As I was driving home yesterday, I passed both a movie shoot and a red carpet event. Maybe it was for the launch of a CD or the opening of a nightclub–who knows? The point is, while witnessing these events is exciting for newcomers and tourists, once you’ve lived in LA long enough, celebrity sightings and these types of things are old hat. And it doesn’t take long for your glitzy image of Hollywood to get a little rusty around the edges as the glamour in your head is replaced by harsh reality.

For instance, while most of the country hears “red carpet” and thinks of the immense hullabaloo surrounding the Oscars and Emmys and Golden Globes, the weekly red carpet events out here are more like the one I saw yesterday: a very short red carpet, a few feet of banners taped to a building wall for a backdrop, anywhere from one to a handful of press photographers, and no cheering crowds.

And while it’s fine to harbor a secret yearning to strut down a red carpet, if you think it’s just a silly dream, think again. That’s what a friend of a friend thought. Then she married a guy who’s brother toiled for years and finally hit it big as a producer/director. Now this woman finds herself at entertainment industry get-togethers rubbing shoulders with celebrities she used to see only on the TV in her living room.

So I guess what I’m saying is it’s probably not a bad idea to have at least one knockout, formal gown in your closet that you can grab in a pinch–just in case you get a last minute invite to a big Hollywood gala or simply an event in your own hometown.

Today’s VPOD features a vintage 1970s jersey gown that fits the elusive dressy-but-not-too-dressy category to a T. The stunning royal blue hue and the touch of beading make it just right for a winter event–and at a price point that doesn’t scream “Red Carpet.”

That makes it a fine find for a vintage fashionista!

Available at Retrodress.

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