the Way Home in Winter

On the way home, I wore my jeggings and wool socks in my boots and a sweater over the gown under my coat. What do you do when you attend a ball at freezing temperatures? Let me know, I am curious.

Book a Hotelroom When You Take Long Rides for a Ball in Winter

Alaska is a state of the size of Europe from the Ural to Portugal. However, its population is about 736,732 (Census 2014). This means there are not that many opportunities to go to a ball. In many cities, there won’t be a ball at all due to the low population. Consequently, Alaskan dancers drive long distances to attend a ball.

metallic shine fit-and-flare short dress for a ball in winter — Fit-and-flare cocktail dress with abstract metallic print. The print was in all colors of the aurora when the light was reflected on it.

There was a group of young people who drove all the way up to Fairbanks from Anchorage. The driving distance between Anchorage and Fairbanks is 359 miles (~578 km). In winter, it takes about 10 to 12 h depending on the snow and road conditions. At the Governor’s Inaugural Ball a couple of years ago, there were even attendees who had flown in from the North Slope as far away as Barrow (502 miles, 805 km).

Dress for a Ball in Winter in the Restroom at the Location

A special highlight of the ball are the performances of the the Lathrop High School Ballroom Dance Team. Do I have to mention that they are not just great dancers, but also have an entire storage room full of beautiful gowns. I showed you just their dance gowns suitable for waltz some time ago.

When you are brave, you may adapt their solution, how to dress for a ball in winter. They arrive in their normal winter wear in full makeup for the dance performance, and change into their beautiful gowns in the restroom.

Lathrop High School Ballroom Dance Team lifting one of their dance couples. I loved the young women’s beautiful blue gowns

young dancers dress for a ball in the restroom — Members of the Lathrop High School Ballroom Dance Team performing in blue low-high hem gowns

Gorgeous golden glass embellished jive costumes with fringes — Lathrop High School Ballroom Dance Team performing a jive. My LeatherCoatsEtc oyster faux fur trimmed leather coat is seen hanging on the coat rack in the background. Love the little crowns that the young women are wearing to embellish their up-does.

young dancers in trendy purple asymmetric costumes — Stunning trendy purple with sequins asymmetric costumes. The no sleeve vs. long sleeve is so cool. Again see the little diadems in the updoes. So chic

Couple of the Lathrop High School Ballroom Dance team wearing black-white-red attire

Lathrop High School competition team in red dresses — Sequin embellished competition dresses with fringe skirts, golden sandals and costume jewelry

What the Other Ladies Wore

The usual tourist walking thru Fairbanks in summer or even during the aurora season has no idea what treasures are in the Fairbanks closets when it comes to formal or semi-formal attire. Alaska street style seems to be so down to earth and all about staying warm. O.K., in the Interior in summer, it is also about staying cool. The highest air temperature recorded in the Interior was 100F (37.8^oC) in Fort Yukon on June 27, 1915.

mature woman dress for a ball in winter in a gown with sequins — Ombre red-black gown with sequins. This gown looked very flattering as its ombre print strategically is dark around the waist and lighter around the hips giving the illusion of an hourglass figure. The sequins on the skirt of the dress give it a glam festive vibe.

gown changing its colors with every movement — I liked this gown as it changed colors with every movement

#styleover40 gray satin ball gown — I liked the sleek vibe of this gray satin gown. Who had thought that a gray gown could be so stunning?

The photos in this post are showing some of my favorite dresses. The Millennia were among the best dressed. There were hardly any generation X dancers, probably because it’s hard to get a child sitter on the first warm weekend after the cold snap 😉 . There were also some very stylish babyboomers and war generation fashionistas.

yellow prom dress for a ball in winter with nude leotard underneath — Yellow dance dress worn by a Millennia. I love the interesting hem and the decoration on the straps. She wears a nude leotard under her dress for a ball in winter.

mature woman in a lovely white pink silver gray robe — This white robe with silver sequin and pink pearls vertical embellishment is so slimming and looks so sophisticated. Love it!

mature woman wearing a flapper evening dress — Flapper style glass beads and sequin embellished evening dress. Love that she went for a black bead necklace in blackened silver and black satin sandals. The satin underdress hugs the body in just the right places. So chic, understated sexy and sophisticated. Perfect!

Examples of Fairbanks Formal Style to Dress for a Ball in Winter

Here some more casual examples of typical Fairbanks Formal Style.

Fairbanks Formal mix of casual and formal clothing items — This woman wears a gorgeous satin strapless gown with typical spectator lace-up swing shoes and white socks. Her partner combined his three set suit with a boleo tie and a watch chain.

couple swinging in Fairbanks Formal Attire — Guy wearing dark clean jeans, lady in classic black and white dress. She kicked her ballerinas of towards the end of the 40 Below Ball.

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The Buffet and Drinks

The buffet is quite different from those I have seen at balls in Europe. It had various Alaska food items like the reindeer sausages, crab mushrooms and hummus mixed with smoked salmon. I love eating salmon, and I love eating humus, but I am not thrilled about mixing them. I am more an on the side gal like Sally in the movie “You’ve got mail.”

young woman in tulle lace gown with halftee showing how to dress for a ball in winter — Maroon tulle dress with lace bodice decorated with sequins. I like that this young woman wore a black lace top underneath her cocktail dress for a ball in winter..

Typically, in Alaska, you get water, tea and coffee for free at events like a ball for the designated drivers. However, this time there was just water. May be one could have gotten free coffee or tea, but one would have had to ask. I didn’t check as I was fine with water. There was also a no-host bar with all kinds of Alaska beers, some national and international brews as well as various different wines. However, as usual, no champagne. Why is that? I have never been at a ball in Europe where there wasn’t champagne the It drink.