Ways to Prepare for a Military Ball

I’ve only been an Army wife for five months now, so I’m still a complete newbie. I want to put that out there right from the start. I am in no way an expert. With that being said, I was excited to experience my first military ball last weekend. A chance to get all dolled up and be escorted by the best looking man that I’m most proud of in life? Yes, please.

But before I could chat during cocktail hour, shake hands with the colonel, or eat up all my chicken, there were a few things I needed to do to prepare. This is a list I’ve compiled, but not everyone will want to do these things or find them important. This is just what I did to prepare myself for the big night.

I’ve written this post from the perspective of a wife for other wives or girlfriends. I understand there are military husbands, but this post is specifically for the ladies.

Get Ready for Your Military Ball

Book the Logistics

Here’s one of the most important parts! Purchase the ball tickets! DUH! Don’t forget to do this! Depending where the ball is, you may also need to book a hotel for the night. The ball I went to was about two hours away from our house and everyone got a discount on hotel rooms, so we spent the night. In fact, it was our first night away together since we got married (other than our honeymoon). If you have children, be sure to sign up for childcare, get a babysitter or send the kids to your parents’. Because of all these things, a big part of preparing for a military ball is by saving money. It can definitely be expensive!

Pick Out a Dress

I feel most comfortable shopping with my mom. She always tells me when something doesn’t look good on me or, if it does, what makes it most flattering. So when she came to visit one month, we went dress shopping! It was like old times — school dances, proms, college formals — and I think I tried on a dozen dresses. I wanted something elegant and classy. We found the perfect dress at Macy’s. Next time, though, I want to find a dress at a consignment shop or someplace cheaper like Ross. Buy a dress, borrow a dress, use a dress from the back of your closet — whatever works best for you.

Find the Right Shoes

My next mission was shoes. Unfortunately, I didn’t already have a good pair of fancy shoes. So, of course, the next month when my mom came to visit, we went shoe shopping! I found the right pair of shoes at Stein Mart, and they were on sale! I didn’t want shoes that were too high or too uncomfortable. Make sure they fit good and you can easily walk or dance in them. I stood in these shoes for more than two hours, so in case this happens for you be sure to buy comfortable shoes. Again, buy a pair, borrow a pair or use an old pair. I’m hoping I can use this pair for future balls, so I made sure to get a neutral color.

Choose Your Undies

This probably sounds silly and it depends on your dress how important this is. My dress was slender and fitting so I didn’t want underwear lines showing. To me, it was important to get no-show underwear. I knew my husband would be the only one checking out my caboose, but I also knew no-show undies would make me feel less self-conscience. I found a great pair of no-show underwear at Victoria Secret that were the same color as my dress. They’re comfortable too so I don’t have to worry about picking wedgies all night! 🙂

Beautify Yourself

You want to be confident when you walk into that ballroom, and it’s normal to be nervous (especially if it’s your first time like it was for me!). A great way to build your confidence is to beautify yourself the day of or day before. If you have the extra cash, get a pedicure/manicure. I had already spent too much money, so I took the time to repaint my toenails myself and fix up my finger nails to look shiny. Wash your face really good. You could even do one of those face masks, which I love! Condition your hair, wax your eyebrows, use a sugar scrub in the shower, shave your legs — whatever it is you do to feel gorgeous!

Ease Your Mind

If it’s your first military ball, like it was for me, it can be really nerve-wrecking getting ready for such a big event. I had no idea what to expect, and I didn’t really know any other military wives. It was my husband’s first ball too so every time I asked him about it, he didn’t have the answers. If you are nervous and wondering what it’s like, I suggest you first ask other military wives. They can give you an idea of what to expect and give you guidance on proper attire and etiquette. If you don’t know other military wives yet, hit the world wide web. There are lots of military friendly blogs out there with answers. I suggest you first read What to Expect at a Military Ball.

Let Loose

OK, now let’s not get crazy — you still want to be respectable for your husband’s sake … and your own. What I mean is shake off your nerves, take a look in the mirror and say, “Dang, I look fine! Let’s do this!” Put a smile on your face and enjoy yourself. Savor the fact that you are on the arm of the man you love and you look gorgeous. The people who planned this ball want you to have a good time. Enjoy the food, dance a little, meet new people and be proud to be a part of the military community.

Other Tips for Getting Ready

Get Your Hair Did — Figure out how you want to wear your hair. Do it yourself, have a friend do it for you or go to hair salon.

Clean his Uniform — Have your soldier’s uniform dry cleaned. Make sure all the buttons and ribbons are in the right places. He should know where they go.

Accessorize — Pick out any jewelry you want to wear, buy a clutch/purse, new makeup — whatever you need!

Be sure to check out my post What to Expect at a Military Ball and my Pinterest board Military Life.

Share with us: What other ways do you prepare for a military ball?