May Ball Arrives Fashionably Early
Technically held in April, the ball did not fail to impress.
St Andreans finished off the year with flair, elegance, and taste Sunday night as the Kate Kennedy Club’s May Ball took the spotlight. The last big blowout of the year, May Ball is esteemed for its brilliant demonstrations of style and grandeur, as students clamour to be one of the best-dressed in attendance. As is typical of all Kate Kennedy Club events, a Tatler photographer was present, prowling the VIP sections to ensure that exemplary displays of style were captured and immortalised on their website—prompting guests to amp up the luxe.
One of the astounding things about events at St Andrews is that somehow, without prior planning or notice, guests tend to gravitate towards similar looks and colour schemes. Despite there not being a set theme, there was a definite trend followed among attendees—clearly, St Andrews students have a knack for getting the memo. This year, shades of pink appeared to take the reins as the venue was abloom with floral colours and pastels. Soft, simple hues of magenta, ballet pink, pale fuchsia, orchid, lavender, and rose were in abundance. Perhaps the recent arrival of warm, breezy weather in Fife goaded guests to channel a springtime aesthetic. Men followed the spring theme as well, donning baby-blue bowties and pastel waistcoats.
While quite a few floor-length hems were spotted, dresses of shorter length – mini to midi – were opted for. This was most likely for convenience purposes, since hauling around a heavy dress train to and from fairground rides would be a hassle. Shorter dresses were no doubt also preferable for those pulling an all-nighter to participate in May Dip, and who couldn’t be bothered to change into their swimming costumes before self-baptising.
Since tripping on bothersome hems was a non-issue at the ball, there were quite a few instances of trainers paired with mini-skirts. While those harbouring more traditional notions of proper ball attire may have scoffed and turned up their noses at this devil-may-care attitude, at the end of the night, sneaker-wearers were undeniably far more able to make the trek back home than their stiletto-wearing counterparts.
May Ball was perhaps one of the most characteristically St Andrews events of this entire year. Ball gowns and bowties paired with champagne and a peaches-and-cream scheme made for a ritzy, tasteful night of frivolities. It was a personification of the fashion inclined culture that St Andrews is so revered for. With everyone dressed to the nines, it was a night to remember – a night to continue the reputation of opulence and the à la mode aura of Kate Kennedy Club events.