Update as to not confuse anyone. Wanted to add this comment from my friend Ryan of Seersuckers and Sazeracs

Be careful when attending a ball if you’ve never been. Masks are only for krewe members. If you are attending merely as a guest, you are not to be masked. if you are casting with the krewe, your mask will be with your costume.

Furthermore, the masks depicted here are of the venetian style. In New Orleans the masks are typical much simpler and quite frequently disposable.

This is my intro to this post:

This is my 5th Mardi Gras season living in the New Orleans area and I still have so much to learn. I thought it would be fun to ask my childhood friend and forever fashionista, Kerri-Anne Rizzotto, to write a guest post regrading Mardi Gras and fashion. She is the first person I turned to when deciding on a ball gown this year as her taste is impeccable. Kerri-Anne has visions of what Mardi Gras is like and wrote her post based purely with her imagination. She grew up in MA with me and now currently resides in New York. She is a world traveler and has been into fashion since we were in grade school. I will be sure announce her upcoming fashion blog when it makes its’ debut! She always picks the best items to highlight on her Facebook and she did not disappoint with this post. I think she did a phenomenal job.

Hello Everyone – I was so delighted when my long time, childhood girlfriend Greta Perry asked me to be a Guest Blogger and post about Mardi Gras and fashion. Now fashion is definitely my passion and I am in the midst of creating my very own fashion blog, but I by no means claim to be an expert on Mardi Gras and New Orleans. So when viewing this please keep in mind this post is through the “eyes of an outsider.” I was asked to do this because of my fashion style and not because of my “expertise” on Mardi Gras. I did know the “official colors” for Mardi Gras are purple, green and gold. I did not know the colors represent something : Purple representing justice, green stands for faith and gold stands for power. With that being said I of course found these colors consistently when doing my research. I know Mardi Gras represents one big GRAND party and that is right up my Street. I love these photos of decorated balcony. (pictures removed)
Part of the fun (and fashion) are two things you can incorporate into an outfit in many ways at Mardi Gras are beads and feathers – I love this photo where someone made a fun decoration out of their beads after Mardi Gras. What a fabulous idea!

I will make Mardi Gras in the future (ahem…..Greta) and when I do I expect a fabulous invitation to one of the many Balls that I have heard of! I love the invitations I came across and thought how fun it would be to send one out to all of my friends!

Now in keeping all that in mind – What to wear to these fabulous Balls……Oh and I would absolutely need to wear a mask as I have attended many Masquerade Balls and I collect them! for me – when I started seeing all the fabulous masks – I decided I would base my outfit around the mask. How fabulous are these? I have to say depending on the event (if I had to choose) the white beaded mask would absolutely be MY choice!

The Dress – I am more of a fitted, drapey dress girl (Greta said “No” to the suggestion of white:) but with the right accessories you can really make a statement. If I were to choose more of a ball gown look I would go with the lavender.

And now to accessorize – I absolutely died when I found this feather belt and shoes …..I would add that to the white dress but any minimal dress would welcome those accessories!
The Purse – depending on the shoes if you have not added any feathers as of yet – one of these would be perfect!

I cannot wait to see Greta in her gown – as she made a gorgeous choice!”

Disclaimer: All these pictures were found on various sites and apologies you will not find the links to them. I think Kerri-Anne did amazing!!!