Teri Jon Gown' Formal Affair

The Memorial Day weekend marks when our annual Hershey soirée takes place for an evening of high style. This year, Club 21, a private organization for African-American men, celebrates their journey of success in the Harrisburg area for seven decades.

Teri Jon; Evening of High Style; Soirée
Just like we don’t want to overlook the significance of Memorial Day as just a holiday to have a day off from work to go to barbecues, Club Twenty-One’s yearly event also has deep meaning.  It’s not just a party but roots steeped in history and accomplishments. 
Teri Jon; Evening of High Style; White Dinner Jacket; Soirée
The only time club history shared with introductions before the evening events commence. There are formal introductions and a short bio of each of the twenty-one members. As well as entertainment line-up for the night.
High Style; Teri Jon; White Dinner Jacket; SoiréeThe Club, founded as a social club in 1946. Also, it can point with pride to some significant accomplishments that grew out of the earnest desire of the club’s founders to assert themselves and to use their full range of talents for the betterment of the community.

DInner Setting; Tablescape; 2017 Club 21 Dinner Dance
I Attended an Annual Hershey Soirée for An Evening of High Style. The 2017 Club Twenty-One Tablescape with my gift bags for our guests.  The dinner entree included salmon, prime rib, and chicken.

It’s also worth noting that the members of the Club Twenty-One, credited with taking instrumental roles in re-activating the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1947.  In helping to memorialize the name and legacy of the outstanding Harrisburg educator, Dr. William Howard Day, and in breaking down the bars of segregation in places of public accommodations in the Harrisburg area.

Formal Attire; High Style; Teri Jon Dresses; Soirée
I Attended an Annual Hershey Soirée for An Evening of High Style. The 2017 Club 21 Dinner Dance at the Hershey Lodge, the group photo of some of the Club 21 men in their white tuxedo dinner jackets.

The club’s first formal dinner dance held on the evening of Friday, November 22, 1946.  That event and similar ones in the many intervening years have been black tie dinner dances for members, their wives, family, and friends. 

I Attended an Annual Hershey Soirée for an Evening of High Style. The lovely ladies, our guests at the 2017 Club Twenty-One Dinner Dance.

The Club Twenty-One continues to maintain its original purpose of providing a social outlet for men of color, who, at the time of its inception, were barred from hotels and other places open to the public.

Formal Attire; Fashion Over 50; Teri Jon Dresses; High Style; Soirée
I Attended an Annual Hershey Soirée for An Evening of High Style. My #BFF and I at the 2017 Club Twenty-One Dinner Dance in Hershey.
Art Sherrod; 2016 Club Twenty-One; Smooth Jazz
I Attended an Annual Hershey Soirée for An Evening of High Style. 2016 Club Twenty-One with an encore performance by Saxophonist, Art Sherrod, Jr.
Line Dancing; The Wobble; Formal Attire; High Style; Soirée
I Attended an Annual Hershey Soirée for An Evening of High Style. Photo at 2017 Club Twenty-One Dinner Dance at Hershey Lodge.
Formal Attire; Dinner Dancing; Soirée
I Attended an Annual Hershey Soirée for An Evening of High Style.  The Harold’s Tony and Edna on the dance floor.
Formal Attire; Black Love; Wedding Anniversary; Soirée
I Attended an Annual Hershey Soirée for An Evening of High Style. April and Hubby celebrated their 11th wedding anniversary with our group at the 2017 Club Twenty-One Dinner Dance.
Family; Formal Attire; High Style; Soirée
I Attended an Annual Hershey Soirée for An Evening of High Style. My niece, Kenya Pickles and I and 2017 Club Twenty-One.

This year’s dinner dance special commemoration of seventy years with the club members donning white dinner jackets with tuxedo pants. It seems the white dinner jacket adopted in the 1930s for warm-weather formal in Palm Springs.  We sometimes forget men do have a few options when it comes to black tie attire.

2004 Club Twenty-One; Hershey Soirée
I Attended an Annual Hershey Soirée for An Evening of High Style. 1994 Club Twenty-One photo.

My husband, an attorney, received his invitation to join the social club in 1993.  We attended our first dinner dance in 1994. Can you find me in the photo above?

Over the last twenty-three years, I adopted a more formal/black tie attire. What’s proper to wear? And most importantly, what works best for my body type? 

In that time, I developed an appreciation for the long gown. It fits in with the elegance of the evening.  I like that I now have a wardrobe of fancy dresses to choose from, I do rotate them as we go to many black tie events every year. 

Note, in my short ↑ video above; there are at least two cocktail dresses.  I used to prefer cocktail dresses and suits because I can get more wear out of them.

Teri Jon Gown; 2017 Club Twenty-One
I Attended an Annual Hershey Soirée for An Evening of High Style. The young and thin model wearing the Teri Gown gown I chose to wear.

One thing I noticed is very few retailers cater to women over the age of 50.  Have you ever seen the companies whose primary focus are women over the age of 50 but still utilize young and thin models to show their clothes online?

Teri Jon is my go-to designer for any cocktail attire.  Every piece I’ve purchased is well-made,  usually of natural fibers with incredible details. Teri Jon has great options for mother-of-the-bride, matron of honor, cocktail and daytime dresses and of course, evening gowns. On their website, you can shop by occasion with plus size available too.

How was your Memorial Day Weekend? Do you have any family traditions? Please do share in the comments below. 

Have a fabulous, healthy, and stylish week.