Is it appropriate to wear black velvet dress to a formal affair this time a year?

Black is always in! If it's Fall or Winter then a velvet dress is just fine, but jazz it up with jewelry of your choice. If I wear black I also have a dainty decorative silver or gold 'hip chain' that I wear slightly slanted across the left hip and hanging a little and it perks the dress up. If you don't want to go that route then wear nice earrings and a simple drop necklace. During summer months you can wear black, but have a lower neckline, sleeveless to capped sleeves and it can look very eloquent.