Semi formal dressing is always  more fun than formal, so that was my goal last week when I went to the Metropolitan opera to see Don Giovannihttps://www.metopera.org/Season/2016-17-Season/giovanni-mozart-tickets/Opera is about romance and excess- excess emotion, ornate costumes, insanely talented singers, tragic love stories, and all things gilt and red and jewel-encrusted. Onstage there will be corseted bodices, voluminous velvet skirts , and gold braids. Offstage, I  took  those theatrics a few notches down  to create a look that is wearable and fierce. I put a contemporary twist on old- school opera attire . I wore this stunning Chanel necklace  to the opera with a kimono style sweater to frame this wonderful accessory to its best advantage. I mean how amazing is this necklace from the house of Chanel! I am so in love with the color and the style is just beyond. How many reasons do you have to have to want it! This was such a beautiful piece to wear to a beautiful theater. By mixing the Chanel necklace with more contemporary styling you can evoke your favorite opera heroine, such as Mimi, Violetta, Carmen, Isolde; take your pick.